Once upon a time There lived a lady on the North Sea shore Lay te bent to the bonnie broom She had two daughters that she adored Fa la la la la la la la la la The youngest daughter born to sweet delight Lay te bent to the bonnie broom The eldest daughter born to greed and spite Fa la la la la la la la la la A knight came for the fairest in the land Lay te bent to the bonnie broom He was promised the young girl's hand Fa la la la la la la la la la Grimmest envy in the elder grew Lay the bent to the bonnie broom She planned to steal her sister's lover true Fa la la la la la la la la la Oh darling sister won't you come with me Lay the bent to the bonnie broom To watch the swans swimming in the sea? Fa la la la la la la la la la On the rocks were the mermaids sing Lay the bent to the bonnie broom The elder sister pushed the younger in Fa la la la la la la la la la Oh cruel sister, please let me live Lay the bent to the bonnie broom And all that's mine to you I'll give Fa la la la la la la la la la "I'll take your true love and I'll take more" Lay the bent to the bonnie broom "For I never let you come ashore" Fa la la la la la la la la la The fair girl drowned beneath the North Sea foam Lay the bent to the bonnie broom Her broken body washed upon the stones Fa la la la la la la la la la Three witches found her in the dead of night Lay the bent to the bonnie broom And wove a spell to put her soul at right Fa la la la la la la la la la The made a harp out of her skin and bone Lay the bent to the bonnie broom The tuning pegs made from her finger bones Fa la la la la la la la la la They took nine locks of her golden hair Lay the bent to the bonnie broom And with them strung the harp so rare Fa la la la la la la la la la The took the harp on to her mother's hall Lay the bent to the bonnie broom And set it down to play before them all Fa la la la la la la la la la The harp of Death began to play alone Lay the bent to the bonnie broom The sweetest song to melt a heart of stone Fa la la la la la la la la la Golden strings rang out a truthful sound Lay the bent to the bonnie broom The elder sister has the younger drowned Fa la la la la la la la la la Strings of sorrowmade of golden curls Lay the bent to the bonnie broom Wreak their vengeance on the black-haired girl Fa la la la la la la la la la The song ends here dark and low Lay the bent to the bonnie broom And surely now her blood will flow Fa la la la la la la la la la