It was a cold night
And the snow lay 'round
I pulled my coat tight
Against it falling down
And the sun was all...
And the sun was all down
And the sun was all...
And the sun was all down

I am a poor man
I haven't wealth nor fame
I have my two hands
and a house to my name
And the winter's so...
And the winter's so long
And the winter's so...
And the winter's so long

And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes on what I'd found

It was a white crane
It was a helpless thing
Upon a red stain
With an arrow in its wing
and it called and cried...
and it called and cried so
and it called and cried...
and it called and cried so

And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes on what I'd found

I'm a crane wife
I'm a crane wife
I'm a crane wife
I'm a crane wife

And now I helped her
And now I dressed her wounds
And now I held her
Beneath the rising moon
And she stood to fly...
And she stood to fly away
And she stood to fly...
And she stood to fly away

And all the stars were crashing 'round
As I laid eyes on what I'd found

I'm a crane wife
I'm a crane wife
I'm a crane wife
I'm a crane wife

My crane wife arrived at my door in the moonlight
All starbright and tongue-tied I took her in
We were married and bells rang sweet for our wedding
And our bedding was ready and we fell in

Sound the keening bell
And see it's painted red
Soft as fontanelle
The feathers in the thread
And all I ever meant
To do was to keep you
My crane wife
My crane wife
My crane wife

We were poorly, our fortunes fading hourly
And how she loved me, she could bring it back
But I was greedy, I was vain and I forced her to weaving
On a cold loom in a closed room, down the hall

Sound the keening bell
And see it's painted red
Soft as fontanelle
The feathers in the thread
And all I ever meant
To do was to keep you
My crane wife
My crane wife
My crane wife

There's a bend in the wind
And it rakes at my heart
There is blood in the thread
And it rakes at my heart
My crane wife