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