| Song | The Handsome Cabin Boy |
| Artist | Martin Carthy |
| Album | Martin Carthy |
| Download | Image LRC TXT |
| 'Tis of a pretty female as you shall understand | |
| Her mind was set on roving into some foreign land. | |
| Attired in sailor's clothing she boldly did appear | |
| And engaged with a captain to serve him for one year. | |
| She engaged with the captain a cabin boy to be. | |
| The wind stood fine and clearly and so they put to sea. | |
| The captain's lady being on board, she seemed for to enjoy, | |
| So glad that the captain had engaged with a handsome cabin boy. | |
| Now so nimble was this pretty maid, she did her duty well, | |
| But mark what follows after, the song it soon will tell. | |
| By eating of the captain's biscuits her colour did destroy, | |
| And the waist did swell of pretty Nell, the handsome cabin boy. | |
| Now as through the Bay of Biscay our gallant ship did plough, | |
| One night among the sailors there was a pretty row. | |
| They bundled from their hammocks which did their rest destroy, | |
| They swore about the groaning of the handsome cabin boy. | |
| “Oh doctor, oh doctor,” the cabin boy did cry, | |
| The sailors swore by all and one the cabin boy would die. | |
| The doctor ran with all his might, a-smiling at the fun, | |
| To think that a sailor lad could have a daughter or a son. | |
| Now when the sailors all heard the joke, they all began to stare, | |
| The child belonged to none of them, they solemnly declared. | |
| The lady to the captain said, “My lad, I wish you joy, | |
| For it's either you or I betrayed the handsome cabin boy.” |
| ' Tis of a pretty female as you shall understand | |
| Her mind was set on roving into some foreign land. | |
| Attired in sailor' s clothing she boldly did appear | |
| And engaged with a captain to serve him for one year. | |
| She engaged with the captain a cabin boy to be. | |
| The wind stood fine and clearly and so they put to sea. | |
| The captain' s lady being on board, she seemed for to enjoy, | |
| So glad that the captain had engaged with a handsome cabin boy. | |
| Now so nimble was this pretty maid, she did her duty well, | |
| But mark what follows after, the song it soon will tell. | |
| By eating of the captain' s biscuits her colour did destroy, | |
| And the waist did swell of pretty Nell, the handsome cabin boy. | |
| Now as through the Bay of Biscay our gallant ship did plough, | |
| One night among the sailors there was a pretty row. | |
| They bundled from their hammocks which did their rest destroy, | |
| They swore about the groaning of the handsome cabin boy. | |
| " Oh doctor, oh doctor," the cabin boy did cry, | |
| The sailors swore by all and one the cabin boy would die. | |
| The doctor ran with all his might, asmiling at the fun, | |
| To think that a sailor lad could have a daughter or a son. | |
| Now when the sailors all heard the joke, they all began to stare, | |
| The child belonged to none of them, they solemnly declared. | |
| The lady to the captain said, " My lad, I wish you joy, | |
| For it' s either you or I betrayed the handsome cabin boy." |
| ' Tis of a pretty female as you shall understand | |
| Her mind was set on roving into some foreign land. | |
| Attired in sailor' s clothing she boldly did appear | |
| And engaged with a captain to serve him for one year. | |
| She engaged with the captain a cabin boy to be. | |
| The wind stood fine and clearly and so they put to sea. | |
| The captain' s lady being on board, she seemed for to enjoy, | |
| So glad that the captain had engaged with a handsome cabin boy. | |
| Now so nimble was this pretty maid, she did her duty well, | |
| But mark what follows after, the song it soon will tell. | |
| By eating of the captain' s biscuits her colour did destroy, | |
| And the waist did swell of pretty Nell, the handsome cabin boy. | |
| Now as through the Bay of Biscay our gallant ship did plough, | |
| One night among the sailors there was a pretty row. | |
| They bundled from their hammocks which did their rest destroy, | |
| They swore about the groaning of the handsome cabin boy. | |
| " Oh doctor, oh doctor," the cabin boy did cry, | |
| The sailors swore by all and one the cabin boy would die. | |
| The doctor ran with all his might, asmiling at the fun, | |
| To think that a sailor lad could have a daughter or a son. | |
| Now when the sailors all heard the joke, they all began to stare, | |
| The child belonged to none of them, they solemnly declared. | |
| The lady to the captain said, " My lad, I wish you joy, | |
| For it' s either you or I betrayed the handsome cabin boy." |