Anaïs Mitchell – Willies Lady Child 6 (Guitar)

             D                         G
King Willie, he sailed over the raging foam

              D            G           D
He's wooed a wife and he's brought her home

                 D                             G
He's brought her home all against his mother's will

           D             G      D
His mother wrought her a wicked spell

             C
And a wicked spell she's laid on her

              D                             G
She'd be with child for long and many's the year

        D                G    D
But the child she would never bear

           C
And in her bower she lies in pain

            D                       G
King Willie by her bedside he would stand

            D             G        D
As down his cheeks sodden tears do run

             D                         G
King Willie, back to his mother he did run

              D          G       D
And he's gone there as a beggin' son

                   D                    G
Says "My true love has this fine, noble steed

             D              G     D
The likes of which you have never seen

             C
And at every part of this horse's mane

                D                      G
There's hangin' fifty silver bells and ten

        D     G         D
Hangin' fifty bells and ten

            C
This goodly gift shall be your own

              D                         G
If back to my own true love you'll turn again

             D        G    D
So she might bear her baby son"

          D                          G
"O of the child she'll never lighter be

            D              G       D
Nor from my curse will she e'er be free

             D                        G
But she will die and she will turn to clay

             D        G       D
And you will wed with another maid"

             C
And sighing, says this weary man

               D                       G
As back to his own true love he's gone again:

           D        G     D
"I wish my life was at an end"

            D                         G
King Willie back to his mother he did run

              D          G       G
And he's gone there as a beggin' son

                   D                     G
Says "My true love has this fine, golden girdle

         D          G         D
Set with jewels all about the middle

             C
And at every part of this girdle's hem

                D                      G
There's hangin' fifty silver bells and ten

        D     G         D
Hangin' fifty bells and ten

            C
This goodly gift shall be your own

              D                         G
If back to my own true love you'll turn again

             D        G    D
So she might bear her baby son

          D                          G
"O of the child she'll never lighter be

            D              G       D
Nor from my curse will she e'er be free

             D                        G
But she will die and she will turn to clay

             D        G       D
And you will wed with another maid"

             C
And sighing, says this weary man

               D                       G
As back to his own true love he's gone again:

           D        G     D
"I wish my life was at an end"

           C
And up and spoke his noble Queen

            D                     G
And she has told King Willie of a plan

              D        G    D
How she might bear her baby son

               D                            G
Says "You must go get you down to the marketplace

             D     G       D
And you must buy a ball of wax

             D                             G
And you must shape it as a babe that is to nurse

             D        G       D
And you must make two eyes of glass

             C
And ask your mother to the christening day

             D                            G
And you must stand there close as you can be

             D         G        D
So you might hear what she does say

             D                     G
King Willie, he's gone down to the marketplace

       D        G       D
He has bought a ball of wax

           D                              G
And he has shaped it as a babe that is to nurse

           D        G       D
And he has made two eyes of glass

             C
He asked his mother to the christening day

           D                             G
And he has stood there close as he could be

            D         G       D
So he might hear what she did say

            C
And how she spat and how she swore

              D                           G
She spied the babe where no babe could be before

              D                     G    D
She spied the babe where none could be before

              D                           G
Says "Who was it who undid the nine witch knots

        D               G      D
Braided in amongst this lady's locks?

           D          G            D
And who is it who the leather shoe untied

         D                        G
From the left foot of this wedded bride?

            C
And who was it split the silken thread

           D                                 G
The spider stretched all beneath this lady's bed

           D               G         D
The spider stretched all beneath her bed?"

           D                               G
And it was Willie who undid the nine witch knots

        D               G      D
Braided in amongst this lady's locks

           D                           G
And it was Willie who the leather shoe untied

         D                 G      D
From the left foot of this wedded bride

           C
And it was Willie split the silken thread

           D                                 G
The spider stretched all beneath this lady's bed

           D               G         D
The spider stretched all beneath her bed

            C
And she has borne him a baby son

                  D                      G
And great are the blessings that be them upon

              D         G    D
Great are the blessings them upon