And it's home, boys, home;
home I'd like to be
Home for a while in me own country
Where the oak and the ash
and the bonnie rowan tree
Are all a-growing greener
in the North Country
Oh well, who wouldn't be a sailor lad
a-sailing on the main
To gain the good will of his captain's good name
He came ashore one evening for to be
And that was the beginning of the whole calamity
I asked her for a candle for to light me up to bed
And likewise for a hankerchief
to tie around my head
She tended to my needs like
a young maid ought to do
So then I says to her, Won't you nestle with me too
She jumped into bed, making no alarm
Thinking a young sailor lad could do to her no harm
And I hugged her and I kissed her
the whole night long
Till she wished the short night
had been seven years long
Early next morning the sailor lad arose
And into Mary's apron threw a handful of gold
Saying, Take this, my dear,
for the mischief that I've done
For tonight I fear I've left you
with a daughter or a son
Well, if it be a girl child,
send her out to nurse
With gold in her pocket and
with silver in her purse
And if it be a boy child,
he'll wear the jacket blue
And go climbing up the rigging
like his daddy used to do
Come all of you fair maidens,
a warning take by me
And never let a sailor lad
an inch above your knee
For I trusted one and he beguiled me
He left me with a pair of twins
to dangle on my knee
