Selkie Bairn from Letle Telt by Lainey Dempsey

He came fae the ocean and dazzled wi his beauty
ma man awa’ fishin’ he sat me oan his knee
enchanted i kissed him and then he lay doon wi me
when dawn broke the mornin, he returned tae the sea

The spell lifted fae me, I kent I wis wi baby
my husband returned and a faither he’d now be
the bairn wis sae canty, her eyes sae black, sae shiny
my Jamie jist looked at me, fer ne’er a fool wis he

we loved oor wee lassie and a’ways she wis wi me
we’d sit at the harbour and sing a melody
oot o’er the wild salt winds, the ragged rocks and islands
a calling the selkie who had lay doon wi me

my lass no yet seven, I sang her tae her slumber
I tucked her in blankets and kissed her brow gently
Arose in the mornin tae wake my precious darlin’
found gold neath her blankets but nae bonnie bairn to see

Oh cursed be ye selkie fer troubles ye have brought me
and blessed be the wee thing ye’ve stolen tae the sea
ye can keep a’ yer gold fer whit use is it tae me
if I’ve no ma bonnie bairn tae dander oan ma knee?

10 sore years passed by and we ne’er forgot oor lassie
2 more bairns we had but we aye wished it were 3
then ane nicht I heard her a keening at the harbour
and joyfu I joined her fer tae sing oor melody

By the licht o the poor man, she dazzled wi her beauty
my lass wis a’ grown bit at ance I kent it she
We sang a’ the nicht then she kissed my brow gie gently
when dawn broke the mornin she returned tae the sea

So wimmen beware o’ these other-worldly charmers
they’ll capture yer hearts and bring tears tae yer ee
And ne’er lose the sicht o the wee yins that yer raisin’
for gold brings cauld comfort when yer bairn is lost at sea

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