Natalie Merchant House Carpenter lyrics

"Well met, well met and I know true love
Well met, well met”, said he
I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee

Come in, come in, my own true love
And have a seat with me
It's been three-fourths
Of a long, long year
Since together we have been

No I can't come in and I can't sit down
For I have but a moment's time
They say that you're married
To a house carpenter
And your heart shall never be mine

Well I could have married
The king's daughter fair
She would have married me
But I forsaked upon her crowns of gold
And it's all for the love of thee

Now will you forsake on
Your house carpenter
And go along with me?
I'll take you where
The grass grows green
On the banks of the bitter reeds


She picked up her wee little babe
And kisses, gave it three saying
‽Stay right here my darling little one
Keep your papa company”

Now they had not been
On the ship two weeks
I swear it was not three
When his true love began
To weep and moan
And she wept most bitterly

Are you weeping for my silver and gold
Are you weeping for my store or are
You weeping for that house carpenter
That you never shall see no more?

A curse on the sailor she swore
A curse, a curse she swore
You robbed me of my sweet little babe
That I never shall see no more

Well, they had not been
On the ship three weeks
I swear it was not four
Until there came a leak in the ship
And she sank to rise no more