The Twa Sisters

Comparison: Francis Grove broadside vs. Jamieson-Brown MS

The plot differs noticably between these two early versions of the Two Sisters. In the Grove broadside (left), there is no motive for the younger sister's murder, whereas in the Brown MS (right) the usual story of the elder sister's jealousy is laid out in the first few stanzas (2-5). Also it is the miller in the Grove broadside that constructs the instrument out of the younger sister, whereas in the Brown MS it is a harper who happens to wander by. The miller's son, who discovers the drowned sister in Grove, is not present in Brown.

There are also some formal differences: The Brown MS is longer, going into more detail on the younger sister's pleas for help (10), and her rich attire (15-19). The Grove version, however goes into gory detail on the construction of the "violl" and the roles played by various of the drowned girl's body parts (20-26).

The two burdens are apparently unrelated.

	"The Miller And The King's Daughter" From broadside "printed for Francis Grove, 1656" 1656	"The Twa Sisters" Jamieson-Brown MS 1783
characters: elder sister, younger sister, father (king), miller, mother (queen)	characters: elder sister (Ellen), younger sister, father (king), wooer (knight), miller's son, miller, harper, mother (queen)
burden: With a hie downe done a downe-a With a hy downe downe a downe-a	burden: Edinburgh, Edinburgh Gars' Stirling for ay Bonny Saint Johnston stands upon Tay
1		There was twa sisters in a bowr, There caine a knight to be their wooer.
2		He courted the eldest wi glove an ring, But he lovd the youngest above a' thing.
3		He courted the eldest wi brotch an knife, But lovd the youngest as his life.
4		The eldest she was vexed sair, An much envi'd her sister fair.
5		Into her bowr she could not rest, Wi grief an spite she almos brast.
6		Upon a morning fair an clear, She cried upon her sister dear:
7	There were two sisters, they went playing, To see their father's ships come sayling in.	'O sister, come to yon sea stran, An see onr father's ships come to lan.'
8		She's taen her by the milk-white han, An led her down to yon sea stran.
9	And when they came unto the sea-brynn, The elder did push the younger in.	The younges[t] stood upon a stane, The eldest came an threw her in. She tooke her by the middle sma, An dashd her bonny back to the jaw.
10	'O sister, O sister, take me by the gowne, And drawe me up upon the dry ground.' 'O sister, O sister, that may not bee, Till salt and oatmeale grow both of a tree.'	'O sister, sister, tak my han, An Ise mack you heir to a' my lan. 'O sister, sister, tak my middle, An yes get my goud and my gouden girdle. 'O sister, sister, save my life, An I swear Ise never be nae man's wife.' 'Foul fa the han that I should tacke, It twin'd me an my wardles make. 'Your cherry cheeks an yahlow hair Gars me gae maiden for evermair.'
11	Somtymes she sanke, somtymes she swam, Until she came unto the mill-dam.	Sometimes she sank, an sometimes she swam, Till she came down yon bonny mill-dam.
12		O out it came the miller's son, An saw the fair maid swimmin in.
13		'O father, father, draw your dam, Here 's either a mermaid or a swan.'
14	The miller runne hastily downe the cliffe, And up lie betook her withouten her life.	The miller quickly drew the dam, An there he found a drownd woman.
15		You coudna see her yallow hair For gold and pearle that were so rare
16		You coudna see her middle sma For gouden girdle that was sae braw.
17		You coudna see her fingers white, For gouden rings that was sae gryte.
18		An by there came a harper fine, That harped to the king at dine.
19		When he did look that lady upon, He sighd and made a heavy moan.
20	What did he doe with her brest-bone? He made him a violl to play thereupon.
21	What did lie doe with her fingers so small? He niade him peggs to his violl withall.
22	What did he doe with her nose-ridge? Unto his violl he made him a bridge.
23	What did he doe with her veynes so blew? He made him strings to his violl thereto.	He 's taen three locks o her yallow hair, An wi them strung his harp sae fair.
24	What did he doe with her eyes so bright? Upon his violl he played at first sight.
25	What tlid he doe with her tongue so rough? Unto the violl it spake enough.
26	What did lie doe with her two shinnes? Unto the violl they danc'd Moll Syms.
27	Then bespake the treble string, 'O yonder is my father the king.'	The first tune he did play and sing, Was, 'Farewell to my father the king.'
28	Then bespake the second string, 'O yonder sitts my mother the queen.'	The nextin tune that he playd sync, Was, 'Farewell to my mother the queen.'
29	And then bespake the strings all three, 'O yonder is my sister that drowned mee.'	The lasten tune that he playd then, Was, 'Wae to my sister, fair Ellen.'
30	'Now pay the miller for his payne, And let him bee gone in the divel's name.'

