Maiden Who Dwelt By the Shore- Walters (NL) 1929
Found on p. 63 of Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland by Elizabeth Greenleaf (Harvard UP, 1933); as sung by Mrs. Annie Walters, Rocky Harbor, 1929. In 1929, Greenleaf again visited the Walters family in Rocky Harbour and, at that time, was introduced to Thomas's wife Annie, from whom she recorded three songs one of which was "The Maiden Who Dwelt By the Shore." It was reprinted in Folk songs of North America by Alan Lomax in 1960.
This was collected again from Mrs. Annie Walters in 1958 by Peacock with minor textual changes (See that version also).
THE MAIDEN WHO DWELT BY THE SHORE Sung by Mrs. Annie Walters, Rocky Harbour, 1929.
In swinging rhythm. Recorded by E.B.G. DORIAN MODE
'Twas of a young maiden who lived all alone,
She lived all alone on the shore O.
There was nothing she could find to comfort her mind,
But to roam all alone on the shore, shore, shore,
But to roam all alone on the shore.
It was of a young captain who sailed the salt sea,
Let the winds blow high or low, O;
"I will die, I will die," this young captain did cry,
"If I don't get that maid from the shore, shore, shore,
If I don't get that maid from the shore.
"I have lots of silver, I have lots of gold,
I have lots of costly wear [1], O;
I'll divide, I'll divide with my jolly ship's crew
If they'll row me that maid from the shore, shore, shore,
If they'll row me that maid from the shore."
After long persuadance they got her on board,
Let the winds blow high or low, O;
Where he placed her a chair in his cabin below.
"Here's adieu to all sorrow and care, care, care,
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care."
She sot herself down in his cabin below,
Let the winds blow high or low, O;
She sung Charming and sweet, she sung neat and complete,
She sung captain and sailors asleep, sleep, sleep,
She sung captain and sailors asleep.
She robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold,
She robbed him of costly wear [1], O;
And she stole his broadsword instead of an oar,
And she paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore,
And she paddled away to the shore.
"My men must been crazy, my men must been mad,
My men must been deep in despair, O,
For to let her go 'way with her beauty so gay,
And to paddle her way to the shore, shore, shore,
And to paddle her way to the shore."
"Your men was not crazy, your men was not mad,
Your men was not deep in despair, O;
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself,
I'm a maiden again on the shore, shore, shore,
I'm a maiden again on the shore."
1. ware