The Daemon Lover- (KY) 1920 Wyman & Brockway
[I've left the Child title, no informant named. From: Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs by Loraine Wyman, Howard Brockway 1920 with music. This version smacks of minor editing by Wyman.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
The Daemon Lover- Not a local title, no informant named. Collected in Kentucky before 1920 by Wyman with music by Brockway.
"Well met, well met, my old true love.
Well met, well met," said he.
I've just returned from the old salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee.
"I could have married a king's daughter there
I could have married her," cried he.
"But I have forsaken these gold crowns,
And its all for the sake of thee."
"If you could have married a king's daughter there,
I'm sure you are to blame.
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think that he's a nice young man."
"Oh, will you forsake your house carpenter,
Oh, will you forsake him?" cried he,
"Oh, will you forsake your sweet little babe,
And go along with me?"
"If I forsake my house- carpenter,
And go along with you,
You have no money to support me on,
O love, what would I do?"
"I have seven ships on the sea,
Beside seven more on land,
I have gold laid up in store,
You can have at your command."
She laid her baby on it's downy bed,
And kisses she gave it three,
"Lie there, lie there, my sweet little babe,
Bear your father companye."
They hadn't been sailing but about two[1] weeks
I'm sure it had not been three,
Till she threw herself on her true lover's knee,
And wept most pitifulye.
"Are you weeping for your house carpenter,
Or are you weeping for me,
Or are your weeping for your sweet little babe,
That you never more shall see?"
"I'm not weeping for my house-carpenter,
Nor neither am I weeping for thee,
But I am weeping for my sweet little babe,
One I never more shall see."
They hadn't been sailing but about three weeks,
I'm sure it had not been four,
Till the ship sprang a leak, to the bottom she went,
Never to rise anymore.
"What hills, what hills, my own true love,
What hills so dark and low?"
This is the hills of hell, my love,
Where you and I must go."
"What hills, what hills, my own true love,
What hills as white as snow?"
This is the hills of heaven my love,
Where you and I can't go."
1. original had "three weeks"