The Nutting Girl

Emily Portman, Tyneside: On Autumn Harvest ah011: Old Songs & Bothy Ballads 8: The Little Ball of Yarn Live from the Fife Traditional Singing Festival May 2011.

This rather strange and beautiful song has often been collected in southern England and was recorded by Harry Cox in a recording made in London in 1934. The song is usually greatly treasured by traditional singers - and is also treasured by musicians and musicologists as being a fine example of a tune in 5/4 time. Roud 291; Laws O24

1: One morning in the month of June down by a riverside,
There she beheld a bold fisherman come rowing by the tide,

Come rowing by the tide,
There she beheld a bold fisherman come rowing by the tide.

2: “Morning to you bold fisherman, why come you fishing here?”
“Well I came a-fishing for your sweet sake all on this river clear,
All on this river clear,
Well I came a-fishing for your sweet sake all on this river clear.”

3: He latched his boat up to a stem and to a lady went,
Well he took her by the milk white hand, for it was his intent,
For it was his intent,
He took her by the milk white hand, for it was his intent.

4: "I'll take you to my father's hall and there make you my bride,
Then you shall have a bold fisherman to row you by the tide,
To row you by the tide,
Then you shall have a bold fisherman to row you by the tide."