We've met, we've met, my old true love We've met, we've met, said he
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea And it's all for the love of thee
I could have married the king's daughter fair She would have married me
But I've forsaken her crown of gold And it's all for the love of thee
Come in, come in, my old true love Come in, she said to him
For it's been three-fourths of a long, long year Since together we have been
No, I can't come in, nor I can't sit down For I have but a moment's time
And they say that you're married to a house carpenter And your heart will never be mine
Will you come with me, my old true love Oh, come with me, said he
And I'll take you to where the grass grows green On the banks of Bitter Reef
Then she picked up her sweet little babe And kisses she gave it three
Saying, stay at home, my darling little babe And keep your papa company
Then he jumped on a milk-white steed And her on the dappled gray
They rode till they came to the banks of the sea Three hours before the break of day
They had not been on the ship two weeks I'm sure it was not three
Until his true love began to weep and to mourn And she wept most bitterly
Oh, is it for my silver you weep Is it for my store
Or is it for that house carpenter Whose face you'll never see no more
It's neither for your silver I weep And neither for your store
But it's all for the sake of my sweet little babe Whose face I'll never see no more
And a curse, a curse to the sailor, she cried A curse, a curse, she swore
You've robbed me of my house carpenter Whose face I'll never see no more
They had not been on the ship three weeks I'm sure it was not four
Till they sprung a leak in the bottom of the ship And it sunk far to rise no more