A House Carpenter- Morris (VA) 1936 Scarborough B
[From Scarborough's A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, 1937. Scarborough died in 1936 and the book was already completed. Bronson dates the versions 1931; for now I'll leave them pre1936. Her notes follow.
R. Matteson 2013]
Scarborough: I captured several specimens in Virginia and had one from North Carolina given to me. I found two at Pirkey, Virginia. The other version, given me by Polly Morris, who sang it into my Dictaphone and gave me the ballet written down, is very similar to this. It has an additional stanza at the end in which the luckless woman bewails the sailor who has robbed her of her husband.
(B) A House Carpenter- Sung by Polly Morris pre1936 at Pirkey, Virginia.
Wet met, well met, my own-true love,
Well met, well met, said he.
I have lately returned from the salt water sea
And it's all for the sake of thee.
Oh, I could have married a king's daughter,
So free as she would me,
But all the rich crowns of gold I refused,
And it's all for the sake of thee.
If you could have married a king's daughter,
I am sure you are to blame,
For I have married to a house carpenter,
and he is a fine young man.
Oh do forsaken your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I will take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the sweet Willie.
She picked up her tender little babe
And kisses gave it three,
Saying, Stay here my tender little babe
keep your papa company.
They hadn't been sailing on the sea
Two weeks, I am sure it was not three,
Before this damsel began for to weep
And she wept most bitterly.
Oh, do you weep for Your gold, said he,
Or do you weep for your store?
Or do you weep for your house carpenter
that you never will see no more?
Oh, I don't weep for my gold, said she,
Nor I don't weep for my store,
But I do weep for my tender little babe
that I never can see no more.
They hadn't been sailing on the sea,
Three weeks, I am sure it was not four,
Before the vessel sprung a leak
And it sank to rise no more.
Oh cursed [1] be the sailor's life,
or any other strife
For he has robbed [2] me of my house carpenter
and he's taken away my life.
1. originally "coursed" (a typo?)
2. originally "robed"