In Norway there lived a maid, bye loo my baby she begins,
Little know I my babes father, or if land or sea he's living in.

Then there arose at her bed feet, and a grumlie guest I'm sure 'twas he,
Said, here am I thy babes father, although I be not comely.

I am a man upon the land, I am a silkie in the sea,
And when I'm in my own country, my dwelling is in Sule Skerry.

He ha ta'en oot a purse o gold, and he has put it on her knee,
Said give to me my little wee son, and take thee up thy nurses fee.

It shall come to pass on a summer's day, when the sun shines hot on every stone,
That you shall take my little wee son, and teach him to swim in the foam.

And you shall marry a gunner good, and a proud good gunner I'm sure he'll be,
And he'll go out on a May morning, and kill both my young son and me.

And she did marry a gunner good, and a proud good gunner I'm sure twas he The very first shot that he did shoot he killed the son and the Great Silkie,

In Norway there lived a maid, bye loo my baby she begins,
Little know I my babes father, or if land or sea he's living in.

Song Notes: The tragedy of this ballad is not lessened by being foretold. John Sinclair of Flotta, Orkney is the sole source for this version.

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