We've met, we've met, my old true love We've met, we've met, said heI've just returned from the salt, salt sea And it's all for the love of theeI could have married the king's daughter fair She would have married meBut I've forsaken her crown of gold And it's all for the love of theeCome in, come in, my old true love Come in, she said to himFor it's been three-fourths of a long, long year Since together we have beenNo, I can't come in, nor I can't sit down For I have but a moment's timeAnd they say that you're married to a house carpenter And your heart will never be mineWill you come with me, my old true love Oh, come with me, said heAnd I'll take you to where the grass grows green On the banks of Bitter ReefThen she picked up her sweet little babe And kisses she gave it threeSaying, stay at home, my darling little babe And keep your papa companyThen he jumped on a milk-white steed And her on the dappled grayThey rode till they came to the banks of the sea Three hours before the break of dayThey had not been on the ship two weeks I'm sure it was not threeUntil his true love began to weep and to mourn And she wept most bitterlyOh, is it for my silver you weep Is it for my storeOr is it for that house carpenter Whose face you'll never see no moreIt's neither for your silver I weep And neither for your storeBut it's all for the sake of my sweet little babe Whose face I'll never see no moreAnd a curse, a curse to the sailor, she cried A curse, a curse, she sworeYou've robbed me of my house carpenter Whose face I'll never see no moreThey had not been on the ship three weeks I'm sure it was not fourTill they sprung a leak in the bottom of the ship And it sunk far to rise no more