Willie’s Lady (Child 6) Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer

King Willie, he sailed over the raging foam
He's wooed a wife and he's brought her home
He's brought her home all against his mother's will
His mother wrought her a wicked spell

And a wicked spell she's laid on her
She'd be with child for long and many's the year
But the child she would never bear
And in her bower she lies in pain
King Willie by her bedside he would stand
As down his cheeks sodden tears do run

King Willie, back to his mother he did run
And he's gone there as a beggin' son
Says "My true love has this fine, noble steed
The likes of which you have never seen
And at every part of this horse's mane
There's hangin' fifty silver bells and ten
Hangin' fifty bells and ten
This goodly gift shall be your own
If back to my own true love you'll turn again
So she might bear her baby son"

"O of the child she'll never lighter be
Nor from my curse will she e'er be free
But she will die and she will turn to clay
And you will wed with another maid"
And sighing, says this weary man
As back to his own true love he's gone again:
"I wish my life was at an end"