The House Carpenter
The Watson Family Lyrics

Well met, well met," said an old true love,
An old true love greets her.

"I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea,
He just returned from the sea.

And it's all for the love of thee."
And he did it because he loved her.

"Come in, come in, my own true love,
She welcomes him.

And have a sit with me.
She offers him a seat.

It's been three-fourths of a long, long year
It's been a long time since they've seen each other.

Since together we have been."
They haven't seen each other in a long time.

"I can't come in and I can't sit down,
He can't stay.

For I have but a moment's time.
He only has a little bit of time.

They say you're married to a house carpenter,
He heard that she married a carpenter.

And your heart will never be mine."
He's sad that she doesn't love him.

"I could have married the king's daughter fair,
He had the opportunity to marry the king's daughter.

And she would have married me.
She would've married him.

But I have forsaken her crowns of gold,
He chose her over the wealth and power the king's daughter could offer.

And it's all for the love of thee."
He did it all for her love.

"Now will you forsake your house carpenter
He asks if she will leave her husband.

And go along with me?
And come with him instead?

I'll take you where the grass grows green
He promises to take her to a place with lush green grass.

On the banks of Iteree."
To the banks of Iteree.

She picked up her little babe
She takes her child with her.

And kisses gave it three.
She gives three kisses to her child.

Saying, "Stay right here, my darling little babe,
She tells her child to stay behind.

And keep your papa company."
And keep her husband company.

They had not been on the ship two weeks,
They had only been on the ship for two weeks.

I'm sure it was not three,
Definitely not three weeks.

'Til his true love began to weep and mourn,
Until his love began to cry and grieve.

And she wept most bitterly."
She cried a lot.

"Are you weeping for my silver and my gold?
He asks if she's crying for his silver and gold.

Are you weeping for my store?
Or for all of his possessions?

Or are you weeping for that house carpenter,
Or is she crying for her husband?

Whose face you'll never see any more?"
She won't get to see him again.

"A curse, a curse," to the sailor she cried,
She curses the sailor.

"A curse, a curse," she swore.
She's exceedingly angry with the sailor.

"You've robbed me of my sweet little babe,
She accuses the sailor of taking her child.

That I never shall see no more."
She'll never see her child again.

They had not been on board three weeks,
They had only been on the ship for three weeks.

I'm sure it was not four,
Definitely not four.

Until there came a leak in the ship,
The ship started taking on water.

And it sunk for to rise no more.
And it sunk to the bottom of the sea.