The Dead Horse

They say old man your horse will die,
And they say so and they hope so.
O, poor old man your horse will die,
O, poor old horse!

2. For thirty days I've ridden him,
And they say so and they hope so.
And when he dies we'll tan his skin,
O, poor old man!

3. And if he lives, I'll ride him again,
And they say so and they hope so.
I'll ride him with a tighter rein,
O, poor old man!

4. It's up aloft the horse must go,
And they say so and they hope so.
We'll hoist him up and bury him low.
O, poor old horse!

5. And now he's gone he's buried deep,
And they say so and they hope so.
And now he's gone he's buried deep.
O, poor old horse!

The seamen on the old sailing vessels drew a month's pay before sailing. This was, as the folk proverbs of many nations have it, a dead horse to be paid for. At the end of the first sailing month, a canvas bag shaped like a horse was stuffed with straw, hoisted to the main yardarm, and given a sea burial. The ceremony and it's spoken lines varied. The song was a halliard and capstan shanty.