Bound for Greenland

Again for Greenland we are bound
To leave you all behind
With timbers firm and hearts all warm
We'll sail before the wind.

We do not go to face our foe
Upon yon raging main;
We only sail to catch the whale,
We'll soon return again.

We leave behind us on the shore
All whom we love most dear,
We leave our sweethearts and our wives
All weeping on the pier.

The weeping baby's hushed asleep
With its bosom full o' pain ;
Dry up your tears for half a year,
We'll soon return again.

A blowing breeze came from the south,
All sails they seemed asleep;
Three cheers more, and we left the shore
And we floated on the deep.

In tarry dress we'll reach Dromness,
Perhaps we go on shore;
When water's less or the landsmen's scarce,
We always takes in more.

At length we safely reach the ice,
And quickly crowns all sail
With the boat well manned, a gallant band,
For to pursue the whale.

Till dark and dreary grows the night,
And stars begin to burn,
With the valiant crew, and hearts all true,
For the ship she does return.

When the ship's got load, and homewards bound,
And past yon Orkney Isles,
With a flowing cup, brimmed to the lip,
The time we had beguiled.

When the shore comes in our view,
The pilot boat draws near,
We see our sweethearts and our wives
All waiting on the pier.

When the ship's got moored and safe secured,
And all paid off on shore,
With plenty o' brass and a bonny lass,
We make the taverns roar.

To Greenland's frost we'll drink a toast,
To it we hold most dear,
We'll cross the main to it again,
And we'll take a trip next year.

Note: there are a number of variants, and a number of tunes that you can
mix and match. RG
From Grieg-Duncan Folk Song Collection
Collected from Isaac and Alexander Troup, 1908
play.exe GRNLNDB2.2
play.exe GRNLNDB2.3
play.exe GRNLNDB2.4
RG