The Willow Maid 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