John Denver — The Great Selkie of Sule Skerry

An earthly nourris sits and sings And aye she sings, Hi lilly wean And little ken I my bairn’s father Far less the land where he dwells in For he did step to her bedside And a grumly guest I’m sure ‘t was he Saying « Here am I, thy bairn’s father Although I be not commonly I am a man upon the land I am a silkie in the sea And when I’m far at far frae line My home it is in Sule Skerry And he did take a purse of gold And he did place it upon her knee Saying, give to me, my little young son And take thee up thy nouris fee And it shall come to pass on a fine summer’s day When the sun shines brightly on every stone That I shall take my little young son And teach him how to swim the foam And you shall marry a proud gunner And a right fine gunner I’m sure he’ll be And the very first shot that e’re he shoots Will kill both my young son and me