I was so young I didn't understand my father When he said the king demands that every man must stand and fight He gave me wine and said, "I know you're not a man yet But the king demands that old and young must ride with him tonight." He took my hand and we both rode to where the line was They laughed and said "This boy is far too small to fight." And there we waited for the sun to burn our hearts out Until the stars came out and day turned into night Morning came and lined the sky with silver "Do not be ashamed," I heard my father say "When the soldiers come, go hide amongst the heather When the battle's done…I'll meet you by the stream." By the stream… The sword they gave me was a man's, I couldn't lift it The chain, it weighed a weight, so much I couldn't run And when the moon was full, I stood next to my father Before an army to amount a nameless sum Morning came and lined the sky with silver "Do not be ashamed," I heard my father say
"When the soldiers come, go hide amongst the heather When the battle's done…I'll meet you by the stream." I looked for him in the morning I stood and called my father's name I felt his sword in the river But my father never came… Not again Morning came and lined the sky with silver "Do not be ashamed," I heard my father say "When the soldiers come, go hide amongst the heather When the battle's done…I'll meet you by the stream." Morning came and lined the sky with silver "Do not be ashamed," I heard my father say "When the soldiers come, go hide amongst the heather When the battle's done…I'll meet you by the stream." Morning came and lined the sky with silver "Do not be ashamed," I heard my father say "When the soldiers come, go hide amongst the heather When the battle's done…I'll meet you by the stream." I was so young I didn't understand my father When he said the king demands that every man must stand and fight…