Lyrics

REAP THE GALE

Bring me tea and whiskey fine
Bring me news of thee and thine
Stones in my apron and skin on my bones
This is my island and I live alone

I am the seller of winds good and strong
Of fluttering breezes that skitter along
I sell the storm and the hurricane too
Tied up in knots of my thread bright blue

Will you go sailing a year and a day?
Crossing the ocean or fishing the bay
Purchase the wind that is right for the task
Know what you need before you ask

Bring me tea and whiskey fine
Bring me news of thee and thine
Heed my words and charmed you'll sail
Heed them not and reap the gale

What colour wind are you willing to brave?
Come as you have to me over the waves
Fortune and beauty and peril they bring
I know each song the underwinds sing

Purple the east wind and dun from the west
Speckled and yellow and radiant are best
Black from the north flanked by dark, brown and grey
Red, blue and green are as wild as dismay

Bring me tea and whiskey fine
Bring me news of thee and thine
Heed my words and charmed you'll sail
Heed them not and reap the gale

Be no cautionary tale
Heed my words and never fail
Heed them well and charmed you'll sail
Heed them not and reap the gale

Untie the first knot and then by and by
Untie the second and fast you will fly
But don't touch the third or you may not survive
Coming back home with your catch alive

Bring me tea and whiskey fine
Bring me news of thee and thine
Heed my words and charmed you'll sail
Heed them not and reap the gale

Bring me tea and whiskey fine
Bring me news of thee and thine
Stones in my apron and skin on my bones
This is my island and I live alone

THE LAST THING I'LL BEG THEE

Flounder, o flounder deep in the sea
Come and listen now to me
I have a wife with an iron will
And this is the last thing I’ll beg thee

They lived in a hovel right next to the sea
The fisherman and his wife
He was out on the water when down went his line
And the fish that came up said it wasn’t his time
“Oh please, won’t you spare me my life?”

The man he took pity and threw back his meal
And then he came home to his wife
He told her his story, not one to complain
“Go ask it to grant you a wish for your pains
“Husband, I want a new life!”

Flounder, o flounder deep in the sea
Come and listen now to me
I have a wife with an iron will
And this is the last thing I’ll beg thee

“This cottage is nice, but could we have more?”
Wondered the fisherman’s wife
“I’d quite like a castle with crystal and cakes
“Go back to the sea, say you made a mistake
“I want a luxurious life!”

Flounder, o flounder deep in the sea
Come and listen now to me
I have a wife with an iron will
And this is the last thing I’ll beg thee

“I want to be king and rule over this land
“To be much more than your wife
“Oh, I could be Emperor! Make me the Pope!
“It’s more than I’d dreamed but it’s less than I hoped
“Remember he owes you his life!”

The sea went from shining to violet and grey
The waves rose like mountains and blackened the bay
Fearing reprisals before and behind
The fisherman cowered in body and mind

“What does she want now?” the angry fish cried
“Your greedy, implacable wife?”
“To be Lord of the Universe, rule moon and sun”
“Enough!” cried the fish, “It will all be undone!
“Go back to your miserable life!”

Flounder, o flounder deep in the sea
Come and listen, pity me
I have a wife with an iron will
But this is the last thing I’ll beg thee
Oh, this is the last thing I’ll beg thee
Yes, this is the last thing I’ll beg thee