Seventeen Come Sunday- Howard Morry (NL) 1951 Peacock A
[Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 1, pp.284-285 by The National Museum of Canada (1965). This version has the Irish opening and appears to be closest to the "Maid and Soldier revision, however most of the end stanzas are absent.
R. Matteson 2017]
Seventeen Come Sunday- from Howard Leopold Morry [1885-1972] of Ferryland, NL, collected by Kenneth Peacock in 1951, version A
As I roved out one May morning,
One May morning so early,
I met a dark and comely maid,
And her hair hung down her shoulder.
With my rue-rye-ah, fall-a-diddle-ay,
Rye-oh fall-a-diddle die-doh.
Where are you going my pretty fair maid,
Where are you going my honey?
'Twas with a smile she answered me:
"I've a message for my mama.
With my rue-rye-ah, fall-a-diddle-ay,
Rye-oh fall-a-diddle die-doh."
How old are you my pretty fair maid,
How old are you my honey?
'Twas with a smile she answered me:
"I am seventeen come Sunday.
With my rue-rye-ah, fall-a-diddle-ay,
Rye-oh fall-a-diddle die-doh."
Oh you are too young to take a man,
You are too young to marry;
'Twas with a smile she answered me:
"Just step aside and try me[1]."
With my rue-rye-ah, fall-a-diddle-ay,
Rye-oh fall-a-diddle die-doh."
Oh I went to her mama's house,
When the moon shone bright and clearly;
And she arose and let me in,
And her mama did not hear me
With my rue-rye-ah, fall-a-diddle-ay,
Rye-oh fall-a-diddle die-doh."
"1. This variation has been reported in the UK (see New Ross Town, for example).