[Verse 1]
An earthly nourris sits and sings
And aye she sings, "My lilly wean
Little ken I thy bairn's father
Far less the land in where he be"

[Verse 2]
"I am a man upon the land
I am a silkie in the sea
And when I'm far and far frae land
My home it is in Sule Skerry"

[Verse 3]
"It is my will", quote the maiden fair
"It is my will indeed", quote she
"That the great silkie of Sule Skerry
Should come and ought a bairn on me"

[Verse 4]
"It shall come to pass on a summer's day
When the sunshine's hot on every stone
That I shall take my little young son
And teach him for to swim the foam

[Verse 5]
And you shall marry a proud gunner
And a proud gunner I'm sure he'll be
And the very first shot that e'er he shoot
He'll kill both my young son and me"
[Refrain]
An earthly nourris sits and sings
And aye she sings, "My lilly wean
Little ken I thy bairn’s father
Far less the land in where he be"