The full moon barely had arose, it looked down through the trees The wind on mouse feet crept along, among the fallen leaves And William rode his lonely way, beside a murmuring sea Upon a twilight shore of Wales, it was All Hallows Eve And thought he of his own sweetheart, he did not hear the horn That sounded faintly far behind, from beyond the bourne But soon he heard the pounding hooves, that shook the very ground And with a mighty rushing wind, the riders ringed him 'round Their eyes shone in the bladed night, the smelled of earth and air With voices like a howling wind, their faces cruel and fair And for to ride on Hallows Eve, demanded they their toll And gave him then a race to win, for his life and soul Ride young William, ride tonight Elfland's on your trail To take your soul, if you should lose Upon the shores of Wales Then came to him a midnight horse, whose rider wore a crown And gazing at him with a smile, bade him to step down A steed as red as blood or gold, was given to his rein A faerie mount to match my own, evens out the game Know you, sir, the Gallows Oak, that overlooks the sea A league or more straight on from here, that our goal shall be And if you win home you shall go, free from curse or pain But if I catch you, mine you'll be, and come not home again Then William bravely up and cried, these terms be far from fair I stand to lose my own dear soul, and you not one small hair A blacksmith now by trade I am, your risk must match my own I'll forge your soul into my swords, and steel shall be your home Ride young William, ride tonight Elfland's on your trail To take your soul, if you should lose Upon the shores of Wales So be it, cried the Midnight King, to yours I pledge my soul They brought their horses side by side, and faced them towards the goal And faster than the wind they flew, William rode the storm And behind them came the Elven host, winding on their horns Thw wind danced softly on the sand, it whsipered through the leaves The moon sat veiled in tangled cloud, and sank down through the trees And William's horse walked slow and cold, beside a murmuring sea Upon an empty shore of Wales, it was All Hallows Eve