Leagues, leagues over the sea I sail
Couched on a wallowing dolphin's tail.

The sky is on fire, the waves a-sheen,
I dabble my foot in the billows green.

In a sea-weed hat on the rocks I sit,
where tern and sea-mew glide and beat,
and where dark shadows the cormorants meet.

In caverns cool when the tide's a wash,
I sound my conch to the watery splash.

From out their grottos at evenings beam,
the mermaids swim with locks agleam.

They bring me coral and amber clear.
But when the stars in heaven appear,

their music ceases, they glide away.
They swim for their grottos across the bay.

Then listen only to my shrill tune,
the surfy tide, and the wondering moon.