THE HANDSOME CABIN BOY - Trad

Well it's of a pretty female, as you may understand

Her mind was set upon a ramble off to some foreign land

She dressed herself in men's attire, or so it would appear

And she's hired with a sea Captain, to serve him for a year.

And the Captain's wife, she being on board, she's seen him with great joy,

To think her husband had engaged such a handsome cabin boy

And now and then she's slip him a kiss, and she would have like to toy

But it was the captain found out the secret of this Handsome Cabin Boy

His cheeks they were like roses red, and his hair lay in a curl,

The sailors often smiled and said that he looked just like a girl

But the eating of the Captain's biscuits his colour it did destroy

And the waist did swell of pretty Nell, this Handsome Cabin Boy

Twas on the Bay of Biscay, our gallant ship did plough

One night among the sailors came a fearful flurrying row

They jumped up from their hammocks and their sleep it did destroy

And they cursed the moans and groaning of this Handsome Cabin Boy.

Oh Doctor dear, Oh Doctor, this Cabin Boy did cry

My time has come, I am undone, and surely I will die

The Doctor came a-running and a-smiling at the fun

For to think a sailor lad would have a daughter or a son

And the sailors when they saw the joke they all did stand and stare

The child belonged to none of them they solemnly did swear

The Captain's wife she says to him, me dear I wish you joy

For 'twas either thee or me would betray that handsome Cabin Boy

Then each man took his tot of rum and they drank success to trade

And likewise to the cabin boy who was neither a man not a maid

And if the wars should rise again, our sailors to destroy

Here’s hoping for a jolly lot more like that handsome cabin boy