A recent brief thread on Little Billee ( Three Sailors from Bristol City ) reminded me that we still had no example here of the Portugese set of the story.  Since I now have one with an English translation, here it is:

A NAU CATARINETA (Traditional; Brazilian version) Faz vint' um anos e um dia Que andamos n'ondas do mar, Botando solas de môlho, O tolina, Para de noite jantar. Botando solas de môlho, O tolina, Para de noite jantar. A sola era tão dura Que a não podemos tragar. Foi-se vendo pela sorte, O tolina, Quem se havia de matar. Logo foi cair a sorte, O tolina, No capitão general. Sobe, sobe, meu gageiro, Meu gageirinho real; Vê se vês terras d'Espanha, O tolina, Areias de Portugal Não vejo terras d'Espanha, Areias de Portugal. Vejo sete espadas nuas, O tolina, Tôdas ara te matar. Sobe, sobe, meu gageiro, Meu gageirinho real; Olha prá estrêla do norte, O tolina, Para poder nos guiar. Alvistas, meu capitão! Alvistas, meu general! Avistei terras d'Espanha, O tolina, Areias de Portugal! Também avistei três moças Sentadas num parreiral; Duas cosendo setim, O tolina, Outro calçando dedal. Tôdas três são minhas filhas, Ai, quem m'as dera abraçar! A mas bonita de tôdas, O tolina, Para contigo casar. Eu não quero sua filha Que lhe custou a criar. Quero a nau Catarineta, O tolina, Para nela navegar. Tenho meu cavalo branco, Como não há outro igual; Dar-to-ei de presente, O tolina, Para nêle passear. Eu não quero su cavalo, Que lhe custou a criar. Quero a nau Catarineta, O tolina, Para nela navegar. Tenho meu palá cio nobre, Como não há outro assim; Com suas telhas de prata, O tolina, Suas portas de marfim. Eu não quero su palá cio, Tão caro de edificar. Quero a nau Catarineta, O tolina, Para nela navegar. A nau Catarineta, amigo, É d'El-Rei de Portugal. Ou eu não serei quem sou, O tolina, Ou El-Rei te há de dar. Desce, desce, meu gageiro, Meu gageirinho real! Já viste terras d'Espanha, O tolina, Areias de Portugal!

THE SHIP CATARINETA (Translation by A.L. Lloyd) It's twenty-one years and over We sailed upon the salt sea, Until we were boiling our boots, O tolina, For we had nought else to eat. Until we were boiling our boots, O tolina, For we had nought else to eat. The leather it was so hard, lads, We couldn't eat it at all, So we cast lots for to see, O tolina, Which of the crew we should kill, And on our captain so bold, O tolina, The lot it happened to fall. Oh, climb aloft then, my topman, My little topman so royal! Do you see the land of Spain, O tolina, The sands of fair Portugal? The land of Spain I don't see, sir, Nor sands of fair Portugal, But I see six naked swords, O tolina And you're the one they would kill. Aloft again, O my topman, My little topman so bright! The northern star will appear, O tolina, And you may guide us aright. Good news, good news, O my captain! Good news, my shipmates and all! I see the coastline of Spain, O tolina, The sands of fair Portugal! Likewise I see three young maidens A-sitting under a vine. One of them puts on her thimble, tolina, Two sew their satin so fine. The three girls, they are my daughters, Three little stars of my life. The prettiest of them all, O tolina, Shall be your own wedded wife. It's not your daughter I care for, Who cost you so much to raise. I want the Catarineta, tolina, In her the world I would sail. Oh, I have a snow-white stallion. There's not another so fine; To ride where'er you've a mind. And you may have him for yours, O tolina. It's not your stallion I care for, That cost you so much to raise. I want the Catarineta, tolina, In her the world I would sail. Oh, I have a noble palace, It's like you'll never behold. For it has portals of marble, tolina, And roofs of silver and gold. It's not your palace I care for, That cost you so much to build. I want the Catarineta, tolina, To sail in around the world. The good ship Catarineta, She is the king's, as you know. Either I'm not who I am, O tolina, Or he will give her to you. Come down, Oh come down, my topman, My little topman so royal! I see the bright land of Spain, O tolina, The sands of fair Portugal!

Except in the second verse, the second two lines of each verse are repeated as a refrain.

This Brazilian version of the widespread Portugese song is taken from Folk Songs of the Americas, edited by A.L. Lloyd and Isabel Aretz de Ramón y Rivera (Novello, 1965), and was originally published in Música Popular Brasileña (O. Alvarenga; Mexico City, Fondo de Cultura Economica, 1947).

A midi of the tune goes to the  Mudcat Midi Pages;  as a temporary measure, it may be heard via the  South Riding Folk Network  site:

A Nau Catarineta (midi).

Malcolm