Child 243

An extremely common song, with text from M. C. Dean.

Recording by Curtis & Loretta: 

Recording by RW: 

Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met, said he,
For I’ve just returned from the deep salt sea,
And it’s all for the sake of thee.

Oh, I might have married a Queen’s daughter,
For she would have married me,
But I forsook her [c]rown of gold,
And it was all for the sake of thee.

If you could have married a Queen’s daughter,
I’m sure you are much to blame,
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think he’s a nice young man.

If you will leave your house carpenter,
And go along with me,
I will bring you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet Dundee.

Were I to leave my house carpenter,
And go along with thee,
What have you got to maintain me there,
Or to keep me from slavery?

I have five ships on the ocean wide,
All sailing for dry land,
With a hundred and ten of their jolly seamen,
To be at your command.

She picked up her darling babe,
And kisses gave it three,
Saying, “Stay at home, my sweet little babe,
Keep your papa company.”

They had not sailed two weeks, I believe,
I am sure it was not three,
Until this maid began 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 left on yonder shore?

I do not weep for your gold, she said,
Or neither for your store,
But I do weep for my sweet little babe,
That I never will see more.

They had not sailed three weeks, I believe,
I am sure it was not four,
Until her true love’s ship it struck a rock,
And it sank to rise no more.

Curse all, curse all, this fair maid cried,
Oh, curse a sailor’s life,
For they robbed me of my sweet little babe,
And deprived me of my life.