The House Carpenter- Williams (WV) 1939 Cox; Bronson 83.
[From Cox, 1939, p. 41; and 1964 (ed. Boswell), p. 51.Also Bronson's TTCB, III, 1966, no. 83.
R. Matteson 2013]
"The House Carpenter"- Communicated by John A. Moore, Wheeling, W. Va., January 1927, from the singing of Mrs. Flora A. Williams, who had it from her mother, of Columbia County, Pa. a D (inflected III)
1. "Well met, well met, my pretty fair maid,
Well met, well met," said he,
"I've just come over the sea, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee."
2. "I can not go away with thee,
I can not go," said she,
"For I am married to a house carpenter,
And a handsome man is he."
3. "If you will leave your house carpenter,
And come along with me,
I'll take you to where the grass grows green
On the banks of the Sweet Libertie."
4. She took her babe upon her knee,
And gave it kisses three,
Saying, "Stay at home, my sweet and pretty babe,
Keep your father's company."
5. She dressed herself in purple and green,
Most beautiful to behold,
And as she walked along the street,
She shone like glittering gold.
6. They had not sailed for about two weeks,
I'm sure it was not three,
When she began for to weep, for to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
7. "Oh, is it for your house carpenter,
Or is it for your fee,
That you've began for to weep, for to weep,
And weep so bitterly?"
8. "It is not for my house carpenter,
Nor is it for my fee,
But it is all for the sweet and pretty babe,
That I left when I followed thee."
9. They had not sailed for about three months,
I'm sure it was not four,
When under the deck the ship sprung a leak,
And her weeping was heard no more.
10. Now here's a curse to all sailor men,
As long as they have life,
For the robbing of the house carpenter,
And the coaxing away of his wife.