The Willow Maid’ is written the style of a Celtic ballad. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that each tree has a “soul” in the form of a nymph or fairy. In Celtic mythology a man will often claim a sea nymph or tree nymph as his bride, but I never read any story where the fairy had any say in the matter.
In this song, the man refuses to listen to the fairy’s repeated plea, and cuts down her willow tree hoping to persuade her to come with him, but the act kills her instead.
Lyrics
A young man walked through the forest
with his quiver and hunting bow
He heard a young girl singing
and followed the sound below
There he found the maiden
who lives in the willow
He called to her as she listened
from a ring of toadstools red
‘Come with me my maiden
come from thy willow bed’
She looked at him serenely
and only shook her head.
‘See me now, a ray of light in the moondance
See me now, I cannot leave this place
Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest
Don’t ask me, to follow where you lead’
A young man walked through the forest
with a flower and coat of green
His love had hair like fire
her eyes an emerald sheen
She wrapped herself in beauty
so young and so serene
He stood there under the willow
and he gave her the yellow bloom
‘Girl my heart you’ve captured
oh I would be your groom’
She said she’d wed him never
not near, nor far, nor soon
‘See me now, a ray of light in the moondance
See me now, I cannot leave this place
Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest
Don’t ask me, to follow where you lead’
A young man walked through the forest
with an axe sharp as a knife
I’ll take the green-eyed fairy
and she shall be my wife
With her I’ll raise my children
with her I’ll live my life
The maiden wept when she heard him
when he said he’d set her free
He took his axe and used it
to bring down her ancient tree
‘Now your willow’s fallen
now you belong to me’
‘See me now, a ray of light in the moondance
See me now, I cannot leave this place
Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest
Don’t ask me, to follow where you lead’
She followed him out the forest, and collapsed upon the earth
Her feet had walked but a distance, from the green land of her birth
She faded into a flower, that would bloom for one bright eve
He could not take from the forest, what was never meant to leave
credits
Composed by Erutan
All vocals and instrumentals performed by Erutan
Playlist – The Willow Maid – Erutan (katethegreat19)
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