G5 G5 G5 G5

     G5               A5          E5        C5
I was born with this story, it's older than I
    G5                 A5       E5               C5
And yet you when you hear it you'll know in the sky
     G5               A5              E5           C5
In the wind of your knowledge, In the cut of your jib
          G5          A5      E5           C5
That the fibre of wind is as new from my lip
          G5      A5       E5       C5
As was ever and more and ever will be
          G5       A5        E5           D5  C5
'til the union we face casts us finally free

G5

     C5         D5              G5
For we in the love of an earth-bidden dance
        C5           D5               G5
Stand enthralled of that, which from heaven, perchance
         C5              D5            G5
Lets us move with the gifts we were given in grace
       C5            D5           A5                    G5
And smile in the arms of Sweet William's embrace

G5 G5

William's wanderings took him abroad
Showed him the lay of the searcher's long road
To the place he stood now 'neath the black laden sky
And the crook of his father had brought fortune nigh
Read the sign where he looked, Not the bull, nor the bear
Nor a burly red lion, or the tortoise and hare

For we in the love of an earth-bidden dance
Stand enthralled of it, which from heaven, perchance
Lets us move with the gifts we were given in grace
And smile in the arms of Sweet William's embrace
  
       G5       A5            E5        C5
The end of the world was the name of the inn
       G5            A5             E5           C5
Said fair William farewell to the world and its sin
  G5             G5
Its sin

     G5           A5
Full balmy was the winter air
      E5                 C5
All wet with what might die
     G5                E5
A wishing well, the ocean bear
     E5            C5
A millpond in his eyes
    G5                 A5
A glance to see from whence he came
      E5              C5
For William with a landlocked turn
  A5                A5
Vermin what he stood to lose
     A5                   A5
The skin-shot snakes and earthy worms

His boots trod soft inside the inn
His greeted all was here
Abrasive lowly nods came back
Then bent toward their beer
They must know I thought Willy now
They've seen me come from miles
The thought was struck as whisky poured
And barmen gave all smiles

        C5        E5     D5      A5
Then followed this a curious thing
    G5
The eldest of the host
      C5        E5     D5        A5
Sang softly where he sat and drank
   G5 
To love a worthy toast
     C5       E5      D5    A5
His song was of a stranger
     G5
Summoned for his rope
    C5        E5     D5      A5
In all would be to set us free
     G5
His song was strong and bold,

It went:

For we in the love of an earth-bidden dance
Stand enthralled of that, which from heaven, perchance
Lets us move with the gifts we were given in grace
And smile in the arms of Sweet William's embrace

I was born with this story, it's older than I
And yet you when you hear it you'll know in the sky
In the wind of your knowledge, In the cut of your jib
That the fibre of wind is as new from my lip
As was ever and more and ever will be
'til the union we face casts us finally free