The Handsome Cabin Boy

歌詞

It's of a pretty female as you shall understand She had a mind for roving into a foreign land Attired in sailor's clothing she boldly did appear And engaged with the captain to serve him for a year She engaged with the captain a cabin boy to be The wind did being in favour so put out to sea The captain's lady being on board, she seemed in great joy So glad the captain had engaged the handsome cabin boy Her cheeks appeared as roses and her hair all in a curl The sailors often smiled and said, he looks just like a girl But eating of the captain's biscuit her colour did destroy And the waist did swell of pretty Nell, the pretty handsome cabin boy As through the Bay of Biscay the gallant ship did plough One night among the sailors there was a awful row They bundled from their hammocks it did their rest destroy And they laughed about the groaning of the handsome cabin boy "Oh doctor, oh doctor," the cabin boy did cry The sailors swore by all that's good the cabin boy should die The doctor ran with all his might and smiling at the fun But to think a sailor lad should have a daughter or a son The sailors when they heard the joke, they all began to stare The child belongs to none of us, they solemnly did swear The lady to the captain said: "My dear I wish you joy For it's either you or I betrayed the handsome cabin boy" So they all took up a bonfire and drank success to trade And likewise to the cabin boy though neither man nor maid And if the wars should rise again, the sailors to destroy We will ship some other sailors like the handsome cabin boy