House Carpenter- (WV) 1916 Fairmont High School
[From: Marion County in the Making by Fairmont High School (Fairmont, W. Va.), Class of 1916. Their notes follow.
R. Matteson 2016]
Note—The compilers of this work have made no effort to secure an absolutely correct copy of this, nor of other songs given them. The whole object has been to give them as they were sung by the people of the time.
THE HOUSE CARPENTER
"Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, well met," says he;
"I've just returned from the briny salt sea.
And it's all for the love of thee.
"I could have married the king's daughter fair,
And she would have wedded me;
But I refused the crown and her gold,
And it's all for the love of thee."
"If you could have married the king's daughter fair,
Then I'm sure you are far to blame,
For I have married a house carpenter,
And he is a nice young man."
"And if you'll forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet Velvery."
"And if I forsake my house carpenter,
And go along with thee,
What hast thou to maintain me on,
And keep me from slavery?"
"Four and twenty ships a-sailing on the sea,
All sailing for dry land;
Five hundred and twenty-five brave sailor lads,
All sailing at my command."
She picked up her pretty little babe,
And gave it kisses three.
And laid it on a fine feather bed,
And bade it go to sleep.
"Lie there, lie there,
My pretty little babe;
Lie there, lie there," said she,
"And keep your past company."
They had not been on sea two weeks—
I'm sure it was not three—
Before the fair maid began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
"Is it for my gold you weep,
Or is it for my store.
Or is it for your house carpenter,
Whom you shall see no more?"
"It is neither for your gold I weep,
Nor is it for your store.
But it's all for the love of my pretty babe,
Which I shall see no more.
"If I had ten thousand pounds,
I would give it all to thee,
If I could be on shore once more,
My pretty babe to see."
"If you had ten thousand pounds,
And would double it also to me,
You could not be on shore once more,
Your pretty babe to see."
They had not been on sea three weeks—
I'm sure it was not four—
Before this old ship sprung a leak,
And sank to rise no more.
Around and around went the old ship.
Around and around went she;
First to the right and then to the left,
Till she sank to the bottom of the sea.