Joan Baez — Silkie lyrics

Lyrics

An earthly nurse sits and sings
And aye she sings a lily wean
And the little ken eye my bairn’s father
Far less the land that he dwells in
For he came one night to her bed’s foot
And a grumbly guest I’m sure was he
Saying, «Here am I, 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 from land
My home it is in sule skerrie
And he has ta’en 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 shall come to pass on a summer’s day
When the sun shine’s bright on every stane
I’ll come and fetch my little young son
And I’ll teach him how to swim the faem
And ye shall marry a gunner good
And a right fine gunner I’m sure he’ll be
And the very first shot that ever he shoots
Will kill both my young son and me