Jean Ritchie
The House Carpenter
[Verse 1]
"Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met," said he
"I've come from far across the sea
And it's all for the sake of thee
[Verse 2]
"I could have married a king's daughter fair
And she would've married me
But I have forsaken the crowns of gold
And it's all for the sake of thee"
[Verse 3]
"If you could've married a king's daughter fair
I'm sure I'm not to blame
For I have married me a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a finе young man"
[Verse 4]
"Oh, will you leave your house carpеnter
And sail away with me?
I'll take you to where the grass grows green
Down in sweet Italy"
[Verse 5]
"Oh, if I leave my house carpenter
And sail away with ye
What will ye have to maintain me upon
When we are far away?"
[Verse 6]
"Oh, I have seven ships upon the sea
Seven ships upon the land
Four hundred and fifty bold sailor men
To be at your command"
[Verse 7]
She turned herself three times around
She kissed her babies three
"Farewell, farewell, you sweet little babes
Keep your father sweet company"
[Verse 8]
They hadn't been sailin' but about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When this fair lady begin for to weep
And she wept most bitterly
[Verse 9]
"Are you weepin' for your house carpenter?
Are you weepin' for your store?
Or are you weepin' for your sweet little babes
That you never shall see any more?"
[Verse 10]
"Not a-weepin' for my house carpenter
Not a-weepin' for my store
Yes, I'm weepin' for my sweet little babes
That I never will see any more"
[Verse 11]
They hadn't been sailin' but about three weeks
I'm sure it was not four
When the ship sprung a leak and down she sank
And she sank to rise no more
[Verse 12]
"What hills, what hills so fair and bright
What hills so white and fair?"
"Oh, those be the hills of heaven, my dear
But you won't never go there"
[Verse 13]
"What hills, what hills down in yonder sea
What hills so black as coal?"
"Oh, those be the hills of hell, my dear
Where we must surely go"