The Soldier's Poor Little Boy
Sometimes called 'The Poor Little Sailor Boy,' and printed as a
stall ballad both in this country and in England in the nineteenth
century, this is also known as traditional song on both sides of the
Atlantic. See BSM 273, and add to the references there given Ken-
tucky (Shearin's syllabus 29), Arkansas (OFS iv 182-3), Ohio
(BSO 297-8), Indiana (BSI 394-6), and Michigan (BSSM 482,
listed but text not given). Mrs. Steely notes that it is found also
in Geneva Anderson's "A Collection of Ballads and Songs from
East Tennessee," a master's thesis submitted at the University of
North Carolina in 1932.
'Poor Little Sailor Boy.' Contributed in 1922, with tune, by Mrs.
Charles K. Tillett of Wanchese, Roanoke Island.
1 It was of a dark and stormy night,
So cold the w^ind does blow ;
It was of a poor little sailor boy
Up to a lady's door.
A-setting at her window^
He lifted his eyes with joy,
Saying, 'For the Lord's sake some pity take
On a poor little sailor boy.
2 'A rain it is a-sending down
And the night is drawing on,
And if you don't some pity take
I shall die before it's morn.
My mother died when I was young.
My father went to the war,
And the next news come, oh, he was slain.
And he died of wounds and scars.
3 'A many a day all in his arms
He toted me with joy,
But now I am left quite friendless,
A poor little sailor boy ;
But now I'm left quite friendless,
So I'll set me down and cry.
The children can run to their parents at home ;
No friends at home have L'
4 The lady arose all from her chair
And opened the ancient door,
Says, 'Come you in, little sailor boy,
You never shall want for more.
For on the sea my son was lost ;
^ The Missouri A text shows how this should run : "And seeing her in
her window so high."
OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 397
He was my only joy.
So as long as I live I willingly give
To a poor little sailor boy,
So as long as I live I willingly give
To a poor little sailor boy.'
'The Soldier's Poor Little Boy.' Obtained by Mrs. Steely from Mi
Rebecca Jones, of the Ebenezer community, Wake county, in 1931.
1 'My mother died whenst I was young,
My father went to the war,
And so many a mile has carried me
In his knapsack with joy.'
2 And as he walked out to the lady so gay,^
'O lady gay, some pity on me take,
I'm a poor little soldier boy.
3 'And that would grieve your heart, I know,
With many a broken sigh,
To find lying dead at your door
One poor little soldier boy.'
4 T have one son in the army so gay ;
He's my only hope and joy.
And as long as I have shelter, I'll give
To a poor little homeless boy.
5 'Walk in, walk in, my little soldier boy.
And never wander no more ;
As long as I have shelter, I'll give
To a poor little homeless boy.'
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151
The Soldier's Poor Little Boy
'Poor Little Sailor Boy.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wanchese,
Roanoke Island in 1922. (In II 396 for BSI 394-6 read BSI 304-6).
Scale: Mode II, plagal. Tonal Center: e. Structure: aa^ba^a^ (4,4,4,4) = aba
(8,4,8).