As sung by Bert Lloyd at Dingle's Folk Club 4-4-1973.

Down by the North Sea shore, a while before now,
While seekin' me fortune and ramblin' around,
I spied a young mermaid, very pretty as I recall,
And I asked this sweet creature where I might find oil.

"Oh I know a little oil well not very far from here,
And I've been watchin' over it with the tenderest care,
And no-one's been near it since I was a child,
And I think you'd find profit to bore there a while."

So I set up me rig and I made a fine stand,
And this sweet little creature gave me a helping hand,
Saying "Daddy, oh Daddy, it makes me blood boil,
When you set up your auger to go boring for oil."

Oh I kissed this little creature ten thousand times o'er,
As we toiled there together all on the sea shore,
With a pillow under her fish-tail, for fear it should soil,
I spat on me auger and went borin for oil.

Hadn't been borin' three minutes or four.
At a few inches depth, boys, the gusher did pour,
And she wriggled and giggled and looked up and smiled,
Said "Bear down on that auger, for I think you've struck oil."

It's about a few days after, a thought come in me head,
For the end of that auger was rusty and red,
And I took it to the doctor, and he says with a smile,
"I think you struck shale there while boring for oil."