The House Carpenter- McClellan (FL) 1950 Morris B
[From: Folksongs of Florida, 1950. This version is much older than 1950, probably dating back some 50 years to around 1900, since she "learned the song from her mother."
R. Matteson 2013]
The House Carpenter- Sung by Mrs. C. S. McClellan (High Springs, FL) no date given, pre-1950 Morris B
"I have just returned from the salt, salt sea,
And it was on account of thee.
For I've had an offer of a king's daughter fair,
And she fain would marry me.
"If you've had an offer of a king's daughter fair,
I think you're much to blame,
For I've lately been married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man."
"If you'll forsake your house carpenter
And come, and come along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the deep blue sea."
"If I'd forsake my house carpenter
And go along with you,
And you'd have nothing to support me upon,
And then what would I do?"
She dressed herself in rich array,
All from her golden store,
And as she walked the streets all-around,
She shone like a glittering star.
She called her baby unto her,
And gave it kisses three,
Saying, "Stay at home my pretty little babe,
And be your father's company."
We had not sailed more than two weeks;
I'm sure it was not over three,
Till this fair maid began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
"Are you weeping for your house carpenter,
Or for your golden store,
Or weeping for that sweet little babe
You never shall see any more?"
"I do not weep for my house carpenter,
Nor for my golden store,
I'm weeping for my sweet little babe,
That I never shall see any more."
Accursed be the sea-going train
And all the sailors' lives
For the robbing of the house carpenter
And the taking away of his wife!
They hadn't been on board but a week,
Or two or three, I am sure,
Before the vessel sprung a leak,
And it sank to rise no more.
"I'm neither weeping for your silver nor your gold,
And I'm neither weeping for my store,
And I'm just a-weeping for my sweet little babe,
Whom I'll not see any rnore.
"Adieu, adieu, to all seamen,
Adieu to sailors, too;
You have robbed me of my house carpenter
And my babe I'll not see no more."