Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
Paul Clayton
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Lyrics
In Norway lands there lived a maid
"Baloo my babe" this maid began
"I know not where your father is
Or if land or sea he travels in"
It happened on a certain day
When this fair lady fell fast asleep
That in came a good grey Silkie
And set him down at her bed feet
Saying, "Awake, awake, my pretty fair maid
For oh, how soundest thou dost sleep
And I'll tell thee where thy baby's father is
He is sitting close, at thy bed feet"
"I pray, come tell to me thy name
Oh tell me where does thy dwelling be?"
"My name it is good Hein Miller
And I earn my living out of the sea"
"I am a man upon the land
I am a silkie in the sea
And when I'm far from every strand
My dwelling is in Sule Skerry"
"Alas, alas, this woeful fate
This weary fate that's been laid for me
That a man should come from the West o'Hoy
To the Norway lands, to have a bairn with me"
"My dear I'll wed thee with a ring
With a ring, my dear, I will wed with thee"
"Thou may wed thee weddin's with whom thou wilt
For I'm sure thou'll never wed none with me"
"Thou will nurse my little wee son
For seven long years upon thy knee
And at the end of seven long years
I'll come back and pay the nourish fee"
She's nursed her little wee son
For seven long years upon her knee
And at the end of seven long years
He come back with gold and white money
She says "My dear I'll wed thee with a ring
With a ring, my dear, I will wed with thee"
"Thou may wed thee weddin's with whom thou wilt
For I'm sure thou'll never wed none with me"
"But I'll put a gold chain around his neck
And a gay good gold chain it'll be
That if ever he comes to the Norway lands
Thou may have a gay good guess on him"
"And thou will get a gunner good
And a gay good gunner it will be
And he'll go out on a May morning
And shoot the son and the grey silkie"
Oh she has gotten a gunner good
And a gay good gunner it was he
And he went out on a May morning
And he shot the son and the Grey Silkie
"Alas, alas this woeful fate
This weary fate that's been laid for me"
And once or twice she sobbed and sighed
And her tender heart did break in three