There was an apprentice lived in Strawberry Lane She was loved by her master and her mistress the same Until a young sailor came sailing o'er the sea And that was the start of her misery
This young maid being innocent she thought it no harm For to go into bed for to keep his back warm He hugged her and he kissed her and he called her his dear saying 'I wish, that this night had been as long as a year'
'Twas early next morning the sailor arose And into her apron he put handfuls of gold Saying 'Take this and keep it for the wrong that I've done For this night I may have left you with a daughter or a son'
'And if it be a girl child dandle her on your knee And if it be a male child call him after me And when he is a man, you can dress him up in blue He'll skip up the rigging like his daddy used to do'
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 bonny elm tree They are all a-growin' green in me own country