Oh, there was a little ship
And she sailed upon the sea
And the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity
And we feared she would be taken by the Spanish enemy
As she sailed upon the lowland, lowland, lowland, low
As she sailed upon the lowland sea.
Then up stepped the cabin boy
And boldly out spoke he
And he said to the captain
"What would you give to me?
If I would swim along side of the Spanish enemy
And I sink her in the lowland, lowland, lowland, low
And I sink her in the lowland sea?"
"Oh I will give you silver
And I will give you gold
And the hand of my daughter your bonnie bride to be
If you'll sneak along side of the Spanish enemy
And you'll sink her in the lowland, lowland, lowland
And you'll sink her in the lowland sea.
Then the boy he made him ready
And overboard sprang he
And he swam along side of the Spanish enemy
And with his auger shaft
In the side he bored holes three
And sank he her in the lowland, lowland, lowland
He sank her in the lowland sea.
Then the boy he turned around,
And back swam he,
And he cried out to the skipper
Of the Golden Vanity,
But the skipper did not heed,
For his promise he would need,
And he left him in the lowland, lowland, low,
He left him in the lowland sea.