"The Miller And The King's Daughter"
From broadside "printed for Francis Grove, 1656"
1656

"The Twa Sisters"
Jamieson-Brown MS
1783

characters:
elder sister, younger sister, father (king), miller, mother (queen)

characters:
elder sister (Ellen), younger sister, father (king), wooer (knight), miller's son, miller, harper, mother (queen)

burden:
With a hie downe done a downe-a
With a hy downe downe a downe-a

burden:
Edinburgh, Edinburgh Gars'
Stirling for ay
Bonny Saint Johnston stands upon Tay

There was twa sisters in a bowr,
There caine a knight to be their wooer.

He courted the eldest wi glove an ring,
But he lovd the youngest above a' thing.

He courted the eldest wi brotch an knife,
But lovd the youngest as his life.

The eldest she was vexed sair,
An much envi'd her sister fair.

Into her bowr she could not rest,
Wi grief an spite she almos brast.

Upon a morning fair an clear,
She cried upon her sister dear:

There were two sisters, they went playing,
To see their father's ships come sayling in.

'O sister, come to yon sea stran,
An see onr father's ships come to lan.'

She's taen her by the milk-white han,
An led her down to yon sea stran.

And when they came unto the sea-brynn,
The elder did push the younger in.

The younges[t] stood upon a stane,
The eldest came an threw her in.

She tooke her by the middle sma,
An dashd her bonny back to the jaw.

'O sister, O sister, take me by the gowne,
And drawe me up upon the dry ground.'

'O sister, O sister, that may not bee,
Till salt and oatmeale grow both of a tree.'

'O sister, sister, tak my han,
An Ise mack you heir to a' my lan.

'O sister, sister, tak my middle,
An yes get my goud and my gouden girdle.

'O sister, sister, save my life,
An I swear Ise never be nae man's wife.'

'Foul fa the han that I should tacke,
It twin'd me an my wardles make.

'Your cherry cheeks an yahlow hair
Gars me gae maiden for evermair.'

Somtymes she sanke, somtymes she swam,
Until she came unto the mill-dam.

Sometimes she sank, an sometimes she swam,
Till she came down yon bonny mill-dam.

O out it came the miller's son,
An saw the fair maid swimmin in.

'O father, father, draw your dam,
Here 's either a mermaid or a swan.'

The miller runne hastily downe the cliffe,
And up lie betook her withouten her life.

The miller quickly drew the dam,
An there he found a drownd woman.

You coudna see her yallow hair
For gold and pearle that were so rare

You coudna see her middle sma
For gouden girdle that was sae braw.

You coudna see her fingers white,
For gouden rings that was sae gryte.

An by there came a harper fine,
That harped to the king at dine.

When he did look that lady upon,
He sighd and made a heavy moan.

What did he doe with her brest-bone?
He made him a violl to play thereupon.

What did lie doe with her fingers so small?
He niade him peggs to his violl withall.

What did he doe with her nose-ridge?
Unto his violl he made him a bridge.

What did he doe with her veynes so blew?
He made him strings to his violl thereto.

He 's taen three locks o her yallow hair,
An wi them strung his harp sae fair.

What did he doe with her eyes so bright?
Upon his violl he played at first sight.

What tlid he doe with her tongue so rough?
Unto the violl it spake enough.

What did lie doe with her two shinnes?
Unto the violl they danc'd Moll Syms.

Then bespake the treble string,
'O yonder is my father the king.'

The first tune he did play and sing,
Was, 'Farewell to my father the king.'

Then bespake the second string,
'O yonder sitts my mother the queen.'

The nextin tune that he playd sync,
Was, 'Farewell to my mother the queen.'

And then bespake the strings all three,
'O yonder is my sister that drowned mee.'

The lasten tune that he playd then,
Was, 'Wae to my sister, fair Ellen.'

'Now pay the miller for his payne,
And let him bee gone in the divel's name.'