House Carpenter's Wife- Cowden (AR) 1979 McNeil A
[From Southern Folk Ballads II, McNeil 1988.
R. Matteson 2016]
The House Carpenter's Wife- Collected December 1979 by W.K McNeil From Noble Cowden, Cushmatt, AR. Transcription By W. K. McNeil.
Well met, well met, well met, said he,
Well met, well met, said she,
For I have come to these hilly lands
And it's all for the sake of thee;
For I have come to these hilly lands
And it's all for the sake of thee.
Well, you have married a house carpenter,
And a fine looking gentleman is he,
If you will leave the house carpenter
And run away with me
I'll take you to the place where the grass grows tall,
To the rivers of Sweet Willie.
She picked it up, her darling little babe,
And kisses gave it three,
Saying, stay at home you darlin' little babe,
For to keep your papa company.
Saying, stay at home you darlin' little babe,
For to keep your papa company.
And away went the sailor with the house carpenter's wife
To the rivers of Sweet Willie.
They hadn't been on the sea two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
'Til this young lady were a found weepin'
She was weepin' most bitterly.
'Til this young lady were a found weepin'
She was weepin' most bitterly.
Oh, is it for my gold you weep,
Or is it for my store,
Or is it for that house carpenter
That you never will see any more?
Or is it for that house carpenter
That you never will see any more?
It is not for your gold I weep,
Nor it is not for your store,
It's only for that darlin' little babe
That I never will see any more.
It's only for that darlin, little babe
That I never will see any more.
What is those banks, those banks I see
That look as white as snow?
It is the banks of Heaven I know,
Where my darlin' little babe shall go.
It is the banks of Heaven I know
Where my darlin' little babe shall go.
Oh, what is those banks, those banks I see
That looks so dark and low?
It is the banks of Hell I know,
Where you and I must go.
It is the banks of Hell I know,
Where you and I must go.
They had not been on the sea three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until from the deck there sprung a leak
And their voices wasn't heard any more.
Until from the deck there sprung a leak
And their voices wasn't heard any more.
Oh, cursed be the sea-sailing men,
Oh, cursed be their lives,
For robbing of little house carpenters,
And a-stealin' away their wives.
For robbing of little house carpenters,
And a-stealin' away their wives.