The Cruel Sister

Em  G  A  B7
Em  G  A  B7  Em

[Verse]
                                    D
There lived a lady by the North Sea shore
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                  D
Twa daughters were the bairns she bore
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
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One was as bright as is the sun
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                              D
Sae coal black grew the elder one
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
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A knight came riding to the ladies' door
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                             D
He travelled far to be their wooer
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Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
                                     D
He courted one, aye, with gloves and rings
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                 D
But he loved the other above all things
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Instrumental]
Em  G  A  B7  Em

[Verse]
                                    D
"Sister, sister won't you walk with me
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                            D
An' see the ships sail upon sea?"
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
                                D
And as they stood on that windy shore
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                    D
The elder sister pushed her younger o'er
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Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
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Sometimes she sank or sometimes she swam
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                  D
Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand"
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
                                  D
And there she floated just like a swan
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                              D
The salt sea carried her body on
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Instrumental]
Em  G  A  B7
Em  G  A  B7  Em

[Verse]
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Two minstrels walking by the north sea strand
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                   D
They saw the maiden, aye, float to land
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Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
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They made a harp out of her breast bone
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                         D
The sound of which would melt a heart of stone
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Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
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They took three locks of her yellow hair
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                 D
And wi' them strung that harp so rare
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Instrumental]
Em  G  A  B7     x3
Em  G  A  B7  Em

[Verse]
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The first string that those minstrels tried
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                    D
Then terror seized the black-haired bride
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Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
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The second string played a doleful sound
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                                D
"The younger sister, oh, she is drowned"
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la

[Verse]
                                          D
The third string, it played beneath their bow
        Em
Lay the bairn tae the bonnie broom
                               D
"And surely now her tears will flow"
C                          Em
Fa la la la la la la la la la