"Well met, well met, my old true love"
"Well met, well met," cried he
"And I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee"

Come in, come in, my own true love
And have a seat with me
For it's been three quarters of a long, long year
Since together we have been

I'll not come in and I'll not sit down
I haven't but a moment's time
But I hear you are married to a house carpenter
And your love will never be mine

And I could have married with a king's daughter there
So free she was with me
But I forsook all the crowns and gold
And it's all for the love of thee

Well, if you could've married with a king's daughter there
I'm sure you are to blame
And I have married with a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man

Well, will you forsake your house carpenter
And come away with me?
I'll take you down where the grass grows green
Down, down by the sweet Dundee
Then she picked up her tiny wee babe
And kisses, gave it three
Saying "Stay right here, my own little dear
And keep your father company"

Now they hadn't been on ship but about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When she had spied his cloven foot
And began to weep most bitterly

And are you weeping for your house and land
Or are you weepin' for your store?
Or are you weepin' for the house carpenter
Whose face you'll never see no more?

I am not weepin' for my house and land
And I'm not weepin' for my store
And it's I, I'm weepin' for my sole sole dear
Whose purity I'll never see no more

Now they hadn't been on ship but about three weeks
I'm sure it was not more
When he stubbed his foot and down she sank
And sank to rise no more

"Well met, well met, my old true love"
"Well met, well met," cried he
"And I've just returned to the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee"