Misc Traditional – The Cruel Sister (Guitar)

       Bm                  A
There lived a lady by the North Sea shore

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

       Bm               A
Two daughters were the babes she bore

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

   Bm              A
As one grew bright as is the sun

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

    Bm                 A
So coal black grew the elder one

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

    Bm                      A
A knight came riding to the lady's door

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

      Bm              A
He'd travelled far to be their wooer

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

    Bm               A
He courted one with gloves and rings

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

       Bm               A
But he loved the other above all things

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm              A
"Oh sister, will you go with me"

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

     Bm                  A
"To watch the ships sail on the sea?"

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm             A
She took her sister by the hand

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

    Bm                   A
And led her down to the North Sea strand

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

    Bm                    A
And as they stood on the windy shore

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

     Bm                  A
The dark girl threw her sister o'er

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm                  A
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

          Bm              A
Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand!"

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm              A
"Oh sister, sister, let me live"

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

     Bm                    A
"And all that's mine I'll surely give"

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

      Bm                       A
"Your own true love that I'll have and more"

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

      Bm               A
"But thou shalt never come ashore"

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm                A
And there she floated like a swan

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

     Bm               A
The salt sea bore her body on

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm                A
Two minstrels walked along the strand

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

    Bm               A
And saw the maiden float to land

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

      Bm             A
They made a harp of her breastbone

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

       Bm                 A
Whose sound would melt a heart of stone

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

      Bm                      A
They took three locks of her golden hair

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

     Bm                 A
And with them strung a harp so rare

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

      Bm            A
They went into her father's hall

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

    Bm              A
To play the harp before them all

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

    Bm              A
But as they laid it on a stone

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

    Bm             A
The harp began to play alone

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm                  A
The first string sang a doleful sound

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

       Bm               A
"The bride her younger sister drowned"

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

    Bm            A
The second string as they tried

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

     Bm               A
"In terror sits the black-haired bride"

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da

     Bm                  A
The third string sang beneath their bow

        D                   Bm
Lay the bent to the bonnie broom

     Bm              A
"And surely now her tears will flow"

G                                Bm
Fa, la-da-dum, da, da-dum, da-da-da