The Mary Golden Tree- (KY) 1916 Wyman
[From the 1916 book, Lonesome Tunes: Folk Songs from the Kentucky Mountains by Howard Brockway, Loraine Wyman, p. 72. The names and locations of the informants are not given, just as in McGill's Kentucky collection. Title also appears as "Merry Golden Tree."
R. Matteson 2014]
The Mary Golden Tree or
The Lonesome Low
I. There was a little ship and she sailed upon the sea,
And she went by the name of Tho Mary Golden Tree;
As she sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low,
As she sailed upon theo lonesome sea.
II. There was another ship and she sailed upon the sea,
And she went by tho name of The Turkish Robbery;
As she sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low,
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
III. There was a littlo sailor unto the captain said:
"O captain, O captain, what will you give to me
If I'll sink them in the lone and the lonesome low,
If I'll sink them on the lonesome sea?"
IV
"Two hundred dollars I'll give unto thee,
And my oldest daughter I'll wed unto thee;
If you'll sink them in the lone and the lonesome low,
If you'll sink them in the lonesome sea."
V. He bowed upon his breast and away swam he
'Til he came to the ship of the Turkish Robbery
As she sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
VI. Then out of his pocket an instrument ho drew,
And he bored nine holes for to let the water through
As she sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low,
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
VII. Some had hats and some had caps,
And they tried to stop them awful water gaps,
For they were sinking in the lone and the lonesome low,
For they were sinking in the lonesome sea.
VIII. Ho bowed upon his breast and back swam he
'Til ho came to tho ship of Tho Mary Golden Tree,
As she sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
IX. "O captain, O captain, won't you take me on board
O captain, O captain, won't you be good as your word,
For I've sunk them in the lone and tho lonesome low
For I've sunk them in the lonesome sea?"
X. "O no! I will neither take you onboard,
0 no! I will neither be good as my word,
For I'm sailing on the lone and the lonesome low
For I'm sailing on the lonesome sea.'"
XI. "If it wasn't for my love for your daughter and your men
1 would do unto you as I did unto them,
I would sink you in the lone and tho lonesome low
I would sink you in the lonesome sea."
XII. He turned upon his back and down sank he
"Farewell, farewell, to The Mary Golden Tree
For I'm sinking in the lone and tho lonesome low,
For I'm sinking in the lonesome sea."