The Bold Trellitee

There was a ship in the North Counteree,
Sailing up for the lowland seas,
There was a ship in the North Counteree,
She sailed by the name of the "Bold Trellitee,"
She was cruising in the lowland that lies so low,
She was cruising in the lonesome sea.

She had not sailed two days or three,
Sailing up for the lowland seas,
She had not sailed two days or three
Before she came to the "Turkey Degree,"
Shc was cruising in the lowland that lies so low,
She was cruising in the lonesome sea.

Up spoke the captain, "What will we do?"
We'll lose our ship and all of her crew,
She was cruising etc.

Up spoke our little cabin boy,
"What will you give me if I will destroy,
If I sink her etc.

"I'll give you gold and I'll give you fee,
And my oldest daughter your wedded wife shall be
If you sink 'em etc.

He bent upon his breast and away swam he,
He swam till he came to the "Turkey Degree,"
She was cruising etc.

Hc had a little auger that was fitted for the use,
He bored five and twenty holes in the bottom of the sluice,
And he sunk 'em etc.

He bent upon his breast and back swam he,
He swam till he came to the "Bold Trellitee,"
She was cruising etc.

"Captain, oh captain, take me on board,
Come, be unto me just as good as your word,
For I sank 'em etc.

"No, no, I'll not take you on board,
But I'll be unto you just as good as my word,
For you've sunk 'em etc.

"If it wasn't for the love that I had for your men,
I'd do unto you as I did unto them,
l'd sink you etc.

He bent upon his breast and on swum he,
He drownded by the side of the "Bold Trellitee,"
She was cruising etc.
From Folk Songs of the Catskills, Cazden et al.
Collected from George Edwards
note: The book's version of the tune is written in A minor, although it
resolves to D minor; the book has a B natural, which I have flatted because
(to me) it sounds more like what I've heard George Edwards sing. Any
better-informed musicologists out there? RG
Child #286
RG
apr96