An earthly nourish sits and sings And ay she sings by lily wean Little ken I my bairn's father Far less the land that he stops in I am a man upon the land I am a silkie in the sea And when I'm far and far from land My dwelling is in Sule Skerrie It shall come to pass on a summer's day As the sun shines hot on every stone That I shall take my little young son And teach him for to swim the foam I am a man upon the land I am a silkie in the sea And when I'm far and far from land My dwelling is in Sule Skerrie "It was not well," said the maiden fair "'Twas not well, indeed," said she That the great Silkie of Sule Skerrie Should have come and brought a bairn to me