The Bonny Sailor Boy.
There was a rich merchant in Liverpool did dwell,
He had but one daughter, few could her excel,
With her red rolling cheeks and her rolling black eye,
She fell deep in love with her bonny sailor boy.
When the rich merchant came this for to understand,
He swore he’d banish William to Vandieman’s Land;
Be that she should herself destroy,
For to marry young William, that’s her bonny sailor boy.
She’s one of the fairest creatures that I did ever see,
She exceeds all the girls in this country;
As she tripped through the grove she often did sigh,
As her heart often beat for her bonny sailor boy.
She dressed herself up from the head to the feet,
And entered as a cabinboy on board of the fleet
As she stood in her cabin she oftentimes did sigh,
Where there she stood gazing on her bonny sailor boy.
This day they are smiling on the watery main,
While her friends broken hearted at home do remain,
Her father would give two thousand pounds in gold,
For one sight of his daughter again to behold.
When they arrived in India land on that very day,
She went to the captain and thus she did say,
I am a fair maid, I will never deny,
I left my own parents for my bonny sailor boy
The captain together these lovers did bring,
The bands they did play and the sailors did sing,
It’s home to old Ireland they returned with great joy,
On the thoughts of young William, her bonny sailor boy.
It’s when they arrived at her own father’s hall,
It’s down on their knees these two lovers did fall,
Saying, father, dear, you may pierce my heart
Before you force me from my William to part
When the father saw those lovers the tears fell like rain,
He took them in his arms and he did them combine,
Saying, on to-morrow morning your wedding shall be
And fifty bright thousands your portion shall be.
Tis now these true lovers are joined heart and hand,
With three bright thousands at their command
So all sailors that’s constant and true,
Don’t change old lovers at all for the new.
*Transcriber’s note: Dugaw’s catalogue contains multiple variants of this ballad; this is the first of the variants listed. To review other variants of this ballad, please consult the Dugaw catalogue.
BBO Roud Number: V30121