The Daemon’s Strain (House Carpenter)
Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried he
I’ve just returned from the salt, salt sea
All for the love of thee
I could have married the king’s daughter dear
She would have married me
But I have forsaken her crowns of gold
All for the love of thee
Well, if you could have married the king’s daughter dear
I’m sure you are to blame
For I am marriеd to a house carpenter
And find him a nicе young man
Oh, will you forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me?
I’ll take you to where the grass grows green
To the banks of the salt, salt sea
To the banks of the salt, salt sea
To the banks of the salt, salt sea
Well, if I forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee
What have you got to maintain me on
And keep me from poverty?
Six ships, six ships all out on the sea
Seven more upon dry land
One hundred and ten all brave sailor men
Will be at your own command
Will be at your own command
She picked up her own wee babe (picked up her own wee babe)
Kisses gave him three (kisses gave him three)
Said, stay right here with my house carpenter
And keep him good company
Then she put on her rich attire (put on her rich attire)
So glorious to behold (glorious to behold)
And as she trod along her way, she shone
Like the glittering gold
Well, they’d not been gone but about two weeks (not been gone)
I know it was not three (know it was not three)
When this fair lady began to weep
She wept most bitterly
Oh, why do you weep, my fair young maid? (why do you weep?)
Weep for your golden store? (weep for your store)
Or do you weep for your house carpenter
Who never you shall see anymore?
I do not weep for my house carpenter
Or for any golden store
I do weep for my own wee babe
Who never I shall see anymore
Well, they’d not been gone but about three weeks
I’m sure it was not four
Their gallant ship sprang a leak and sank
Never to rise anymore
Never to rise anymore
One time around spun their gallant ship
Two times around spun she
Three times around spun their gallant ship
And sank to the bottom of the sea
And sank to the bottom of the sea
And sank to the bottom of the sea
What hills, what hills are those, my love
That rise so fair and high?
Those are the hills of heaven, my love
But not for you and I
And what hills, what hills are those, my love?
Those hills so dark and low
Those are the hills of hell, my love
Where you and I must go
Where you and I must go
Where you and I must go
Where you and I must go