The House Carpenter- Toney (WV) 1916 Cox A
[From: Folk-Songs of the South; John Harrington Cox- 1925. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2013]
25. JAMES HARRIS (THE DAEMON LOVER) (Child, No. 243)
Twenty-one variants have been found in West Virginia, under the titles: "The House Carpenter," "The House Carpenter's Wife," and "The Salt Water Sea" (cf. Cox, xlv, 159). The story is virtually the same in all the variants.
In the main, the West Virginia variants agree very closely with Child B, but contain here and there stanzas that show relations to other Child versions. The returned lover has lost all trace of the "Daemon," unless such a trace is found in A 13, 14.
For a list of American texts see Journal, xxx, 325; xxxv, 346. Add Campbell and Sharp, No. 29 (North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee); Pound, No. 17 (Illinois; same as Journal, xxvi, 360); Minish MS. (North Carolina); Bulletin; Nos. 6-1 1.
A. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mr. Decker Toney, Queens Ridge, Wayne County, January 20, 1916; obtained from his mother, who learned it from her sister.
1 "Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, well met!" said he;
"I have come from the rolling salty sea,
And for all the sake, love, of thee.
2 "I could have married a king's daughter,
A beautiful dame was she;
But I have forsaken a rich crown of gold,
And all for the sake, love, of thee."
3 "If you could have married a king's daughter,
I'm sure you are to blame;
I have just married a house carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man."
4 "If you will forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I 'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of Sweet Willie."
5 "If I should forsake my house carpenter
And go along with you,
And you 'd have nothing to supply me with,
Lord, what should I do?"
6 "I have six ships on the ocean, love,
Sailing for dry land;
One hundred and ten of your own countrymen
Shall go at your command."
7 She dressed herself in silk so fine,
In rings and diamonds and gold;
And as she walked her rooms all round,
She was a beauty to behold.
8 She picked up her tender little babe
And gave it kisses three;
"Lie there, lie there, my tender little babe,
And keep your papa company."
9 They had not been on board the ship,
Not over two weeks or three,
This fair lady sat dcwn to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
10 "What are you weeping about, my old true love,
What are you weeping about?" said he.
"Are you weeping about your house carpenter,
Whose face you can never more see?
11 "Are you weeping for riches, my love,
Or are you weeping for store?
Are you weeping for your tender little babe,
Whose face you'll see no more?"
12 "I am not weeping for riches, love,
I am not weeping for store;
I am weeping for my tender little babe,
Whose face I'll see no more."
13 "What hills, what hills are those, my love,
That look so bright and high?"
"It's the hills, it's the hills of heaven, my dear,
Where all righteous people lie."
14 "What hills, what hills, are those, my love,
That look so dark and low?"
"It's the hills, it's the hills of hell, my dear,
Where you and I must go."
15 They had not been on board of the ship,
Not over three weeks or four,
There sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship,
And she sank for to rise no more.