The Mary Golden Tree- (US) 1927 Richardson
[From: American Mountain Songs by Ethel Park Richardson, 1927. No informant, date or location indicated. Richardson, a song collector and performer from Chattanooga Tennessee, says the songs come from mountain folk from the states of Tennessee, the Carolinas, North Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia and Missouri.
Curiously the Turkish ship is the Rebel Lee and Richardson comments that "a Yankee bias is indicated."
R. Matteson 2014]
The Mary Golden Tree
1.There was a little ship sail'd out on the sea,
And the name of that ship was the Mary Golden Tree,
And she sail'd along lowland, lonesome,
As she sail'd on the lonesome sea.
2. She had not been abroad, mere than days one, two or three
Till she spied the old ship called the Turkish Rebel Lee,
As she sailed along the lowland, lonesome,
As she sailed on the lonesome sea!
3. A little boy a-sailing, as brave as brave could be,
Cried, "Captain, oh captain, what will you give to me
If I sink her in the lowland, lonesome,
If I sink her in the lonesome sea?"
4."I will give you money, I will give you a fee,
Beside a lovely daughter, I will marry unto thee,
If you sink her in the lowland, lonesome,
If you sink her in tho lonesome sea!"
5. And he bared, his breast and away swam he,
He swam till he reached, the Turkish Rebel Lee,
As she sailed along the lowland, lonesome,
As she sailed on the lonesome sea.
6. Then out of his pocket a little tool he drew
And he bored nine holes for to let the water through
That would sink her in the lowland, lonesome,
That would sink her in the lonesome sea.
7. Then he bared his breast and back swam he
And he swam till he came to the Mary Golden Tree
As she sailed along the lowland, lonesome,
As she sailed on the lonesome sea.
8. And he cried, "Oh captain, take me on board,
Or you won't be as good as you told me you would,
For I've sunk her in the lowland, lonesome,
I've sunk her in the lonesome sea!"
9. "I won't give you money I won't give you a fee,
And I won't be as good as I told you I would be,
If you sunk her in the lowland, lonesome,
If you sunk her in the Lonesome sea!"
10. "If 'twas not for the love I have got for your men,
I would, do unto you as I did unto them,
I would sink you in the lowland, lonesome,
I would sink you in the lonesome sea!"
11. Then he bowed his head and down sank he
And he bade farewell to the Mary Golden Tree
As she sailed along the lowland, lonesome,
As she sailed on the lonesome sea!