The Tinker’s Coin

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Come all ye lads and lasses near A story I will tell to you About a cold damp night like this When shelter I was seeking A traveler passing through [Verse 2] Well, the barkeep said to guard my coin To stay away from this tinker Ah, but that just brought me near to him For naught had I worth taking A traveler passing through [Verse 3] Well, he bought me a glass of darkened stout To thank me for my company And he dropped a penny in the glass For the luck that it would bring to me A traveler passing through [Verse 4] Well, the poor have but their pennies left The king his Saxon shilling Ah, the king would never part with his Though I part with mine most willing To a traveler passing through [Chorus] Well, this coin's been haunted by the sidhe It shall bring you joy or bring you grief Depending on the works you do What once was mine now belongs to you To a traveler passing through [Instrumental Break] [Verse 5] And we passed the night most forcefully I sang my songs and his to me And we talked of life's brief song to sing Of visions we'd forsaken As travelers passing through [Verse 6] And the barkeep said it's time with scorn Your man here will be your undoing They will lock you up as sure as you are born If they hear the song you're singing A traveler passing through [Verse 7] Well, they can lock me up as best they can Yet songs can never know those chains The song is sacred as the wind We are just the harp that's singing A traveler passing through [Chorus] Well, this coin's been haunted by the sidhe It shall bring you joy or bring you grief Depending on the works you do What once was mine now belongs to you To a traveler passing through [Verse 8] And later in a Highland pub With friends around me singing I chanced to glance into my glass At another penny shining A traveler passing through [Chorus] This coin's been haunted by the sidhe It shall bring you joy or bring you grief Depending on the works you do What once was mine now belongs to you To a traveler passing through