The Golden Furnity- Jepson (UT) 1863 Hubbard
Traditional Ballads from Utah
by Lester A. Hubbard and LeRoy J. Robertson
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 64, No. 251 (Jan. - Mar., 1951), pp. 37-53
9. "The Sweet Trinity" ("The Golden Vanity")
(Child No. 286)
Mrs. Jeannette Murdock McMullin, whose parents came from Scotland and moved to Heber City in 1860, when she was four years old, learned "The House Carpenter" from her mother and "The Golden Vanity" from her father by hearing them sung. Mrs. McMullin, relating her pioneer experiences, observed that spinning and singing went well together in early days. When she and three other girls were spinning wool in her home and sang an old ballad, the movement of the spinning wheel synchronized with that of the ballad being sung. [text not given]
"The Golden Furnity." Sung by James Jepson, who learned it in 1863 from James Stratton of Virgin. Mr. Stratton drove an ox team, hauling freight for the Mormon Church. He made trips from Virgin to Salt Lake City and to Missouri and back.
For references see Cox, p. 169; Sharp, I, 421; Belden, pp. 97-98.
1. Oh, once there was a ship sailin' the northern coun-ter-ee
And she went by the name of the Golden Furnity.
She was 'fraid she would be taken by the Turkey gollee
As she sailed along the lowlands, the lowlands low,
As she sailed along the lowlands low.
Up stepped a little cabin boy, to his captain did say,
"What will you give me if her I will destroy?"
"Oh I will give you gold and I will give you store,
And you shall have my daughter Jane when we get safe to shore
If you'll sink them in the lowlands, the lowlands low,
If you'll sink them in the lowlands low."
This boy he bent his breast [1] and he did venture in;
This boy he bent his breast and away he did swim;
He swam till he came to the Turkey gollee
As she sailed along the lowlands, the lowlands low,
As she sailed along the lowlands low.
This boy he had a brace which bored two holes at twice;
This boy he had a brace which did bore two holes at twice.
As some were playing cards and others playing dice,
He let the water in and it dashed into their eyes,
And he sank them in the lowlands, the lowlands low,
And he sank them in the lowlands low.
This boy he swam back unto his own ship side,
Saying, "Captain, take me up, I am going with the tide;
I am sinking, I am drownding, I am going with the tide,
I am sinking in the lowlands, the lowlands low,
I am sinking in the lowlands low."
The captain he spoke and this was his reply,
"I'll sink you, I will drowned you, I'll send you with the tide;
I'll sink you, I will drowned you, I'll send you with the tide;
I will sink you in the lowlands, the lowlands low,
I will sink you in the lowlands low."
The boy he swam 'round unto the other side,
Where the sailors took him up but soon the poor boy died.
They dressed him in his armor and threw him overboard,
And they sank him in the lowlands, the lowlands low,
And they sank him in the lowlands low.
1. bent over