The House Carpenter- (NC) pre1932 Greer B
[From The I. G. Greer Collection No. 2, labeled Daemon Lover 02. No source, collector or informant is named. The MS is faded showing age with type and the last two verses are handwritten in pencil. This was likely sent in by an informant and the last verses completed. I'm guesstimating the age at pre1932 (Greer was a professor at Appalachian State Teacher’s College from 1910 to 1932.
View MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/31446
R. Matteson 2013]
The House Carpenter- From I. G. Greer Collection No. 2
1. Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, [well met], he cried.
For I’m just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And it’s all for the love of thee.
2. Oh, I could have married a King’s daughter, dear,
And she would have married me,
But I refused a crown of gold,
And it’s all for the love of thee.
3. If you could have married a king’s Dayghter, dear, [1]
I think you are to blame,
For I have lately been married to a House Carpenter,
And I think he’s a fine young man.
4. Oh, wont you leave your House Carpenter,
And go along with me?
I’ll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of Sweet Willowrie.
5. If I should leave my house carpenter and go along with you
And go along with you,
Pray what have you to maintain me on,
And keep me from slavery?
6. I have seven ships all sailing on the sea,
All sailing for dry land,
One hundred and ten bold brave looking men,
You may have them at your command.
7. She went and dressed in her finest array,
And slowly turned away,
For she outshined the gliyyering gold, [2]
Most beautiful to behold.
8. She went and kissed her sweet little babe,
She kissed it,she gave it three.
Saying you stay here you dear darling little babe,
And keep your Papa company.
9. They hadn’t been on ship two weeks or more,
I’m sure it was not three,
Until this lady was known to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
10. Oh, is it for my gold you weep,
Or is it for my store,
Or is it for that house carpenter,
You never shall see any more?
11. It is not for your gold I weep,
Neither is it for your store,
But it’s for my dear darling little babe,
I never shall see any more.
12. A curse, a curse to all seamen,
A curse to you she cried,
You have robbed me of my house carpenter,
And here I shall lose my life.
13. They hadn’t been on ship three weeks or more,
I’m sure it was not four,
Until that ship did spring a leak,
And it sank to rise no more.
14. O don’t you see them dark clouds rise
As black as any crow?
They’re the walls of Hell,
And o’er them we must go!
1. daughter
2. glittering