For many years, my family has sung a song about a little sailboat. It contains the following lyrics:

Chorus:
Long years ago, there was a little sailboat. (repeat three times)
So very small it could not sail away from shore.

Verse 1:
The weeks went one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and passing, (repeat three times)
And the provender, and the provender, and the provender ran out.

Chorus

Verse 2:
And if my song has not been long enough to please you, (repeat three times)
We'll begin again, we'll begin again, and we'll start it all once more.

Chorus

I'm wondering what the origin of this song is. I can't find a thing about it on the web anywhere. Anyone have any clue?