The Green Willow Tree- James (ON) 1957 Fowke
[From: Traditional Singers and Songs from Ontario by Fowke, 1965. This version is close to Child B.]
61. THE GREEN WILLOW TREE- Sung by Stanley James, November, 1957
1. There was a ship sailed on the Northern Sea,
And the name of the ship was the Green Willow Tree,
As she sailed on the lowlands that lie so low,
As she sailed on the lowlands low.
2. We had not sailed but a league or three
Then we were overtaken by Turkish Revelee,
As she sailed on the lowlands that lie so low,
As she sailed on the lowlands low.
3. Then up spake the cabin boy saying, "What will you give me,
If sink the ship called the Turkish Revelee?
If I sink her in the lowlands that lie so low,
If I sink her in the lowlands low.
4. "I will give you money and I will give you fee,
And my only daughter will marry unto thee
If you sink her in the lowlands that lie so low,
If you sink her in the lowlands low.
5. "Then wrap me up tight in the black bull skin
And throw me overboard let me sink, die or swim,
For I'll sink her in the lowlands that lie so low,
I will sink her in the lowlands low."
6. So they wrapped him up tight in a black bull skin
And threw him overboard, let him sink die or swim,
For he will sink her in the lowlands that lie so low,
For he will sink her in the lowlands low.
7. So he bent his breast and away swam he,
For he soon caught up to the Turkish Revelee,
As we sailed her in he lowlands that lie so low,
As we sailed. her on the lowlands low.
8. He had the instruments just for the use
And he bore four and twenty holes in the bottom of her sluice,
As she sailed on the lowlands that lie so low,
As she sailed on the lowlands low.
9. Some were playing cards and some were playing dice,
They were all taken up in Satan's own advice,
As he sank her in the lowlands that lie so low,
As he sank her in the lowlands low.
10. Some ran with hats and some ran with caps
All for to stop up the salt water gaps,
As he sank her in the lowlands that lie so low,
As he sank her in the lowlands low.
11. Then he bent to his breast and. back swam he,
For he soon caught up to the Green Willow Tree
As they sailed on the lowlands that lie so low,
As they sailed on the lowlands low.
12, "Now throw me a rope and take me on board,
And prove unto me just as good as your word.
For I've sank her in the lowlands that lie so low,
I have sank her in the lowlands sea."
13. "I won't throw your rope nor take you on board,
Nor prove unto you just as good as my word,
But I'll sink you in the lowlands that lie so low,
I will sink you in the lowlands low."
14. "If it wasn't for the love that I had for your men.
I would do unto you as I've done unto them,
And I'd sink you in the lowlands that lie so low,
I would sink you in the lowlands low."