The Sailor Boy (Prince of Morocco)

There was a little sailor
With courage stout and bold,
He courted a lady
Worth thousands of gold.
Her father said, "Dear daughter,
If this be your intent,
For to marry with the sailor boy
I ne'er will give consent.

Twelve thousand pounds
Unto you I will give,
An' that shall be your portion
So long as you live,
Twelve thousand pounds
Your fortune I will make,
Providin' that the sailor boy
You ever will forsake.

She written a long letter,
Unto her love she sent,
All for to let him know
Of her father's sure intent.
My heart it is sincere,
An' to you it will prove true,
There's nobody in this world
I could fancy only you.

Seein' that it is so,
That you I caint obtain,
I'll cross the salty ocean,
I'll go into Spain,
This crafty young youth,
An' thus he did say,
An' I'll deceive your father
Or else I will die.

He bought him a robe,
An' away he did steer,
Like the Duke of Moracho
In pearls he did appear,
With a star upon his breast
Went to see his love again,
The old man was well pleased
To see the prince of Spain.

Hand an' hand together
Unto the church they went,
An' then they got married
By her father's consent.
An' this caused the old man
To hop an' skip an' prance,
To think that his daughter
Had got married to a prince.

Twelve thousand pounds
Unto you I will give,
An' that shall be your portion
So long as you live.
An' while the flowin' pomperts (bumpers?)
Went merrily around,
The old man counted out
His twelve thousand pounds.

Then do you not know me!
The young youth then did say.
I am the little sailor boy
You once drove away.
I've fairly outwitted you,
I've crafted well my life,
An' now I've got twelve thousand pounds
An' a beautiful wife.

From Ozark Folksongs, Randolph
Sung by Mr. Percy Melton, Little Rock, Ark., Oct. 10, 1922.
Mr. Melton learned it in Van Buren County, Ark. in the early 90's.
DT #449
Laws N18
RG
oct96