The Water Lily

by Ralph Stanley from "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning"  
Transcribed by Jason Hannan  
Capo 2  
  
Intro: D  
  
A {D}lonely young wife in her {G}dreaming dis{D}cerns  
A lily decked pool with a border of {A}ferns   
And a {D}beautiful child with {G}butterfly {D}wings  
Drifts down to the edge of the {A}water and {D}sings  
  
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me  
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly  
  
And the {D}lonely young wife, her {G}heart beating {D}wild  
Cries wait till I come, till I reach you my {A}child  
But the {D}beautiful child with {G}butterfly {D}wings  
Steps out on the leaves of the {A}lily and {D}sings  
  
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me  
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly  
  
Instrumental (chords same as verse)  
  
And the {D}wife in her dreaming steps {G}out on the {D}stream  
But the lily leaves sink and she wakes from her {A}dream  
Oh the {D}waking is sad, for the {G}tears that it {D}brings  
And she knows its her dead baby?s {A}spirit that {D}sings  
  
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me  
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly  
  
{D}Come mama, come, {G}quick follow {D}me  
Step out on the leaves of the {A}water li{D}ly  
  
End  
  
This is officially the saddest song in the world.  
Jason