Gordon Bok - The Maiden In Birds Plumage Chords

[Intro]
Dm  Am

[Verse]
Dm           Am
It was Nilus Erlandson
     Dm                Gm
Rode forth the deer to take
             Dm      Bb         Am
And there he saw the lily-white hind
     Dm          Am       Dm     Am
That ran through bush and brake

[Verse]
   Dm                Am
He chased her, Nilus Erlandson
     Dm                Gm
That longed for her so sore
              Dm       Bb        Am
But swift was she, and still did flee
    Dm                    Gm
For three days' space and more, more
    Dm                    Am    Dm
For three days' space and more

[Verse]
                     Am
Now snares he set on every path
    Dm                 Gm
Where'er a beast might go
           Dm           Bb         Am
But all so wise was the lily-white hind
     Dm           Am       Dm   Am
That he could not take her so

[Verse]
    Dm        Am
Sir Nilus all through the greenwood
Dm               Gm
Rode and rode in vain
                  Dm    Bb      Am
His hounds loosed he by two, by three
   Dm             Gm
To run her down a-main, main
   Dm             Am    Dm
To run her down a-main

[Verse]
                   Am
Now can she spy no way to fly
   Dm                Gm
So hot the hounds pursue
              Dm           Bb     Am
Her shape she changed to a falcon fierce
     Dm          Am      Dm     Am
And aloft in the air she flew

[Verse]
    Dm                     Am
Her shape she changed to a falcon fleet
    Dm                  Gm
And perched on a linden green
              Dm         Bb    Am
And under the boughs Sir Nilus stood
    Dm                  Gm
And sighed for toil and tane, tane
    Dm                  Am
And sighed for toil and tane

[Verse]
    Dm                  Am
Sir Nilus has taken his axe in his hand
   Dm              Gm
To fell the linden tree
     Dm          Bb            Am
When forth there sprang a forester
     Dm        Am      Dm     Am
That smote the haft in three

[Verse]
     Dm                Am
"Oh, would you take my father's wood
    Dm           Gm
And all to do me wrong
              Dm          Bb    Am
For I promise thee, Nilus Erlandson
     Dm                Gm
That thou shalt rue it long, long!
     Dm                Am
That thou shalt rue it long!"

[Verse]
     Dm               Am
"Oh, let me take this single tree
     Dm            Gm
This tree alone of thine
              Dm       Bb     Am
For but I can take the falcon fell
  Dm     Am       Dm     Am
I die of toil and pain!"

[Verse]
     Dm                  Am
"Oh, hark and heed, thou fair young knight
     Dm             Gm
This counsel that I bring
                 Dm       Bb       Am
Ne'er shalt thou take her till she taste
    Dm               Gm
The blood of a tamed thing, thing!
    Dm               Am      Dm
The blood of a tamed thing!"

[Verse]
                       Am
A gobbet he cut of his bleeding breast
      Dm             Gm
Right bitter pain he knew
                Dm        Bb       Am
She flapped her wings and down she fell
    Dm     Am       Dm    Am
And on the bait she flew

[Verse]
    Dm                    Am
She flapped her wings and down she flew
    Dm              Gm
And on the bait she fell
                    Dm           Bb      Am
And she changed her shape to the fairest maid
     Dm                Gm
That ever a tongue can tell, tell
     Dm                Am     Dm
That ever a tongue can tell

[Verse]
                       Am
She stood in a sark of silk so red
          Dm              Gm
Where the linden tree did grow
                   Dm    Bb    Am
And in the arms of Nilus Erlandson
    Dm       Am      Dm   Am
She told her word of woe

[Verse]
   Dm                Am
"I sat and broidered lily and rose
   Dm               Gm
My father's board beside
              Dm      Bb       Am
When in there came my dear stepdame
      Dm               Gm
Whose wrath was ill to bide, bide
      Dm               Am
Whose wrath was ill to bide"

[Verse]
    Dm                       Am
"My shape she changed to the lily-white hind
   Dm               Gm
To run in wild greenwood
             Dm         Bb         Am
And my seven maidens to seven grey wolves
    Dm        Am       Dm     Am
And bade them drink my blood"

[Verse]
    Dm                      Am
The damsel stood 'neath the linden tree
    Dm                Gm
And loosed her golden hair
               Dm         Bb        Am
And then there came, what erst were wolves
    Dm               Gm
But now were maidens fair, fair
    Dm               Am    Dm
But now were maidens fair

[Verse]
                           Am
"Oh, thanks to thee, Nilus Erlandson!
     Dm                     Gm
Hast saved me from hurt and harm
      Dm         Bb       Am
Never shalt thou seek thy slumber
    Dm    Am         Dm    Am
But on my lily-white arm"

[Verse]
     Dm                    Am
"Oh, thanks to thee, Nilus Erlandson
     Dm               Gm
Hast set my sorrow to rest!
      Dm         Bb       Am
Never shalt thou seek thy slumber
    Dm               Gm
But on my lily-white breast, breast
    Dm               Am
But on my lily-white breast"