Lyrics The Great Selkie - Avalon Rising

The Great Selkie

In Norway there dwelt a maid
«By'loo my baby,» she begins
Saying «Little know I my baby’s father
Or if land or see he’s living in.»
Then there arose at her bed’s foot
A grumley ghaist, I’m sure was he
Saying «Here am I, thy baby’s father
Although that I’m not comely.»
«I am a man upon the land
And I am a selkie in the sea
And when I am in my own country
My dwelling is Shule Skerry.»
Then he’s taken out a purse of gold
And he has put it upon her knee
Saying «Give to me my little wee son
And take thee up thy nurse’s fee.»
And it shall come to pass on a summer’s day
When the sun shines bright on every stone
That I shall take out my little wee son
And teach him for to swim in the foam."
«And you shall marry a gunner good
And a proud young gunner I’m sure he’ll be
And he’ll go out on a fine May morning
And kill both my young son and me.»
And lo, she did marry a gunner good
And a fine young gunner I’m sure was he
And ther very first shot that he did shoot
It killed both the son and the Great Selkie
In Norway there dwelt a maid
«By'loo my baby,» she begins
Saying «Little know I my baby’s father
Or if land or sea he’s living in.»