The Old Salt Sea- (KY) Pettit pre1907 Kittredge
[From: Ballads and Rhymes from Kentucky by G. L. Kittredge; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 20, No. 79 (Oct. - Dec., 1907), pp. 251-277. His notes follow.
Katherine Pettit was the founder of the Hindman Settlement School and later the Pine Mountain Settlement School.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
BALLADS AND RHYMES FROM KENTUCKY
EDITED BY G. L. KITTREDGE
THE following ballads and rhymes from the mountains of Kentucky were collected recently by Miss Katherine Pettit of Hindman, Knott County, in that State. Miss Pettit has had the kindness to send the material to the Journal for publication.
THE OLD SALT SEA
This is a version of "James Harris (The Daemon Lover)" (Child, No. 243 B). The last two stanzas (not in B) may be found in Child's E and F. An American version, from a broadside in the library of the American Antiquarian Society, has been published by Mr. Phillips Barry in this Journal (xviii, 207-209).
1. "Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, well met," said he;
"I have just returned from the old salt sea,
It is all for the sake of thee.
2. "I could have married the king's daughter,
I could have married her," said he,
"But I have forsaken those gold crowns,
It is all for the sake of thee."
3. "You better had married the king's daughter,
You better had married her," said she,
"For I have married the ship carpenter,
And he keeps plenty of gold for me."
4. "Will you forsake your gold, my love?
Will you forsake your babe?" said he,
"Will you forsake your ship carpenter
And go along with me?"
5. She laid her babe on a downy bed,
And kisses she gave it three:
"Lay there, lay there, you sweet little babe,
And keep your pa's company."
6. They had not been sailing very long,
They hadn't been sailing but three weeks,
She threw herself on the cold floor,
And there she began to weep.
7. "What are you weeping for, my love?
Are you weeping for your gold?" said he;
"Are you weeping for some other young man
That you love far better than me?"
8. "I am not weeping for my gold, my love,
Nor for no other young man," said she;
"I am weeping for my sweet little babe,
That I never more shall see.
9. "What hills, what hills, my old true love,
That look so high and white as snow ?"
"That is the hills of heaven, my love,
Where all good people go."
10. "What hills, what hills, my old true love,
That look so low and dark?"
"That is the hills of hell, my love,
Where you and I must go."