Traditional

St. Brendan's Fair Isle(Cavaco chords)

Traditional

Key: D

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     D                  G       D 
When I was a lad on the Emerald Isle, 
        Bm           D               Bm         
I heard many stories both lovely and wild. 
  D                          G             D 
A bout the great dragons and monsters that be, 
                 Bm            D           Bm                
That swallow the ships as they sail on the sea. 
     G 
'Tho I was an artist with canvas and paints, 
                                          D 
I sailed with Saint Brendan and his jolly saints. 
   G                                               
We told the good people, 'Goodbye for a while, 
   D          A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle, 
              A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle. 



     D                       G           D 
When we had been sailing for ninety-four days, 
        Bm                  D       Bm         
We came to a spot where the sea was ablaze. 
D                       G                D 
Those demons from Hades was dancing with glee 
                Bm       D           Bm              
And burning the sailors alive on the sea 
     G 
Then Saint Brendan walked on the festering waves, 
                                            D 
He threw all the demons right back to their caves, 
    G    
And all of the saints bore a heavenly smile, 
   D          A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle, 
              A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle. 


    D                        G          D 
One night while the brethren were lying asleep, 
        Bm                  D         Bm         
A great dragon came up from under the deep. 
D                     G                       D 
He thundered and lightninged and made a great din; 
            Bm            D          Bm    
He awakened Saint Brendan and all of his men. 
    G 
The dragon came on with his mouth open wide. 
                                         D 
We threw in a cross and the great dragon died. 
   G    
We skinned him and cooked him and feasted awhile 
   D          A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle, 
              A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle. 



   D                      G         D 
At last we came onto that beautiful land. 
       Bm                 D             Bm         
We all went ashore and we walked on the sand. 
D                           G        D 
We took up our longbows and killed a Zebu. 
       Bm            D       Bm    
We roasted it up and had hot barbecue. 
    G 
And after a while we were singing a song, 
                                 D 
We noticed the island was moving along. 
   G    
We ate and we drank and we rode in high style, 
   D          A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle, 
              A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle. 


    D                            G          D 
Now Brendan said, 'Boys, this is much to my wish 
    Bm                      D               Bm      
'We ride on the back of the world's biggest fish 
 D                     G       D 
'Hold fast to the rope that is pulling the ship, 
       Bm           D           Bm    
'We'll need it some day if this fish takes a dip!' 
   G 
We sailed every ocean, we sailed every sea, 
                            D 
We sailed every spot that a sailor could be. 
   G    
In forty-four days we sailed ten million miles, 
   D          A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle, fair isle, 
              A               D 
We sailed for Saint Brendan's fair isle.
	        

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