Pentangle – Cruel Sister tab

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                           Cruel Sister: Pentangle (1970)
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Tabbed by: James McKinnon
Email:
http://www.pentangle.info/
Tuning: Standard: Capo 3rd Fret.

This is a really nice traditional Scottish tune (Originally called 'Twa Sisters of Bonnorie'),
converted to 4/4 time by Pentangle from the original 3/4.
 
The part here transcribed is Bert Jansch's deceptively simple rhythm 
guitar arrangement. It is of a sufficiently full sound in itself to
be all the accompaniment that the song needs. 

Intro and verses:

          1                        2                         3

e|---------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|B|---------------------|------0---1------------|---0-------1---3---1-------|G|--2-------2----------|--2-----------2--------|---------------------------|D|-----2-------2-------|------------------2----|---------------0-----------|A|--0----0--------0----|--0-------0------------|-------0---------------0---|E|---------------------|------3----------------|---------------------------|
There lived a lady by the North Sea 4 5 6
e|-0------------------|--------0--------------|-0----------0-------3-------|B|------------0-------|-1--3-------1------1---|----3-----------------------|G|--------0-------0---|---------------2-------|--------2-------2-------2---|D|----0---------------|--------------(2)------|----------------------------|A|--------------------|-0------0--------------|-0--------------------------|E|-3------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|
shore. (Lay the bent to the bonny 7 8 9
e|-0-----------0---3-------|--0------------------|-------------------------|B|-----0-------------------|------3-------3------|-----1-------3---1-------|G|---------0-----------0---|----------0----------|-0-------0---------------|D|(2)----------------------|------------------0--|---------------------0---|A|-2-----------------------|--2------------------|-------------------------|E|-------------------------|--------------3------|-------------3-----------|
broom.) Two daughters were the babes she 10 11 12
e|-----------------------|---------------------|---------------------------|B|---0-----------0-------|---1---0h2---3---1---|---0-----------------------|G|-----------0-------0---|---2-----------------|-------0---2---------------|D|-------2---------------|---2-----------------|---------------2-------0---|A|---2-------------------|---0---0-----0---0---|---0-------0-------0-------|E|-----------------------|(Strum)--------------|-------3-------------------|
bore. (Fa la la la la la la la la 13
e|---------------------------|B|---------------------------|G|---2-----------2-----------|D|-------2-----------2-------|A|---0-------0-----------0---|E|---------------------------| (Repeat from Bar 2)
la Instrumental Break:
e|-----------------|-0-----------0-------------|--------------------------|B|-----0---1---3---|-----0-----------0---------|-----0-------------0------|G|-----------------|---------5-----------------|-----0---------0------0---|D|-}---------------|-7-------------------7\5---|-4-------4h5--------------|A|-----0---0---0---|---------------------------|--------------------------|E|-----------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
e|---------------------------|--------------------|---------|B|-------------0-------------|-----------------0------------|G|-------------0-------------|---0------------(0)-----------|D|----5\4---2------------0---|-------0--------------0-------|A|-----------------3h5-------|-----------0h2----------------|E|---------------------------|--------------------------3---|
(Resume from Bar 1 to return to verses' riff) | / slide up | \ slide down | h hammer-on | p pull-off | ~ vibrato | + harmonic | x Mute note Rest of Lyrics: Repeat 'Lay the bent....,' etc. after each line. As one grew bright as is the Sun So coal-black grew the other one A knight came riding to the lady's door He travelled far to be their wooer He courted one with gloves and rings But he loved the other above all things 'Oh, Sister, won't you walk with me To watch the ships sail on the sea?' She took her sister by the hand And led her down to the North Sea strand But as they stood upon the windy shore The dark girl threw her sister o'er At times she sank and at times she swam Crying 'Sister, reach to me your hand. Oh, Sister! Sister! let me live And all that's mine I'll freely give!' 'Your own true love, that I'll have and more But thou shalt never come ashore!' And there she floated like a swan The salt sea bore her body on Two minstrels walked along the sand And watched her body float to land They made a harp of her breastbone whose song would melt a heart of stone They took three strands of her yellow hair With which to string the harp so rare. And then they went to the lady's hall To play the harp before them all But as they laid it upon the stone The harp began to play alone The first string sang with a doleful sound 'The bride her younger sister drown'd' The second string as that they tried In terror sits the black haired bride The third string sang beneath their bow And surely now her tears will flow. ===============================================================================
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