The Great Selkie

An earthly nurse sits and sings, 
And aye, she sings by lily wean, 
Sayin "little ken I my bairn's father, 
Far less the land where he dwells in." 

For he came on night to her bed feet, 
And a [bad word] guest, I'm sure was he, 
Saying "Here am I, thy bairn's father, 
Although I be [bad word] " 

"I am a man upon the land, 
I am a selkie on the sea, 
And when I'm far, far far from land, 
My home it is in Sule Skerrie." 

And he had taken a purse of gold 
And he had placed it upon her knee, 
Saying, "Give to me my little young son, 
And take thee up thy nurse's fee." 

"And it [bad word] to pass on a summer's day, 
When the sun shines bright on every stone,  [bad word] and fetch my little young son, 
And teach him how to swim the foam." 

"I am a man upon the land, 
I am a selkie on the sea, 
And when I'm far, far far from land, 
My home it is in Sule Skerrie." 

"And ye shall marry a gunner good, 
And a right fine gunner I'm sure he'll be, 
And the very first shot that e'er he shoots 
Will kill both my young son and me."

"I am a man upon the land, 
I am a selkie on the sea, 
And when I'm far, far far from land, 
My home it is in Sule Skerrie."