III
The Faithful Sailor Boy
The word "faithful" is added in the tide to distinguish this song
from the more widely known song given on pp. 323-9. The pres-
ent song has already been reported from North Carolina (FSRA
59), and is possibly, not probably, 'The Sailor Boy' of Shearin's
Syllabus. It appears four time in our collection, but the texts
agree so closely that it will be sufficient to print one of them.
A
'The Sailor Boy.' Contributed by P. D. Midgett, Jr., of Wanchese,
Roanoke Island, in May, 1920. The first chorus is repeated after the
second stanza.
I 'Twas on a dark and stormy night.
The snow lay on the ground.
A sailor boy stood on the deck ;
The ship was outward bound.
His sweetheart, standing by his side,
Shed many a bitter tear.
At last he pressed her to his heart
And whispered in her ear :
Chorus:
Farewell, farewell, my own true love ;
This parting gives me pain.
• Most versions end with a more definite motivation of his return to
Mohea; he finds his girl at home unfaithful to him.
ALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 343
You'll be my own, my guiding star
Until I return again.
My thought shall be of you, my love,
While storms are raging high.
So fare you well ! Remember me,
Your faithful sailor boy.
'Twas in a gale that ship set -sail.
The girl still standing by.
She watched the ship clear out of sight
While tears bedimmed her eyes ;
She prayed to God in heaven above
To guide him on his way.
The parting words her lover spoke
Re-echoed down the bay :
'Twas sad to see that ship return
Without that sailor boy,
He had died while out at sea ;
The flags were half-mast high.
The comrades, when they came on shore,
They told her he was dead ;
The letter that they gave to her
The last line sadly read :
Chorus:
Farewell, farewell, my own true love.
We'll meet on earth no more,
But we will meet in heaven above
On that celestial shore.
Up in that land, that glorious land,
That land of peace and joy,
Where you'll no more be parted from
Your faithful sailor boy.
'The Sailor Boy.' Obtained by L. W. Anderson of Nag's Head from
Maxine Tillett, one of his pupils in the school there. The text is the
same as A.
C
'The Sailor Boy.' Obtained by Mr. Anderson from another of his
pupils at Nag's Head, Alva Wise. Text as in A and B except that it
lacks the last stanza and the final chorus.
'The Sailor Boy.' Reported by the Reverend L. D. Hayman (student
at Trinity College about 1913) from Dare and Currituck counties, with
the notation that it is current in the Banks section (between the ocean
and the inland waters), "very popular with sailors, especially young
344 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
men." Text as in A except that it lacks the second chorus, and the
first two lines of stanza 2 run :
The sailor boy stood on the deck.
The girl stood on the dock.
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III
The Faithful Sailor Boy
•The Sailor Boy.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wanchese, Roanoke
Island, m May 1920.
Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abakabaic (2,2,2,2,
2,2,2,2) = aa^aai (4,4,4,4).