O Willie he's crossed over the foam
He's wooed a wife and he's brought her home
He wooed her for her golden hair
His mother fought her a mighty care
So wicked spell she's cast on her
So from her babe she'd not be free
But in her bower she sits in pain
Whilst Willie mourns o'er her in vain
So to his mother he has gone
That vilest witch of the rankest kind
And says, "My lady has a cup
With gold and silver set about
"This goodly gift shall be your own
If you relieve her of her bairn"
"O of the babe she'll not be free and she shall never lighter be
But she will die and turn to clay
And you shall wed with another maid"
So Willie sighed and turned away
"I wish my life were at an end"
O go ye to your mother again
That vilest witch of the rankest kind
And say your lady has a steed
The like of which has ne'er been seen
For he has golden hooves before
And he has golden hooves behind
And just below that horse's mane
There hangs a bell on golden chain
"This goodly gift shall be your own
If you relieve her of her bairn"
"O of the babe she'll not be free and she shall never lighter be
But she will die and turn to clay
And you shall wed with another maid"
So Willie sighed and turned away
"I wish my life were at an end"
O go ye to your mother again
That vilest witch of the rankest kind
And say your lady has a gown
With rubies red all woven 'round
And every stitch is made from gold
The like of which has ne'er been seen
And at every golden hem hangs fifty silver bells in ten
"This goodly gift shall be your own
If you relieve her of her bairn"
"O of the babe she'll not be free and she shall never lighter be
But she will die and turn to clay
And you shall wed with another maid"
So Willie sighed and turned away
"I wish my life were at an end"
Then up and spoke old Billy the blind
And he has spoken just in time
Then up and spoke old Billy the blind
And he has spoken just in time
"O go you down to the marketplace
And there you'll by a loaf of wax
And shape a babe that is to nurse
And in it place two eyes of glass
And bid your mother to its christening day
And do stand close by her right side
And never stray too far away
But listen well to what she says"
"O who has loosed the nine witch knots
That were among this lady's locks
And who has taken the combs of care
That hung among this lady's hair
And who has killed the master kid
That ran beneath this lady's bed
And who has loosened her left shoe
And let this lady lighter be?"
So Willie's loosed the nine witch knots
That were among this lady's locks
And Willie's taken the combs of care
That hung among this lady's hair
And Willie's killed the master kid
That ran beneath this lady's bed
And Willie's loosened her left shoe
And let this lady lighter be
Now from this witch he's cursed-free
And now they have their son so bonny
And many blessings, many blessings on them free [?]
Now from this witch he's cursed-free
And now they have their son so bonny
And many blessings, many blessings on them free [?]