Mermaid
No: 289; variant: 289B
- ONE Friday morn when we set sail,
Not very far from land,
We there did espy a fair pretty maid
With a comb and a glass in her hand, her hand, her hand,
With a comb and a glass in her hand.
While the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
While we jolly sailor-boys were up into the top,
And the land-lubbers lying down below, below, below,
And the land-lubbers lying down below.
- Then up starts the captain of our gallant ship,
And a brave young man was he:
'I've a wife and a child in fair Bristol town,
But a widow I fear she will be.'
For the raging seas, etc.
- Then up starts the mate of our gallant ship,
And a bold young man was he:
'Oh! I have a wife in fair Portsmouth town,
But a widow I fear she will be.'
For the raging seas, etc.
- Then up starts the cook of our gallant ship,
And a gruff old soul was he:
'Oh! I have a wife in fair Plymouth town,
But a widow I fear she will be.'
- And then up spoke the little cabin-boy,
And a pretty little boy was he;
'Oh! I am more grievd for my daddy and my mammy
Than you for your wives all three.'
- Then three times round went our gallant ship,
And three times round went she;
For the want of a life-boat they all went down,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea.