The Great Selkie of Sule Skerr-June Tabor

[ti:The Great Selkie of Sule Skerr] [ar:June Tabor] [al:Ashore] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]The Great Selkie of Sule Skerr - June Tabor [00:14.31]In Norway land there lived a maid [00:20.30] [00:21.84]Hush ba lu lilly she did sing [00:28.56] [00:30.14]For little Ken I my baby's father [00:36.96] [00:38.03]Nor yet the land that he dwells in [00:44.75] [00:46.73]It happened on a certain day [00:52.02] [00:53.05]As this fair maid lay fast asleep [00:58.83] [01:00.51]That day there came a grey selkie [01:05.74] [01:06.49]And sat him down at her bed feet [01:11.73] [01:14.52]Awake awake my pretty maid [01:20.33] [01:21.91]It's oh how soundly you do sleep [01:27.28] [01:29.58]For here am I your baby's father [01:35.38] [01:36.76]Sitting here at your bed feet [01:42.12] [01:44.16]I pray you tell to me your name [01:48.94] [01:50.25]And where your dwelling it may be [01:55.62] [01:57.06]My name is Good Hale Mariner [02:01.80] [02:02.85]I earn my living out at sea [02:08.66] [02:10.57]I am a man upon the land [02:15.74] [02:17.25]I am a selkie in the sea [02:22.91] [02:24.03]And when I'm far and far from land [02:29.27] [02:30.39]My home it is in Sule Skerry [02:37.40] [02:40.01]Oh woe alas this weary fate [02:44.45] [02:45.91]This weary fate that's laid on me [02:51.75] [02:52.74]That a man should come from the west of Hoy [02:57.72] [02:59.01]And father his ain child on me [03:04.63] [03:07.37]My dear I'll wed you with a ring [03:12.61] [03:13.65]With a ring my dear I'll wed with thee [03:19.55] [03:20.26]You may go to the wedding with whom you will [03:25.50] [03:26.56]I'm sure we'll never married be [03:32.78] [03:33.92]And she has nursed his little wee son [03:39.31] [03:40.94]For seven years all at her knee [03:46.79] [03:47.72]And when seven years were past and gone [03:52.86] [03:54.12]He's come with gold and white money [03:59.69] [04:01.64]And now my dear will you take the ring [04:06.33] [04:07.52]Will you take the ring and wed with me [04:12.63] [04:13.83]You may go to the wedding with whom you will [04:19.04] [04:20.49]I'm sure you'll never marry me [04:25.92] [04:27.86]I'll put a gold chain round his neck [04:32.69] [04:34.53]And a gay gold chain I'm sure it will be [04:40.05] [04:41.48]And if e'er he comes to the Norway land [04:46.27] [04:47.70]He'll know for sure that it is he [04:54.17] [04:55.50]And you will marry a gunner good [05:00.89] [05:02.38]And a gay good gunner he will be [05:07.82] [05:09.52]And he'll go out on a May morning [05:14.63] [05:15.95]And he'll shoot your son and he'll shoot me [05:23.86] [05:50.27]And the selkie took the little boy in his arms [05:53.00] [05:54.94]And they went away and over the hill and in time [05:59.90] [06:01.27]As the selkie had prophesied she did marry a gunner [06:03.82] [06:06.10]Who went out on a May morning and shot two seals [06:10.69] [06:13.49]A big bull male and a young male with a gold chain [06:20.11]Around his neck [06:20.89] [06:23.80]Oh woe alas this weary fate [06:29.70] [06:31.49]This weary fate that's laid on me [06:38.13] [06:38.82]And so she cried and so she sighed [06:45.05] [06:46.33]And her tender heart it broke in three