The House Carpenter- Beck (IO) 1872 Stout B
[From Folklore from Iowa, collected and edited by Earl J. Stout, 1936. I've made two stanzas out of the long first stanza.
This version clearly shows the dialogue between former lovers in the first two lines.
R. Matteson 2016]
The House Carpenter- Sung by Orin Beck, sometime of Belle Plain High School; as learned from his mother when he was 10 years old, probably in 1872.
1. "Well met, well met, well met," says he
Well met, well met," says she.
It's all the way from the salty salty sea
And it's all for the love of thee."
2. "I could have been married the King's daughter, love,
[And she would of have married me] [1]
But I refused her rich crowns of gold
And it's all for the sake of thee."
3. "If you could have been married a king's daughter, sir[2]
I'm sure you are to blame;
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I am sure he's a nice young man."
4. "If you forsake my house carpenter
And go along with me;
I will take you where the grass grows green
On the bank of the sweet Willie."
5 "If I forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee
What have you got to maintain me upon
And keep me from slavery?"
6. "I have three ships on yonder seas,
A-sailing for dry land;
Three hundred and twenty jolly sailor boys
Shall be at your command."
7. She dressed her babe so neat and clean
And kisses gave it three
"Lie there, lie there, my sweet little babe
And keep your papa company."
8. She dressed herself in rich array,
And away with him did go,
And as she walked the streets all around,
She shone like glittering gold.
9 They had not sailed more than two weeks
I'm sure it was not three;
Til this young lady began to weep
And she wept most bitterly.
10 "Is it for any gold that you weep,
Or is it for my store?
Or is it for the house carpenter
You ne'er expect to see any more?"
11. "It is neither for your gold that I weep,
And neither for your store,
But all for the love of that sweet little babe
That I never expect to see any more."
12 They had not sailed more than three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four;
'Til the ship began to leak and it sank [3]
For to rise no more.
13 "A curse, a curse, to all seamen,
A curse, a curse, I say;
They have robbed me of my sweet little babe
And have taken my life away."
1. I've added the missing line to the second stanza.
2. The "sir" is unusual.
3. "And it sank" should be on the last line.