113: The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry

113.1 AN eartly nourris sits and sing,

And aye she sings, Ba, lily wean!

Little ken I my bairnis father,

Far less the land that he staps in. 113.2 Then ane arose at her bed-fit,

An a grumly guest I’m sure was he: ‘Here am I, thy bairnis father,

Although that I be not comelie. 113.3 ‘I am a man, upo the lan,

An I am a silkie in the sea;

And when I’m far and far frae lan,

My dwelling is in Sule Skerrie.’ 113.4 ‘It was na weel,’ quo the maiden fair, ‘It was na weel, indeed,’ quo she, ‘That the Great Silkie of Sule Skerrie

Suld hae come and aught a bairn to me.’ 113.5 Now he has taen a purse of goud,

And he has pat it upo her knee,

Sayin, Gie to me my little young son,

An tak thee up thy nourris-fee. 113.6 An it sall come to pass on a simmer’s day,

When the sin shines het on evera stane,

That I will tak my little young son,

An teach him for to swim the faem. 113.7 An thu sall marry a proud gunner,

An a proud gunner I’m sure he’ll be,

An the very first schot that ere he schoots,

He’ll schoot baith my young son and me.