Cat. #0107 (MFH #682) - As sung by Mrs. Lucy Quigley, Eureka Springs, Arkansas on June 3, 1958
VERSE 1
As I walked down by th river side
Where the water there so gently glide
I hear'd a fair young lady mourn
Saying, what shall I do
My true loves gone
VERSE 2
She built herself a little boat
And on the ocean, she did float
An' ever ship that she'd draw nigh
Whe'd inquire for her
Sweet Willie boy
VERSE 3
She hadd not sailed upon th deep
Till another boat she chanced to meet
Captain, captain, tell me true
Does my sweet Willie
Sail with you?
VERSE 4
O, no kind miss, he isn't here
He sleeps in yonder deep, I fear
On yon greens isles as we passed by
We chanced to lose
One sailor boy
VERSE 5
She wrang her hands and tore her hair
Just like a lady in despair
These words she stormed as th boat sailed on
If I don't get Willie
I won't have none
VERSE 6
Upon her knees, she wrote this song
She wrote it neat, she wrote it long
At the end of every line, she'd shed a tear
At the end of every verse
Cry, Willie my dear
VERSE 7
Go dig my grave and dig it deep
Upon it place some roses sweet
Upon my breast place th bird of blue
To test to th world
My love was true