The Young Fisherwoman
The boats were all set to depart
The crews prepared nets for the journey
One last kiss from sweethearts and wives
Who were left standing there by the sea
One young wife with tears in her eyes
Who had only a short time been wed
Would with others be waiting return
Of her husband the fisherman Ned
She watched the small boat with its sail
Just a speck on the distant horizon
Then she turned a weary foot home
For she knew that the night would soon come
How empty the village would be
How lonely the fisherman's life
For this was Ned's first trip to sea
Since he'd moved to the village his wife
Some days now had passed since they'd gone
'Twas time for return to the harbor
The women and children were there
With laughter and hearts all a-stir
Then soon there were cries of delight
From the lips of the ones who were gathered
Small pointed white sails had been seen
They were welcomed and hailed as they neared
And then came a sigh of despair
For the sight of the boats they had yearned
They all knew that fifteen had left
But only fourteen had returned
Dear Grace so torn could not speak
'Twas Ned's boat that could not be found
The others tread sad to their homes
While Grace knelt there on the ground
The story was told of the winds
In the storm how the one boat was swept
How the men had been lost in the night
Then the whole village silently wept
The village still tells how for years
The young fisherwoman and bride
Had watched for a boat to come in
Each day by the lonely seaside
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consulted and errors made by the artist may have been corrected.
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Tom Gray's Bluegrass Songbook /
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