The Cruel Sister (A)

There lived an honest man and true,
might I follow thee!
And daughters had but only two;
So dupes t thou not me!

The younger bright as is the sun,
But black as dirt the elder one.

The younger suitors came to woo,
With tli elder none would have to do.

The younger loom and shuttle plied,
The elder slept at chimney side.

The elder took her sister's hand,
"Come, let us go to yonder strand.

"To yonder strand let us repair,
"And wash ourselves so clean and fair."

As on the younger stepp'd so gay,
The wind would with her ringlets play.

The elder follow'd close behind,
And anger fill'd her sullen mind;

As on a stone the younger trod,
She thrust her into the rushing flood.

"O hear me, sister, let me live,
"And thee my best gold cup I give."

"I'll get thy best gold cup, and more,
"But thou shalt never come ashore."

"O hear me, sister, let me live,
"And thee my buckle of gold I give."

"Thy buckle of gold I'll have, and more,
"But thou shalt never come ashore."

"O hear me, sister, let me live,
"And thee my trulove I will give."

"Thy trulove I shall get, and more,
"But thou shalt never come ashore."

By God's high will a tempest blew,
And on the coast her body threw.

Two minstrels walked along the strand,
And saw the maiden float to land.

They took her golden hair so long,
And therewithal their fiddle strung.

"To yon great house we'll now repair,
"Their merry wedding-feast to share/'

The first string ding a doleful sound,
"The bride her younger sister drown'd/'

The second string, as that they tried,
"In terror sits the youthful bride/'

The third string sang beneath their bow,
"And surely now her tears will flow/'

The bride stripped off her golden band,
And laid it on the minstrel's hand.

Tuesday began her heart to ache,
And Thursday night smoked at the stake.