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The Well Beneath the Sea

from Singing on the Wind by Anne Lister

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An early tale of Diarmuid, who kisses a hideous old woman and thus transforms her into a beautiful young woman, who gives him a wonderful home and all his wishes, on condition that he never reproaches her with what she was when he first met her. Of course he does, and she leaves him. He follows, to find her dying unless he can bring her water from the well beneath the sea. The catch is that if she drinks the water he will lose all of his love for her. Beara, February 1999.

lyrics

What drink will you bring me, she said to her love
From the well beneath the sea?
Will it be healing my own broken heart
Or will it take you far from me?

Nine hazel trees grow there, she said to her love
And drop their fruit in the stream
It's the water of wisdom, the water of life
The water of music and dreams.

We could have been happy, she said to her love
If you could have let the past rest
If you could have loved me for all that I am
And not torn the soul from my breast.

So I had to leave you, she said to her love
And take the long pathway back home
And each time I thought of you on the way back
My heart bled for you alone.

I've brought you the water, he said to his love
I worked hard to bring it to you
It took all of my courage, it took all my strength
My love for you stayed deep and true.

But now when you drink it, he said to his love
It brings back more than you've lost
It'll heal all your heartbreak and heal all your grief
Are you sure that it's worth the cost?

She picked up the water in her trembling hand
And drank it down, steady and slow
He turned from her bedside and then walked away
And the tears fell as she watched him go.

credits

from Singing on the Wind, released August 5, 2021
Julia Lane - harp. Steafan Hannigan - wooden flute.

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Anne Lister Wales, UK

Anne is best known for her song "Icarus", recorded and performed by a number of different singers, including Martin Simpson and Nic Jones. "Astrolabe" is her ninth solo album.

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