A Smooth Collie in Prague
The winding tide
Crime story
Lightening our hearts on an icy day
Dancing treetops
Words get in the way
.
A twisted stroll home
I’ll know when I see you
Our gallant ship
*Oh, the stormy winds do blow
With the landlubbers down below,
And the sailor-men a-climbing to the top
To haul in the riggin’-o.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“Twas Sunday night, our sails were set,
We hardly cleared the land-o,
When we spied a mermaid-a-swimmin’ by,
A comb and a glass in her hand-o.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The captain plumbed with a lead and a line,
He plumbed for to reach the sand-o,
While the wind and the waves did toss and roar,
We knew we’d never see land-o.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Then three times ’round went our gallant ship.
And three times more went she,
And the mate and the cabin boy said goodbye
As we sank in the salt, salt sea,
As we sank in the salt, salt sea.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
*Traditional ballad called “The Mermaid” was ccollected and compiled as No. 62 B by John Jacob Niles. Original musical arangement was composed for voice, concertina, clarinet, and guitar and performed by Sanford Ross Bender.
Tiny Drops of Rain
The Green Grave, or The Restless Dead*
The wind across the graveyard blew
With tiny drops of rain,
“I never had but one true love,
And she in the grave, one year hath lain,
And she in the grave hath lain.”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
He sat and grieved upon her grave
As many lovers may,
He sat and grieved and made a moan
A twelvemonth and a day,
A twelvemonth and a day.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
And when the grieving time was past,
The maiden’s ghost did say,
“Who sits a-weeping on my grave
A twelvemonth and a day,
A twelvemonth and a day?”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“My lips are cold as coldest clay,
My breath is earthy strong,
Now you have kissed me once again,
Your days will not be long,
Your days will not be long.”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
*Traditional ballad compiled by John Jacob Niles (Niles No. 32 C).