WYCH ELM N Durakis I told him 'No don't cut the Wych elm down She's been standing in the forest at the gateway to our town Since the men in black with their wooden crosses came' Bella was a woman who lived in our village Healing the sick and tending her land Every child born owed its life to our Bella My first breath was drawn by the touch of her hand Don't put your axe against her I swear that she will bleed Woodsman she's a woman leave her in peace' Came there a young man down to our village Clothes black as night-time with eyes bright and cold The folk of the village he loved as a priest loves But Bella he loved as a young man brave and bold I cannot be yours I belong to the Earth sir You cannot be mine you are sworn to the sky Take heed of your vows priest the Gods cannot be cheated Not even by a heart that is deceived by the eye Your words gentle Bella they mark me for callow And I swear by the Christ now so mark my words well If you will not love me you'll go to none other As a witch you will burn I consign thee to Hell She's guarded by God and by powers unknown If you value your life/soul woodsman leave her alone On the eve of All Hallows as Bella was dancing In the light of her beacon, naked and free Out from the darkness a priest came a-walking Bella tonight you will lie here with me The ground underneath them it growled and trembled The couple were shaken and Bella broke free And when the quake was over the clearing was empty The priest stood alone 'twixt a fire and a tree Gone is the woodsman gone from this village Here in the forest I now walk alone In the clearing the Wych elm still stands by the river In the grass lies an axe and a pillar of stone