The Mermaid- Gott (ME) 1924 Barry A
[From British Ballad From Maine; Barry and all; 1929. This version has a few unique phrases and somewhat resembles the version in 1909 Heart Songs. The chorus has the extended last line as in Child B, C, and D.
R. Matteson Jr. 2014]
THE MERMAID
(Child 289)
A. Sent in October, 1924, by Capt. Lewis Freeman Gott of Bernard.
1 It was Friday morn when we set sail.
And we were not far from the land.
When our captain spied a mermaid fair,
With comb and glass in her hand.
Then the ocean waves may roll,
And the stormy winds may blow,
When we old sailors will skip into the top,
While the landlubbers lie down below, below, below,
While the landlubbers lie down below.
2 Then up spake the captain of our gallant ship,
And a nice old salt was he:
"This fishy maid has warned me of our doom,
We shall sink in the salt, salt sea."
Chorus
3 Then up spake the mate of our gallant ship,
And a well-spoken man was he:
"I have married a wife in Salem town,
And tonight a widow she will be."
4. Then up spake the cook of our gallant ship,
And a fat old cook was he:
"I think much more of me kettles and me pots
Than I do of the deep, deep sea."
Chorus
Then three times around went our gallant ship,
Then three times around went she,
Then three times around went our gallant ship,
Then she sank in the bottom of the sea.
Then the ocean waves may roll,
And the stormy winds may blow,
Then the brave sailors will skip into the top,
While the landlubbers lie down below, below, below,
While the landlubbers lie down below.