House Carpenter- Setters (KY) 1931 Scarborough F
[Date 1931, Thomas. From Scarborough's A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, 1937. Music will be added from Devil's Ditties, or Bronson No. 51. 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.
Thomas also published this version in her 1931 book, Devil's Ditties.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
Scarborough: Jean Thomas, of Kentucky sent me this version, as sung by Jilson Setters.
(F) House Carpenter
I have just returned from the salt, salt sea
Just returned from the salt, salt sea.
I had the offer of a King's daughter fair
And she would have married me.
If you had the offer of a king's daughter fair
I am sure you are greatly to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I am sure he is a nice young man.
Won't you leave your house carpenter
And go along with me?
For I am going where the grass grows green
On the banks of Italy.
If l were to leave my house carpenter
And go along with you,
You have nothing to support upon
Oh then what shall I do?
I have seven ships on sea,
And seven more on land.
I have gold and silver too
It would all be at your command.
Then she picked up her darling little babe
And gave it kisses three,
Saying stay at home with your pappy
And keep him company.
They had not been sailing above two weeks
I'm sure it was not three,
Until this fair girl began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
Are you mourning about your house carpenter
Or are you mourning about your fee?
or are you mourning about your darling little babe
For fear you never her shall see?
I am not mourning about my house carpenter
Nor neither am I mourning about my fee
But I am a-mourning about my darling little babe
For fear I never her shall see.
They had not been sailing above three weeks
I'm sure it was not four,
Until under the deck lo! she sprung a leak
And she sank for to rise no more.