WWW.AZCHORDS.COM | The Young Tradition - The Bitter Withy Chords | Ver. 1
[Intro]
D
C G
D
G D G
D
C G
D
G D G
[Verse 1]
D
As it fell out upon a bright holiday
C G
Small hail from the sky did fall;
D
Our Saviour asked his mother dear
G D G
If he might play at ball.
[Verse 2]
D
“At ball? At ball? My own dear son?
C G
It's time that you was gone,
D
But don't let me hear of any doings
G D G
Tonight when you return.”
[Verse 3]
D
So it's up the hill, and down the hill
C G
Our sweet young Saviour ran,
D
Until he met three rich young lords
G D G
All playing in the sun.
[Verse 4]
D
“Good morn, good morn, good morn”, cried they,
C G
“Good morning,” oh says he,
D
“And which one of you three rich young lords
G D G
Will play at ball with me?”
[Verse 5]
D
“Well, we're all lords' and ladies' sons,
C G
All born in a bower and hall,
D
And you are nothing but a Jewish child
G D G
Born in an oxen stall”
[Instrumental 1]
D
C G
D
G D G
[Verse 6]
D
“Well, though you're lords' and ladies' sons
C G
All born in your bower and hall
D
I'll prove to you at your latter end
G D G
I'm an angel above you all”
[Verse 7]
D
So he built him a bridge from the beams of the sun
C G
And over the river danced he;
D
Them rich young lords followed after him
G D G
And drowned they was all three.
[Verse 8]
D
So it's up the hill and down the hill
C G
Three rich young mothers run
D
Crying “Mary mild, fetch you home your child
G D G
For ours he's drowned each one.”
[Verse 9]
D
So Mary mild fetched home her child,
C G
She laid him across her knee
D
And with a bundle of withy twigs
G D G
She gave him thrashes three.
[Verse 10]
D
“Oh bitter withy. oh bitter withy
C G
That causes me to smart.
D
Oh the withy shall be very first tree
G D G
To perish at the heart.”
[Instrumental 2]
D
C G
D
G D G