The House Carpenter- Setters (MO) 1904 Randolph J
[From Vance Randolph's Ozark Folksongs, Vol. 1, 1946.
R. Matteson 2013]
The House Carpenter- Learned by Rose O'Neill in 1904 from Nannie Allen Setters of Branson, Mo. Randolph J
[music upcoming]
Well met, well-met, my own true love,
Well met, well met, said he;
I've just returned from the salt briny seas,
An' it's all for the love of thee.
I could have married a king's daughter,
I' faith she'd have married me,
I refused, carin' not for her gold,
An' it's all for the love of thee.
If you could have married a king's daughter
I count you much to blame,
For I have married a house carpenter
An' I think he's a fine young man.
If you will leave your house carpenter
An' go along with me,
I'll take you to where the grass grows so green
On the banks of Italy.
For I have gold and ships, said he,
All sailing for dry land,
An' two hundred and ten Bojollisy men [1]
All waiting for your command.
He dressed her all in rich array,
Most beautiful to behold,
And as she walked the streets around
She gleamed like the glittering gold.
Oh she's took up her sweet little babe
An' gave it kisses three,
Saying stay at home, my sweet little babe
While I go and sail on the sea.
They had not been on the sea two weeks,
I'm sure it was not three,
When this damsel began for to weep
And she wept most bitterly.
Oh do you weep for my gold, said he,
Or do you weep for my store?
Or do you weep for your house carpenter
That you never will see no more?
I do not weep for your gold, said she,
Neither do I weep for your store,
But I do weep for the sweet little babe,
That I left on the English shore.
1. After some cogitation, Miss O'Neill decided that "Bojollisy men" has no racial or geographical significance-it's merely a corruption of "bold jolly seamen."