The House Carpenter- Neal (IN) c.1926 Bronson 76
[From Brown County (Indiana) Songs and Ballads - Issue 3, by Mabel Evangeline Neal; also Neal's Master's thesis, Indiana University 1926. Reprinted in Bronson's TTCB III, 1966 as no. 76.
R. Matteson 2013]
"The House Carpenter"- Neal, 1926, p. 69. From Miss Neal's mother(?). a 24 ; a 2, ending on VI; or m 22, ending on V.
1. "Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met," says he,
"I've just returned from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the sake of thee."
2. "I could have married a king's daughter fair,
And she fain would have married me,
But I refused her crown of gold,
And it's all for the sake of thee."
3. "If you could have married a king's daughter fair,
I think 'twould have been your plan,
For I have married a house carpenter,
I think him a nice young man."
4. "If you'll forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of Italy."
5. She called her babe unto her knee,
And kisses gave it three,
Saying, "Stay at home you pretty little babe,
Keep Your father company.
6. She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Most glorious to behold,
As they sailed the ports around,
She shone like the glittering gold.
7. They had not been aboard the ship two weeks,
I am sure it was not three,
When the fair lady began for to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
8. "O, is it for my gold that you weep,
Or is it for my store?
Or is it for your house carpenter,
Whom you ne'er shall see no more?"
9. "It is not for your gold that I weep,
Not neither for your store,
But I do mourn for my petty little babe,
That I left on the other shore.
10. They had not been on board three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
When the gallant ship she sprang a leak,
And she sank for to rise no more.
11. A curse, a curse on that young man,
And a curse on the seaman's life,
A-robbing of the house carpenter,
And the stealing away his wife.