A farmer there lived in the north country a hey ho bonny o And he had daughters one, two, three The swans swim so bonny o These daughters they walked by the river's brim a hey ho bonny o The eldest pushed the youngest in The swans swim so bonny o
Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand with a hey ho a bonny o And I will give you house and land the swans swim so bonny o I'll give you neither hand nor glove with a hey ho a bonny o Unless you give me your own true love the swans swim so bonny o
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam with a hey ho and a bonny o Until she came to a miller's dam the swans swim so bonny o
The miller's daughter, dressed in red with a hey ho and a bonny o She went for some water to make some bread the swans swim so bonny o
Oh father, oh daddy, here swims a swan with a hey ho and a bonny o It's very like a gentle woman the swans swim so bonny o They placed her on the bank to dry with a hey ho and a bonny o There came a harper passing by the swans swim so bonny o
He made harp pins of her fingers fair with a hey ho and a bonny o He made harp strings of her golden hair the swans swim so bonny o He made a harp of her breast bone with a hey ho and a bonny o And straight it began to play alone the swans swim so bonny o
He brought the harp to her father's hall with a hey ho and a bonny o And there was the court, assembled all the swans swim so bonny o He laid the harp upon a stone with a hey ho and a bonny o And straight it began to play lone the swans swim so bonny o
And there does sit my father the King with a hey ho and a bonny o And yonder sits my mother the Queen the swans swim so bonny o And there does sit my brother Hugh with a hey ho and a bonny o And by him William, sweet and true the swans swim so bonny o And there does sit my false sister, Anne with a hey ho and a bonny o Who drowned me for the sake of a man the swans swim so bonny o