The Candlelight Fisherman is an old sea song – there's a You Tube recording of it below of Bob Roberts, master of one of the last Thames sailing barges. It's origins are discussed here .
We've made a shorter version here using the old fisherman's saying about the best wind for fishing. It makes a great little 'ticklepuff' rhyme for a windy day or a gentle rocking lullaby for night time.
How to play: rock baby to and fro in the first two lines, pop your thumb up and blow it down again with a big puff that catches baby as well.
Now my dad was a fisherman bold And he lived till he grew old, For he'd open the pane and pop out the flame, Just to see how the wind do blow.
And when the wind blows from the east,
Then the fishing is the least,
So he'd open the pane and pop out the flame,
Just to see how the wind do blow.
And when the wind blows from the west,
Then the fishing is the best,
So he'd open the pane and pop out the flame,
Just to see how the wind do blow.
Traditional, with additional verses from fishermen's saying Illustration: Aberdeen Harbour (detail) by D McLeod, © D McLeod