A child sat close to her mother's knee, 
A child perhaps of summers three, 
She wanted a dolly that was her prayer, 
Whose eyes would close and who had real hair, 
But the mother was poor and she shrank with fear, 
Lest the child should see the glistening tear, 
So she sweetly sang as she turned away, 
These comforting words and this tender lay. 

Chorus 1 & 2
Wait dear, wait dear, just till my ship comes in, 
Then dear sure dear dolly you're bound to win, 
Yes dear, true dear, dolly to be your own, 
With eyes of blue to smile at you, 
Just wait till my ship comes home. 

The child ran down to the ocean shore, 
And gazed at the ships as we've before, 
And wondered which one would bring her pet, 
The one near the shore or the distant yet, 
Of course her mamma expected some ships, 
For only truth could pass mamma's lips, 
And she said a dolly with eyes of blue, 
Would come on a ship and of course 'twas true. 

Chorus 1 & 2

One day a chest from a ship gone down, 
Was washed ashore and aroused the town, 
The heart of the mother grew cold with fear, 
For the chest held the clothes of a child so dear, 
And among the toys was a doll so rare, 
Whose eyes would close and who had real hair, 
Why that's my dolly for sure she's mine, 
I's spected the ship for a long time, 'Cause 

Chorus 3
My mamma said just wait till my ship comes in, 
My mamma said a dolly you're bound to win, 
My mamma said "a dolly to be my own", 
WIth eyes of blue to smile at you, 
Just wait till my ship comes home.