House Carpenter

Well I once could have married the king's third son And a fine young man was he But now I'm married to a house carpenter And a nice young man is he1 "When will you forsake your house carpenter And a-go along with a me I will take you to where the grass grows green On the banks of the River Dee." "What will you have to maintain me upon To keep me from slavery?"2 "Well I have seven ships They will soon be at land And they at your command shall be." She took her two babes by the hand And gave them kisses three "Sit still at home you darling little babes, Keep your father sweet company." Now she dressed herself in her very best Like a high-born lady was she She shimmered and she shivered3 and she proudly stepped As they walked by the banks of the sea Well she hadn't been gone but a short, short time Until she wept for sor'4) "I would give all the gold in this round world Just to see my babes once more." Well if you had all the gold and the silver too That ever did cross the sea You never would be at land anymore And your babes you will never more see Well they hadn't been sailing but a short, short time About two weeks, three or four When the ship sprang a leak and they were doomed And they were far away from the shore "I see bright hills of Heaven my dear Where angels come and go I see bright hills, that's Hell my dear Where you and I must go." "Oh I wish I was back to my house carpenter I'm sure he would treat me well But here I am in the raging sea And my soul is bound for Hell." - - - 1) PJC suggests "And a noisy old man is he" This site suggests "And a nice young man is he". 2) PJC suggests "But will you have to maintain me a bound/To keep me in slavery?". This site suggests "But what will you have to maintain me upon/To keep me from slavery?". 3) PJC suggests "She shivered and she shimmered". This site suggests "She shivered and she shivered". Shirley suggests "She shimmered and she shivered" or "She shimmered and she shimmered". I think it sounds like "She shimmered and she shivered". 4) PJC suggests "Until she wept for sore". This site suggests "Until she wept forsore". I think it sounds like "Until she wept for sor'", with "sor'" being a contraction for "sorrow". * Help with these lyrics came from this website and emails from PCJ and Shirley --- House Carpenter - Pentangle