Anaïs Mitchell – Clyde Waters Child 216 (Guitar)

C                    F
Willie stands in his stable door

         C           G7         C
And he's combing his coal black steed

                          F
And he's thinking of fair Margaret's love

        C     G7       C
And his heart began to bleed

 C                F
"Mother, fetch my hat and coat

C                G7
Help me tie them on

C                 F
I'll away to fair Margaret's bower

C          G7          C
Before the night comes on"

C                  F
"Stay at home with me, dear Willie

    C          G7      C
Tonight there comes a storm

                     F
I'll lay the table handsomely

     C      G7       C
Your bed be soft and warm"

C                      F
"Your tables, mother, and your beds

       C              G7
They cannot bring me rest

C                  F
I'll away to fair Margaret's bower

C           G7        C
Before the night has passed"

C                  F
"If you go to fair Margaret's bower

   C           G7     C
My curse will go with thee

                            F
And the deepest part of the Clyde Water

C       G7        C
Drowned you shall be"

C                      F
"The good steed that I ride upon

 C                     G7
Cost me thrice thirty pounds

    C                F
I'll put my trust in his swift feet

   C       G7       C
To take me safe and sound"

C                  F
He's rode over the high, high hill

C        G7   C
Down the dewy glen

                       F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water

           C          G7       C
Would have feared five hundred men

C                   F
"Roaring Clyde, you roar so loud

     C                    G7
Your streams are wondrous strong

C                  F
Make me a wreck as I come back

C        G7     C
Spare me as I'm going"

C                        F
And when he came to fair Margaret's gate

    C         G7        C
He's called to her within

                       F
"Rise up, rise up, maid Margaret

C           G7     C
Rise up and let me in!"

C                        F
"Who's that stands at my garden gate

C                       G7
Calling maid Margaret's name?"

     C                      F
"It's only your first love, sweet William

C          G7           C
This night come to your home -

C                    F
Open your door, maid Margaret

C         G7    C
Open and let me in

                         F
My boots are full of the Clyde Water

C       G7               C
And I'm shivering to the skin"

    C                 F
"My stable is full of horses, Willie

C                    G7
My barns are full of hay

      C                  F
And my bowers are full of gentlemen

C           G7          C
They'll not remove 'til day"

C                     F
"Fare thee well, maid Margaret

C         G7     C
Fair thee well, adieu

C                     F
A curse my mother laid on me

    C           G7       C
For coming this night to you"

C                  F
He's rode over the high, high hill

C        G7
Down the dewy glen

        C              F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water

C            G7        C
Took Willie's hat from him

C                            F
Then he's leaned him over the saddlebow

C            G7    C
To fetch his hat again

                       F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water

C             G7        C
Took Willie's coat from him

C                            F
And he's leaned him over his saddlebow

   C                 G7
To catch his coat by force

        C              F
And the rushing in the Clyde Water

C           G7       C
Took Willie from his horse

C                  F
The very hour this young man sank

C           G7
Down in the water deep

     C                F
Then up and rose maid Margaret

C          G7     C
Out of her drowsy sleep

C                         F
"Come here, come here, my mother dear

C                    G7
I've dreamed a dreary dream

  C                      F
I dreamed my lover was at our gate

C          G7       C
And nobody let him in"

C                          F
"Lie down, lie down, maid Margaret

C            G7       C
Your lover's come and gone

                         F
The sport you would have made with him

C              G7     C
I've played it for my own"

C               F
Nimbly, nimbly, rose she up

C                   G7
Down to the river's brim

        C                 F
But the louder that this lady cried

    C      G7       C
The louder blew the wind

C                        F
The very first step that Margaret took

    C          G7      C
She stepped up to her feet

                        F
And "Oh, and alas", this lady sighs

      C       G7       C
"Your water's wondrous deep"

C                           F
And the very next step that she went in

C                  G7
She's waded to her knee

       C                 F
Says she, "I would wade farther in

   C          G7         C
If I my true lover could see"

C                           F
And the very last step that she went in

    C          G7     C
She stepped up to her chin

                            F
And the deepest part of the Clyde Water

C          G7           C
She found sweet William in

C               F
"You have had a cruel mother, Willie

C      G7
I have had another

C                   F
And now we sleep in Clyde Water

C           G7        C
Like sister and like brother"