One Grumley Guest

The Gray Selchie

In the north away there lives a maid:
"Bye loo, my baby," she begins;
"Little know I my child's father
Or if land or sea he's living in."

Then there arose at her bed feet
An grumley guest, I'm sure it was he,
Saying, "Here am I, thy child's father,
Although that I am not comely."

"I am a man upon the land,
I am a selchie in the sea.
And when I am in my own country,
My dwelling is in Sule Skerrie."

And he has taken 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 hot on every stone,
That I shall take my little wee son
And teach him for to swim in the foam.

"And you will marry a hunter good
And a proud good hunter I'm sure he will be,
But he'll go out on a May morning,
And kill my little wee son and me."

And lo, she did marry a hunter good.
And a proud good hunter, I'm sure it was he,
And the very first shot that ere he did shoot
He killed the son and the gray selchie.

In the north away there lives a maid:
"Bye loo, my baby," she begins;
"Little know I my child's father,
Or if land or sea he's living in."

--Old English Ballad