Once You Were My Lover

Tri Martolod so young tra la la, la la la la
Tri Martolod so young they sailed away to sea
Tri Martolod so young tra la la, la la la la
Tri Martolod so young they set sail from Brittany.

A storm began as they set sail
The waves swelled high around them
The winds were strong
The journey long
They landed in Newfoundland.

They anchored down beside a mill
And met a girl who worked there
She said to one “ I know you well
For once you were my lover.

A ring you bought in Nantes for me
And promised we would marry
I waited for a year or more
Why so long did you tarry?”

‘I was, they said, too poor to wed
And could no longer see you
One day, three martolod, we fled
The storm it blew us to you”.

“Your destiny is here with me
Our love will always feed us
We'll live like birds so wild and free
Wherever life may lead us!”