The House Carpenter- Sefton (OH; PA) pre1922 Eddy B
[From: Traditional Texts and Tunes by Albert H. Tolman and Mary O. Eddy; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 35, No. 138 (Oct. - Dec., 1922), pp. 335-432. Their notes follow. This is version B in Eddy's Ballads and Folk-Songs from Ohio, 1939.
Professor Lily Bell Sefton's text comes from Mrs. Charles Byran of Tarentum, PA.
R. Matteson 2013]
243. JAMES HARRIS (THE DAEMON LOVER)
For American texts see JAFL XXX, 325-327. Add English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, No. 29 (5 texts, II airs).
English texts: Songs of the West, No. 76 (a shortened text; see Introduction); Real Sailor Songs 74, 2d text.
The House Carpenter
American texts of "The House Carpenter" are not uncommon. Usually they do not vary greatly from the de Marsan broadside (New York City, about 1860), reprinted in Henry de Marsan's "New Comic and Sentimental Singers' Journal " (i, 626 [No. 83]), and by Barry (JAFL xviii, 207).
Miss Eddy sends three variants and three airs. In one of her texts the wife jumps overboard. I print the airs. The first is from the singing of Mrs. Daniel Ross, Shreve, O. The second air was obtained from Mrs. M. M. Moores, Perrysville, O. The third was taken down by Professor Eschman, Denison College, Granville, O., from the singing of Professor Lily Bell Sefton.
B. The House Carpenter- Music (Aeolian Mode) by Sefton (OH); text by Mrs. Charles Byran (Tarentum PA) pre1922 Eddy B
1. "I've just come from the salt, salt sea,
And 'twas all on account of thee,
For I've just had an offer of a king's daughter fair,
And she fain would have married me."
2. "Well, if you've had an offer of a king's daughter fair,
I think you' re much to blame,
For I've lately been married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man.
3. "If you'll forsake your house carpenter,
And come along with me,
I'll take you to where the grass grows green
On the banks of Italy."
4. "If I'd forsake my house carpenter
And go along with you,
And you'd have nothing to support me upon,
Oh, then what would I do?"
5. "I have three ships upon the main,
All sailing for dry land,
And twenty-five jolly sailor lads
That you can have at your command."
6. She dresses herself in rich array,
All from her golden store,
And as she walked the streets all 'round,
She shone like a glittering star.
7. She called her baby unto her,
And gave it kisses three,
Saying: "Stay at home, my pretty little babe,
And be your father's company."
8. We had not sailed more than two weeks,
I'm sure it was not three,
Till this fair maid began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
9. "Oh, why do you weep, my pretty maid?
Do you weep for your golden store,
Or do you weep for your house carpenter
Which you never shall see any more?"
10. "I do not weep for my house carpenter,
Or for my golden store,
But I do weep for my pretty little babe
Which I never shall see any more."
11. We had not sailed more than three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Till our gallant ship she sprang a leak,
And she sank to rise no more.
12. Once around went our gallant ship,
Twice around went she,
Three times around went our gallant ship,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea.
13. Oh, cursed be the sea-going train,
And all the sailors' lives
For robbing of the house carpenter,
And the taking away of his wife.