The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
Seductive Secrets of Sule Skerry's Silkie Ballad
Lyrics
There sits a maid on Norway's strand
Describes a maiden sitting on the shore of Norway.
Hush bye-lou-lay," this maid began
The maid begins to sing a lullaby, "Hush bye-lou-lay."
Saying, "Little ken I my bairn's father
Expresses the maid's ignorance about her child's father and his whereabouts.
Far less the land that he dwells in"
She knows little about the father and even less about the land he comes from.
For he came one night to her bed fit
The father visited her bed, suggesting an intimate encounter.
And a grumbly guest I'm sure was he
Describes the father as a mysterious and possibly unwelcome guest.
Saying, "Here am I, thy bairn's father
The father claims his identity and acknowledges the lack of physical attractiveness.
Although I be not comely
He asserts his fatherhood despite his unattractive appearance.
I am a man upon dry land
The father claims to be both a man on land and a silkie in the sea, suggesting a dual nature.
I am a silkie in the sea
Identifies himself as a mythical creature, a silkie, when in the sea.
And when I'm far from every strand
Expresses that his dwelling is Sool Skerry, a specific location in the sea.
My dwelling is Sool Skerry"
Describes the father's home when he is away from any shore.
And he has taken a chain of gold
The father gives the maid a chain of gold as a token or promise.
And he has placed it on her knee
He places the chain on her knee, emphasizing the exchange.
Saying, "Give to me my little young son
The father asks for his son, offering compensation (nursing fee) in return.
And take thee up thy nursing fee
He urges her to take her reward while giving up their child.
And you will marry a gunner good
The father advises the maid to marry a skilled gunner.
And a right fine gunner I'm sure he'll be
He predicts the gunner will be excellent and implies a tragic outcome.
And the very first shot that e'er he shoots
The gunner's first shot is foretold to harm both the son and the maid.
Will slay both my young son and me"
Empty line, no specific meaning.
And she has married a gunner good
The maid follows the advice, marrying a skilled gunner.
And a right good gunner was he
The gunner proves to be proficient in his craft.
And he went out on a May morning
On a May morning, the gunner goes out, setting the stage for the tragic event.
And he shot the son and the great silkie
The gunner fulfills the prophecy by shooting both the son and the great silkie.
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