I

When he was a toddling lad            

He thought a cactus a toy      

He reached out and grabbed  

and his hand it was stabbed    

Dread terror replacing his joy  

but he done of his own free will

He chose of his own free will    

I

When he was tall as a suckling goat    

Around the cookfire he ran

When his foot twisted down

and he smashed to the ground

and he burned up and mangled his hand

but he done of his own free will

He chose of his own free will

I

Scarce did the feeling return to his fingers

Though mighty a scar did remain

A smooth man sold him balm

That would soothe and would calm

But instead caused more damage and pain

But he bought of his own free will

He chose of his own free will

II

His parents were through with this burdensome boy

And sent him to work on a farm

To haul chaff, and split logs

and feed orange rinds to hogs

And keep himself distant from harm

IIb

While other boys learned how to add or to spell

The boy toiled and labored all day

Learning nothing of books

or how the wider world looks

Folks shook their heads and did say

He stayed dumb of his own free will

He stayed dumb of his own free will

III

When the boy was of age the farm sent him away

To work at a shop for a trade

But no foreman would have

an illiterate scab

except a strange man with a spade

He went of his own free will

He went of his own free will

II

That night the boy found what the man did for work

Crossing through field, turf and hedge

Digging up graves

for the riches they gave

And the dead couldn't mind, they were dead

IIb

One night things went wrong for the boy and the man

Sneaking into the church yard

Townsmen lay in wait

Just past the back gate

And set on them both, and quite hard

He chose to steal of his own free will

They were thieves of their own free will

I

The great hall the next day saw them stand to be judged

Not a word said in either's defense

The judge stood and cried

All evil men, they must die

For such crimes, death is your recompense

They chose evil of their own free will

They chose to sin of their own free will

I (x3)

F# C/F# C/ F# C/ D C/
F# C F#/ F# C / D C F#
II, (IIb)

Bm F#/ Bm F#/ Bm F#/ G F#//BmF# Bm

(Em Bm GF# Bm)
III

C D F#/ Bm G F#/C F#/Em D/
G A D/ G A Bm/ G F# Bm
II, (IIb)
I (x1)