Anaïs Mitchell – Willies Lady Child 6 (Ukulele)

             E                          A
King Willie, he sailed over the raging foam

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He's wooed a wife  and he's brought her home.

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

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His mother wrought her a wicked spell

E
And a wicked spell she's laid on her

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

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But the child she would never bear.

           E
And in her bower she lies in pain

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King Willie by her bedside he would stand

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As down his cheeks sodden tears do run

E                                         A
King Willie, back to his mother he did run

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And he's gone there as a beggin' son

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Says "My true love has this fine, noble steed

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The likes of which you have never seen

             E
And at every part of this horse's mane

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There's hangin' fifty silver bells and ten

        E     A         E
Hangin' fifty bells and ten

            D
This goodly gift shall be your own,

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

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So she might bear her baby son"

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"O of the child she'll never lighter be

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Nor from my curse will she e'er be free

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But she will die and she will turn to clay

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And you will wed with another maid"

             E
And sighing, says this weary man

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

           E        A     E
"I wish my life was at an end"

E                                        A
King Willie back to his mother he did run

              E             A    E
And he's gone there as a beggin' son

                   E                     A
Says "My true love has this fine, golden girdle

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Set with jewels all about the middle

             E
And at every part of this girdle's hem

                                       A
There's hangin' fifty silver bells and ten

        E     A         E
Hangin' fifty bells and ten

            D
This goodly gift shall be your own,

              E                              A
If back to my own true love you'll turn again

             E        A    E
So she might bear her baby son

            E          A       E
This goodly gift shall be your own.

                                       A
"O of the child she'll never lighter be

            E              A       E
Nor from my curse will she e'er be free

                                          A
But she will die and she will turn to clay

             E           A    E
And you will wed with another maid"

             E
And sighing, says this weary man

                                            A
As back to his own true love he's gone again

           E        A     E
"I wish my life was at an end"

           D
And up and spoke his noble Queen

            E                         A
And she has told King Willie of a plan

              E        A    E
How she might bear her baby son

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Says "You must get you down to the marketplace

             E     A       E
And you must buy a ball of wax

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

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And you must make two eyes of glass

             E
And ask your mother to the christening-day

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And you must stand there close as you can be

             E         A        E
So you might hear what she does say

                 E                      A
King Willie, he's gone down to the marketplace

       E        A       E
He has bought a ball of wax

             E                                  A
And he has shaped it as a babe that is to nurse

           E                A
And he has made two eyes of glass

             E
He asked his mother to the christening-day

                                           A
And he has stood there close as he could be

            E         A       E
So he might hear what she did say

               D
And how she spat and how she swore

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She spied the babe where no babe could be before

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She spied the babe where none could be  before

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Says "Who was it who undid the nine witch knots

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Braided in amongst this lady's locks?

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And who is it is who the leather shoe untied

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From the left foot of this wedded bride?

            E
And who was it split the silken thread

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The spider stretched all beneath this lady's bed

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The spider stretched all beneath her bed?"

              E                            A
And it was Willie who undid the nine witch knots

        E               A      E
Braided in amongst this lady's locks

           E                                A
And it was Willie who the leather shoe untied

            E              A      E
From the left foot of this wedded bride

           E
And it was Willie split the silken thread

                                             A
The spider stretched all beneath this lady's bed

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The spider stretched all beneath her bed.

            D
And she has borne him a baby son

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And great are the blessings that be then upon

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Great are the blessings then upon