Two different songs from "Songs oh the Hebrides" - Marjory Kennedy-Fraser The Seal-woman croon (or croom)/ An Cadal Trom Contrary to the version in which the fisherman hides the seal skin to tie the selkie to himself and convince her to marry him, here he returns her to the sea and to his fellows (seals of the race of Lochlann (MacCodrum of the Seals)
Chorus Bheir mi hiù-ra bho nail-e bho (1) Bheir mi hiù-ra bho nail-e bho ho ro Bheir mi hiù-ra bho nail-e bho An cadal trom ‘san deachaidh mi I Tha mo chlu-as ag an cras gail dhonn Anns an lonn ar-as gheal o ho Tha mo dhuan ag an gair-iéh thonn ‘Se’n cad-al trom a dhealaich sinn. II Tha mo ghru-ag ach-sa fa-da thall Air na dàimh sgeir-e gheal o hi Fàth mo ghruamain gu’n d’rinn mi chall ‘Se’n cad-al trom a dhealaich sinn. III Bidh mi mair each a’ snamh nan tonn Thar an lonn ar-as gheal o hi Ni mi àbh achd le gràdh-an donn An cad-al trom cha dhealaich sinn
English version Chorus Bheir mi hiù-ra bho nail-e bho (1) Bheir mi hiù-ra bho nail-e bho ho ro Bheir mi hiù-ra bho nail-e bho An cadal trom ‘san deachaidh mi (2) I Pillowed on the sea-wrack (3), brown am I, On the gleaming white-sheen sand Lulled by the sweet croon of the waves I lie Did slumber deep, part thee and me (4) II Far away, my own gruag-ach (5) lone On the gleaming white-friend reefs Lies that cause of all my moan Did slumber deep, part thee and me III On the morrow shall I, o'er the sound (6) O'er the gleaming white-sheen sand Swim until I reach my loved one brown Nor slumber deep, part thee and me
NOTE 1) non sense verses 2) in english "the deep sleep into which I went" 3) seaweed cast ashore in masses 4) deachaidh =Go, proceed, move, travel, walk; the sentence has an interrogative form; sunn= we, us 5) "The long-haired one" and also sea maiden from the Gaelic "gruag, gruagach" 6) sound geography: is a large sea or ocean inlet
see my blog Terre Celtiche https://terreceltiche.altervista.org/the-seal-woman-croon-an-cadal-trom/