I'm the teller of the tale I'm the actor on the stage I'm the singer from your dreamtime I am spinning though the page
My age is two and twenty I'm leaving dublin town For a summer in the country Selling songs upon my round I have no road companion I have no fiery steed And for to gain my food and shelter This harp is all I need
It's half way though the summer I'm three days on the road Harping though the woodlands And singing though the groves To chance upon a hidden pool Near the ending of the day And somewhere in the distance Another harper plays
Each note rings clear and haunting In the fading summer light Drawn forth with soft precision By the harpist in the night The tune is strange and lilting And I know it must be near But turning to find that harper My heart is filled with fear
For it is no mortal maiden No mortal made so fair That rises from the water With lilies in her hair Her eyes are emerald fire At once both young and old Her skin as pale as moonlight Who's touch must leave you cold
The harp she holds before her Shines with silver shell and stone I can feel the water at my knees It chills me to the bone One step and then another Drawn forth against my will But as her arms encircle me The dawn breaks o'er the hill
She tries to drag me under To escape the morning light But her glamor has been broken With the ending of the night I struggled hard against her As the water takes my breath And climbing back toward the day Somehow escaped from death
I turned around that morning Headed back the way I came I'd no more heart for travel No hunger left for fame All the long way back to Dublin town I quickly made my way And what harped away that night from me I'll never ever say
I'm the teller of the tale I'm the actor on the stage I'm the singer from your dreamtime And I am spinning though the page Though the page Though the page Though the page Spinning though the page Though the page
Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know 