The Mermaid- Irby (MS) 1936 Hudson
[From Hudson- Folksongs of Mississippi, 1936]
26. THE MERMAID
(Child, No. 289)
The one Mississippi text of this ballad was secured by Mr. F. B. Ladd from Mr. John Irby, Batesville, who sang it. For other American texts, see Cox, No. 33, and Davis, No. 47, both of whom give full references; and Barry, No. 54.
1 'Twas Friday noon when we set sail,
And we were not far from land
When the captain spied a lovely mermaid
With a comb and a glass in her hand.
2 Then out spoke the captain of our gallant ship,
And a well-spoken man was he:
"I have married me a wife in Salem town,
And tonight she a widow will be."
3 Then three times around went our gallant ship,
And three times around went she;
Then three times around went our gallant ship,
And she sank in the depth of the sea.