Silkie
 

An earthly norris sits and sings
And aye she sings ba lilly wean
Little ken I my bairn's father
Far less the land where he sleeps in

Then up stepped he to her bedside
And a grumly guest I'm sure is he
Saying here I am thy bairn's father
Although I be not comely

I am a man upon the land
I am a silkie in the sea
And when I'm far and far frae land
My home it is in the Skule Skerry

It wasna' well quoth the maiden fair
It wasna' well indeed quoth she
That the Great Silkie of Skule Skerry
Should have come and brought a bairn to me

Then he obtained a purse of gold
And he had placed it on her knee
Saying give to me my little young son
And take thee off thy nursing fee

And, it shall come to pass on a summer's day
When the sun shines hot on every stone
That i'll come to fetch my little young son
And teach him for to swim the foam

And you shall marry a gunner good
And a right fine gunner I'm sure you'll be
And the very first shot that ere he shoots
Will kill both my young son and me

Alas, alas the maiden cried
This weary fate's been laid for thee
And then she said and then she cried
I'll bury me in the Skule Skerry