Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE GREAT SILKIE OF SULE SKERRIE [SKERRY], by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE GREAT SILKIE OF SULE SKERRIE [SKERRY], by                    
First Line: An earthly nourrice [nurse] sits and sings
Last Line: He'll shoot both my young son and me
Variant Title(s): The Silkie O' Sule Skerrie
Subject(s): Mermaids & Mermen;sea; Ocean


An earthly nourrice [nurse] sits and sings,
And aye she sings, "Bye, lily wean!
Little ken I my bairnis [child's] father,
Far less the land that he stops in."

Then one arose at her bed-foot,
And a grumly guest I'm sure was he:
"Here am I, thy bairnis father,
Although that I be not comelie.

"I am a man upon the land,
An' I am a silkie in the sea;
And when I'm far and far frae lan,
My dwelling is in Sule Skerrie."

"It was na weel," quoth the maiden fair,
"It was na weel, indeed," quoth she,
"That the Great Silkie of Sule Skerrie
Suld hae come and aught a bairn to me."

Now he has ta'en a purse of goud,
And he has pat it upon her knee,
Sayin, "Gie to me my little young son,
An' tak thee up thy nourrice-fee."

"It sall come to pass on a summer's day,
When the sin shines hot on every stane,
That I will tak my little young son,
An' teach him for to swim the faem.

"And thou shalt marry a proud gunner,
And a proud gunner I'm sure he'll be,
Andthe very first shot that ere he shoots,
He'll shoot both my young son and me."







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