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Story-Telling Ballads

by Frances Jenkins Olcott

7 of 141 · Contents · Download EPUB

The Salt Blue Seas

The Stormy Winds Do Blow

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.”

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.”

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.

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.

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