Gordon Bok – The Maiden In Birds Plumage (Guitar)

Dm           Am
It was Nilus Erlandson

     Dm                Gm
Rode forth the deer to take

             Dm      Bb         Am
And there he saw the lily-white hind

     Dm          Am       Dm     Am
That ran through bush and brake

   Dm                Am
He chased her, Nilus Erlandson

     Dm                Gm
That longed for her so sore

              Dm       Bb        Am
But swift was she, and still did flee

    Dm                    Gm
For three days' space and more, more

    Dm                    Am    Dm
For three days' space and more

                     Am
Now snares he set on every path

    Dm                 Gm
Where'er a beast might go

           Dm           Bb         Am
But all so wise was the lily-white hind

     Dm           Am       Dm   Am
That he could not take her so

    Dm        Am
Sir Nilus all through the greenwood

Dm               Gm
Rode and rode in vain

                  Dm    Bb      Am
His hounds loosed he by two, by three

   Dm             Gm
To run her down a-main, main

   Dm             Am    Dm
To run her down a-main

                   Am
Now can she spy no way to fly

   Dm                Gm
So hot the hounds pursue

              Dm           Bb     Am
Her shape she changed to a falcon fierce

     Dm          Am      Dm     Am
And aloft in the air she flew

    Dm                     Am
Her shape she changed to a falcon fleet

    Dm                  Gm
And perched on a linden green

              Dm         Bb    Am
And under the boughs Sir Nilus stood

    Dm                  Gm
And sighed for toil and tane, tane

    Dm                  Am
And sighed for toil and tane

    Dm                  Am
Sir Nilus has taken his axe in his hand

   Dm              Gm
To fell the linden tree

     Dm          Bb            Am
When forth there sprang a forester

     Dm        Am      Dm     Am
That smote the haft in three

     Dm                Am
"Oh, would you take my father's wood

    Dm           Gm
And all to do me wrong

              Dm          Bb    Am
For I promise thee, Nilus Erlandson

     Dm                Gm
That thou shalt rue it long, long!

     Dm                Am
That thou shalt rue it long!"

     Dm               Am
"Oh, let me take this single tree

     Dm            Gm
This tree alone of thine

              Dm       Bb     Am
For but I can take the falcon fell

  Dm     Am       Dm     Am
I die of toil and pain!"

     Dm                  Am
"Oh, hark and heed, thou fair young knight

     Dm             Gm
This counsel that I bring

                 Dm       Bb       Am
Ne'er shalt thou take her till she taste

    Dm               Gm
The blood of a tamed thing, thing!

    Dm               Am      Dm
The blood of a tamed thing!"

                       Am
A gobbet he cut of his bleeding breast

      Dm             Gm
Right bitter pain he knew

                Dm        Bb       Am
She flapped her wings and down she fell

    Dm     Am       Dm    Am
And on the bait she flew

    Dm                    Am
She flapped her wings and down she flew

    Dm              Gm
And on the bait she fell

                    Dm           Bb      Am
And she changed her shape to the fairest maid

     Dm                Gm
That ever a tongue can tell, tell

     Dm                Am     Dm
That ever a tongue can tell

                       Am
She stood in a sark of silk so red

          Dm              Gm
Where the linden tree did grow

                   Dm    Bb    Am
And in the arms of Nilus Erlandson

    Dm       Am      Dm   Am
She told her word of woe

   Dm                Am
"I sat and broidered lily and rose

   Dm               Gm
My father's board beside

              Dm      Bb       Am
When in there came my dear stepdame

      Dm               Gm
Whose wrath was ill to bide, bide

      Dm               Am
Whose wrath was ill to bide"

    Dm                       Am
"My shape she changed to the lily-white hind

   Dm               Gm
To run in wild greenwood

             Dm         Bb         Am
And my seven maidens to seven grey wolves

    Dm        Am       Dm     Am
And bade them drink my blood"

    Dm                      Am
The damsel stood 'neath the linden tree

    Dm                Gm
And loosed her golden hair

               Dm         Bb        Am
And then there came, what erst were wolves

    Dm               Gm
But now were maidens fair, fair

    Dm               Am    Dm
But now were maidens fair

                           Am
"Oh, thanks to thee, Nilus Erlandson!

     Dm                     Gm
Hast saved me from hurt and harm

      Dm         Bb       Am
Never shalt thou seek thy slumber

    Dm    Am         Dm    Am
But on my lily-white arm"

     Dm                    Am
"Oh, thanks to thee, Nilus Erlandson

     Dm               Gm
Hast set my sorrow to rest!

      Dm         Bb       Am
Never shalt thou seek thy slumber

    Dm               Gm
But on my lily-white breast, breast

    Dm               Am
But on my lily-white breast"