For the record, I have also learned Shoals of Herring as "I was cook and I'd a quarter share in", i.e. a share of the profits. I believe it was printed that way in one of my books, as well, and I believe this version is correct. Don't believe everything you read. There is at least one very popular wordbook that is riddled with mistakes. In another book, the words "She's the combination ..." have become "How we love the choo-choo on the Wabash Cannonball"!

There are even tapes and CDs where you can tell that the singer couldn't quite understand the original words. Ray Fisher's liner notes to the Night Visiting Song begin the last verse with "And when that long night was passed and over/ And when the smoke clouds began to grow ...". Now, we have Norman Kennedy singing it as well, and I am 99.9% certain that what he's singing is "And when that long night was past and over/ And when the small cocks began to crow ..."

By the way, I just looked it up. Norman's version is in the database.