Digital Tradition Mirror

Greenland Bound

Greenland Bound

1.  Once more for Greenland we are bound
    To leave you all behind
    Our blubber hooks are keen, and our ship is painted green
    And we sail before the icy wind.

2.  We left our sweethearts and our wives
    They were weeping on the shore
    "Fear not, my dear, I soon will return,
    For it's only half a year."

3.  With tarry dress, well, we reached Stromness
    And we all went on shore
    What with whalers being scarce and the water even less
    Well, we had to take on more.

4.  Well, when we came to the northern ice
    We crowded on full sail
    Each boat was manned by a keen and lively band
    All for to hunt the whale.

5.  Now dark and dreary grows the night
    See the stars begin to dawn
    With the chasing of the whale and the trying of the oil
    Well, it seems we will not return.

6.  Our six months being done, well we tied up again
    And we all went on shore
    What with plenty of brass and a bonny bonny lass
    Well, we made those taverns roar!

7.  To Greenland's frost we'll drink a toast
    And to them we love so dear
    And across the raging main to the whaling grounds again
    We'll take a trip next year.

Note: from A.L. Lloyd. An inferior variant in Ord, Bothy Ballads JB
JB

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!

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