King Willie he's sailed over the raging foam
He's wooed a wife and he's brought her home
He wooed her for her long golden hair
His mother wrought her a mighty care
A weary spell she's laid on her:
She'd be with child for long and many's the year
But a child she would never bear
And in her bower she lies in pain
King Willie at her bedhead he do stand
As down his cheeks salten tears do run
King Willie back to his mother he did run
He's gone there as a begging son
Says, "Me true love has this fine noble steed
The like of which you ne'er did see
At every part of this horse's mane
There's hanging fifty silver bells and ten
There's hanging fifty bells and ten
This goodly gift shall be your own
If back to my own true love you'll turn again
That she might bear her baby son."
"Oh, the child she'll never lighter be
Nor from sickness will she e'er be free
But she will die and she will turn to clay
And you will wed with another maid."
Then sighing said this weary man
As back to his own true love he's gone again
"I wish my life was at an end."
King Willie back to his mother he did run
He's gone there as a begging son
Says, "me true love has this fine golden girdle
Set with jewels all about the middle
At every part of this girdle's hem
There's hanging fifty silver bells and ten
There's hanging fifty bells and ten
This goodly gift shall be your own
If back to my own true love you'll turn again
That she might bear her baby son."
"Oh, of her child she'll never lighter be
Nor from sickness will she e'er be free
But she will die and she will turn to clay
And you will wed with another maid."
Sighing says this weary man
As back to his own true love he's gone again
"I wish my life was at an end."
Then up and spoke his noble queen
And she has told King Willie of a plan
How she might bear her baby son
She says, "You must go get you down to the market place
And you must buy you a loaf of wax
And you must shape it as a babe that is to nurse
And you must make two eyes of glass
Ask your mother to a christening day
And you must stand there close as you can be
That you might hear what she do say"
King Willie he's gone down to the market place
And he has bought him a loaf of wax
And he has shaped it as a babe that is to nurse
And he has made two eyes of glass
He asked his mother to a christening day
And he has stood there close as he could be
That he might hear what she did say
How she spoke and how she swore
She spied the babe where no babe could be before
She spied the babe where none could be before
Says, "Who was it who undid the nine witch knots
Braided in amongst this lady's locks?
And who was it who took out the combs of care
Braided in amongst this lady's hair?
And who was it slew the master kid
That ran and slept all beneath this lady's bed
That ran and slept all beneath her bed?
And who was it unlaced her left shoe
And who was it that let her lighter be
That she might bear her baby boy?"
And it was Willie who undid the nine witch knots
Braided in amongst this lady's locks
And it was Willie who took out the combs of care
Braided in amongst this lady's hair
And it was Willie the master kid did slay
And it was Willie who unlaced her left foot shoe
And he has let her lighter be
And she is born of a baby son
And greater the blessings that be them upon
And greater the blessings them upon