Demon Lover
Eternal Love's Haunting Choice
Lyrics
Well met, well met, my own true love
Expressing a warm greeting to the true love upon meeting.
Well met, well met, cried he
Reiterating the joyful meeting, confirming the emotion.
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
Announcing a return from a journey across the sea.
And it's all for the sake of thee
Stating that the journey was undertaken solely for the sake of the listener.
I've come for the vows that you promised me
Requesting the fulfillment of promised vows to be lifelong partners.
To be my partner in life
Expressing a desire for commitment and companionship.
She said my vows you must forgive
Responding that previous vows should be forgiven due to the current marriage.
For now I'm a wedded wife
Indicating the speaker's current status as a married woman.
Yes I have married a house carpenter
Revealing the marriage to a house carpenter and the birth of two sons.
To him I've born two fine sons
Detailing the speaker's family life during the absence of the listener.
For it's seven long years since you sailed to the west
Stating the belief in the listener's death after a long absence.
And I took you for dead and gone
If I was to leave my husband dear
Questioning the listener about what awaits if she chooses to go with him.
And my two babies also
Highlighting the uncertainty and risks associated with leaving her current life.
Just what have you to take me to
If with you I should now go
Listener claims to have seven ships and promises a life of adventure and music.
I have seven ships out upon the sea
Describing the fleet of ships and the joyful atmosphere on board.
And the eighth one that brought me to land
Revealing the presence of mariners and music upon arrival.
With four and twenty bold mariners
And music on every hand
The speaker bids farewell to her children, implying a final departure.
It was then she went to her two little babes
Indicating a short time passed since the departure.
She kissed them on cheek and on chin
Describing the change in the listener's appearance and a disturbance in the sea.
Saying fare thee well my sweet little ones
I'll never see you again
Returning to the shore, she notices a cloven hoof, possibly a demonic manifestation.
They had not sailed much more than a week
Questioning the nature of a distant mountain covered in ice and snow.
I know that it was not three
Listener reveals the mountain is a representation of hell, where they are destined.
When altered grew his countinence
And a raging came over the sea
Final lines, suggesting a grim fate and the inevitability of their journey to hell.
When they reached the shore again
On the far side of the sea
-It was there she spied his cloven hoof
-And wept most bitterly
-Oh what is that mountain yon she cried
-So dreary with ice and with snow
-It is the mountain of hell he cried
-Where you and I now will go
-
Comment