It's (D)of a pretty female as (C)you may (G)under(D)stand,
Her mind being bent for ramb(C)ling in(G)to some (C)foreign
(D)land.
She dressed herself in sailor's (C)clothes or (G)so it (C)does ap(D)pear,
And she hired with a captain to (C)serve
him (G)for a (D)year.
The (D)captain's wife she being on board, she (C)seemed in (G)great (D)joy
To think her husband had en(C)gaged
such a (G)handsome (C)cabin (D)boy.
And now and then she slipped him a (C)kiss, and she (G)would have (C)liked to (D)toy,
But
it was the captain found out the secret of the (C)handsome (G)cabin (D)boy.
Her (D)cheeks they were like roses and her (C)hair all (G)in a (D)curl,
The sailors often smiled and (C)said,
he (G)looks just (C)like a (D)girl.
But eating of the captain's (C)biscuit her (G)color (C)did des(D)troy
And the waist
did swell of pretty Nell, the (C)handsome (G)cabin (D)boy.
It (D)was in the Bay of Biscay our (C)gallant (G)ship did (D)plough.
One night among the (C)sailors was a (G)fearful
(C)flurryin' (D)row.
They tumbled from their hammocks (C)for their (G)sleep it (C)did (D)destroy
And they swore about
the groaning of the (C)handsome (G)cabin (D)boy.
“Oh (D)doctor dear, oh doctor,” the (C)cabin (G)boy did (D)cry,
“Me time has come, I am un(C)done
and (G)I shall (C)surely (D)die.”
The doctor came a-running (C)and (G)smiling (C)at the (D)fun,
To think a sailor
lad should have a (C)daughter (G)or a (D)son.
The (D)sailors when they saw the joke, they (C)all did (G)stand and (D)stare.
The child belong to none of (C)them,
they (G)solemn(C)ly did (D)swear.
And the captain's wife she says to (C)him, “My (G)dear I (C)wish you (D)joy,
For
it's either you or I betrayed the (C)handsome (G)cabin (D)boy.”
So (D)each man took his drop of rum and he (C)drunk suc(G)cess to (D)trade,
And likewise to the cabin (C)boy who
was (G)neither (C)man nor (D)maid.
It's hoping the wars don't rise a(C)gain, us (G)sailors (C)to de(D)stroy,
And here's
hoping for a jolly lot more like the (C)handsome (G)cabin (D)boy.
