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Two Sisters
Child Ballad #10
Recorded live at The Blackstone River Theatre, September 30, 2000

This 16th century ballad has many versions around the world including "The Wind and the Rain" and "The Bonny Swans". Some versions of the story end supernaturally where the murdered sister's body parts are turned into a fiddle or a harp: her long black hair becomes the strings, her finger bones the tuning pegs, and "the only tune that the fiddle could play was oh, the wind and the rain." We learned this particular version from Cari Norris, whose family is from Eastern Kentucky. She found the words of her grandmother's (Lily Mae Ledford) version at home in a drawer and asked her mother to sing the tune. One interesting feature of this version is that it is also a dance or a play party song, with a beautiful chorus of motions and love sentiments that blend eerily with the murder theme.

lyrics

There was an old man in the North Country, bow down
There was an old man in the North Country, bow and bend to me
There was an old man in the North Country, he had daughters fair to see
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

The old man gave the little one a hat, bow down
The old man gave the little one a hat, bow and bend to me
The old man gave the little one a hat, the other sister couldn't stand that
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

She said go put your new hat on, bow down
She said go put your new hat on, bow and bend to me
She said go put your new hat on,
And we'll go down by the old mill pond
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

They walked down by the mill pond's brim, bow down
They walked down by the mill pond's brim, bow and bend to me
They walked down by the mill pond's brim,
The old one pushed the little one in
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

Oh, sister, sister, give me your hand, bow down
Oh, sister, sister, give me your hand, bow and bend to me
Oh, sister, sister, give me your hand,
And you may have my house and land
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

She pushed her further out from the shore, bow down
She pushed her further out from the shore, bow and bend to me
She pushed her further out from the shore,
All for the sake of the hat she wore
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

Instrumental

The miller saw her floating about, bow down
The miller saw her floating about, bow and bend to me
The miller saw her floating about,
He took his hook and he drew her out
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

He took off all of her fine gold rings, bow down
He took off all of her fine gold rings, bow and bend to me
He took off all of her fine gold rings,
And pushed her back in the water again
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

The miller was hanged for the deadly sin, bow down
The miller was hanged for the deadly sin, bow and bend to me
The miller was hanged for the deadly sin,
The older sister ought to have been
I will be true, true to my love, love if my love will be true to me

credits

from And Then I'm Going Home 2001, released May 9, 2001
Aubrey Atwater: vocals, guitar
Elwood Donnelly: vocals, guitar

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Atwater-Donnelly Warren, Rhode Island

Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly, present delightful programs of traditional American and Celtic folk songs, a capella pieces, old-time gospel songs, dance tunes, and original works, blending gorgeous harmonies with guitar, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, mandolin, tin whistle, harmonica, banjo, bones, spoons, limberjacks, and Appalachian clog dancing and French Canadian footwork. ... more

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