The Mermaid- J.G. Marcy (VT) 1904 Barry JOAFL; Flanders E
[From: Traditional Ballads in New England I by Phillips Barry published in The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 18, No. 69 (Apr. - Jun., 1905), pp. 123-138.
This is the first part of Barry's Traditional Ballads in New England, all three parts were published in 1905 in three consecutive editions of the JOAFL. These early ballads are fully preserved because Barry recognized that including the tune whenever possible was as important as including lyrics.
I've added the informants last name as found in Flanders E.
R. Matteson 2014]
VII. THE MERMAID
Recorded by me October 11, 1904, from the singing of J. G. Marcy, Newbury, Vt.
1. The first came up was the carpenter of the ship,
And a hearty old fellow was he,
Saying, " I have a wife in old England,
And a widow I 'm afraid she will be!"
REFRAIN, - For the raging sea goes roar, roar, roar,
And the stormy winds they do blow,
While we poor sailors are drowning in the deep,
And the pretty girls are standing on the shore.
2. The next came up was a little cabin boy,
And a nice little fellow was he, Saying, -
"I'd give more for my daddy and my ma,
Than I would for your wives all three!"
3 The next came up was a fair pretty maid,
With a comb and a glass in her hand,
Saying, . . . . . . .,
. . . . . . .