Oh it's of a sea captain who sailed the salt sea
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o.
"I will die, I will die," the captain did cry,
"If I can't have that maiden who walks on the shore,
If I can't have that maid on the shore."
So the sailors all got in the very long boat
And it's off for the shore they did steer-o,
Saying, "Ma'am if you please will you enter on board
To view a fine cargo of costly ware,
To view a fine cargo of ware."
Now it's with much persuasion they got her on board
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o,
And she sat herself down in the stern of the boat
And off for the ship the bold sailors did steer,
And it's off for the ship they did steer.
And when they've arrived alongside of the ship
Oh the captain he spat out his chew-o,
Saying, "First you will lie in my arms all this night
And then I'll hand you to me jolly young crew,
Then I'll hand you right back to me crew."
"Oh thank you, oh thank you," this young girl she cried,
"Oh that's just what I've been awaiting for:
For I've grown so weary of my maidenhead
As I walked all alone on the rocky old shore,
As I walked all alone on the shore."
So she sat herself down in the stern of the ship
How the moon it shone gentle and clear-o,
And she sung so neat, genteel and complete,
She sung the sailors and captain right off to sleep,
She sung sailors and captain to sleep.
And she's robbed them of silver, she's robbed them of gold,
And she's plundered their bright costly ware-o.
And the captain's bright sword she's took for an oar
And she's paddled right back to that rocky old shore,
And she's paddled right back to the shore.
"Oh were my men drunk or were my men mad
Or were they sunk deep in despair-o
That they let her away with her beauty so gay?
And now she's a maiden once more on the shore,
She's a maiden once more on the shore."
"Now your men were not drunk and your men were not mad
Nor were they sunk deep in despair-o.
But I deluded your crew and likewise yourself too,
And again I'm a maid on the rocky old shore
And again I'm a maid on the shore."