Twas early in the morn young Tam set upon the sea,
Hes ta’en jist a reel o twine an a barrel fu o beer,
His fishing nets lee’d fankled pon Tarbet shore,
He’s set sail athwart the Minch tae settle an auld score.

Chourus:
Na Fir Ghorma, Na Fir Ghorma – nae mair yu’ll plague the fishers o' the Minch,
Na Fir Ghorma, Na Fir Ghorma – come hither tae the tichtntin o' ma kinch.

He’d stan’t pon the beach bit jist twa nichts afore,
Hotchin wae fu’ han’t, he laid offerings pon the shore,
Tak these fruits an wines tae aw weys satisfee,
An be gone ya slidd'ry kelpie bak tae the skinklin sea.

Wanluck, wanhope, wanpeace, a snirle storm took hold,
An gaithered up his fishin nets an bowked them pon the shore,
So nou he’s ta’en tae the seas rourin fu’ o beer,
Cryin -wauken fae the deid mirk ya ill- trickit de’il.

(Chorus)
Well the waters swelt wae fury as spindrift blin’t his een,
Fae the belly o’ the Minch raised up a curdlin scream,
Whose felly snash does irk me an plunders precious time,
An if I’m tae spare yer life, best answer me in rhyme.

I willna play yer games cried Tam, lat be yer laithsome ruse,
Fur reekin havock pon these waters, a want you in ma noose,
Upsteered the sleekit kelpie an glower’d at young Tam,
Yer bauld I’ll gee ye that but yer ettles o’er wan.

(Chorus)
Indeed there was a micthy storm that stooshed across this sea,
But I dinny hae the powers tae mak that muckle spree,
You best see Fir Chlis- ma dancing brither in the sky,
Fur he commands the north winds that skiffle by an by.

Well wit aboot the offerings I left pon Tarbet sand,
You surpled aw ma wine then swiped wi grippie haun,
You best see ma fairy sister that bides upon dry land,
Fur matters pon the soil are unner her command.

(Chorus)
Well wit aboot ma faither who drount pon this here Minch,
He pairted fur the fishin an been absent 10 years since,
Oh aye I kent yer faither, a ramfoozled oaf wis he,
So I sent him hiltie skiltie tae dwalt aneath the sea.

An noo ye can but join him aneath the mirchy Minch,
Yer but a whinging, rhymless gowk as once yer faither wis,
So noo there's wan mair Kelpie who bides aneath the Minch,
An he bellows oer the billows an wails pon the wind.

Na Fir Ghorma
Legend has it that fallen angels were driven out of paradise in 3 devisions. The first devision settled on the land and became fairies, the second settled in the sky where they could be seen dancing (known as 'Fir Chlis' in Gaelic or better known to you and I as The Northern lights) and the third became sea kelpies - The Blue men of the Minch or in gaelic-Na Fir Ghorma. The sea kelpies are said to inhabit the Minch- a stretch of water that lies between the Outer Hebrides and the mainland. Locals believe the kelpies were responsible for creating powerful storms that sank their fishing boats . Locals would leave offerings of food and drink on the shores to appease them. If you meet a kelpie, you must outwit him with rhyming couplets and he will let you pass safely, otherwise he will take your life.
This is the story of a young fisherman called Tam whose father lost his life at sea. After a vicious storm destroys his fishing nets, Tam gets drunk and takes to the seas looking for revenge. He intends to catch the kelpies in his 'kinch'...a noose made of twine. He comes face to face with a ruthless kelpie who is rather annoyed at young Tams rude interruption. The kelpie offers him the chance to save himself by outwitting him in rhyme. But Tam refuses and has to suffer the consequences.