Herring Croon

[Verse 1]
Where do you go, little herring?
What do you see, tail-and-fin?
"Blue and green, cold and dark
Seaweed growin' high
Hills a hundred fathom deep
Where the dead men lie
Dogfish eyes and mackerels' eyes
And they hunger after me
Net or weir, I don't care
Catch me if you can"

[Verse 2]
Where do you go, little boat?
(Tar and timber, plank and sail)
"I go to green bays
Lift them under me
Cold grey combing seas
Come to bury me
Rocky jaws and stony claws
And they hunger after me
Harbors cold and deep and bold
Wish that I could see"

[Verse 3]
What do you see, fisherman?
(Poor old sailor, blood and bone)
"Mackerel skies, mares' tails
Reef and furl and steer
Poor haul and hungry days
Rotten line and gear
Snow wind and winter gales
And they hunger after me
Net or weir, I don't care
Catch you if I can"

[Verse 1]
Where do you go, little herring?
What do you see, tail-and-fin?
"Blue and green, cold and dark
Seaweed growin' high
Hills a hundred fathom deep
Where the fishermen lie
Dogfish eyes and mackerels' eyes
And oh, they hunger after me
Net or weir, I don't care
Catch me if you can"