Cecilia Mary Caddell: Collected Lyrics
11 / 11
Public-domain lyrics

The Little Mariners' Hymn to the Blessed Virgin

Cecilia Mary Caddell

“The Little Mariners' Hymn to the Blessed Virgin” as printed in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853).

Cecilia Mary Caddell: Collected Lyrics Text 11 1853 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from A First Series of Hymns and Songs, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

A little boat with snow-white sail

Is floating on the summer sea;

Oh, lightly moves it with the gale,

And all its crew are children three.

Kind Heaven, grant no harm betide

Their fragile bark when night falls dim;

And hark, the breeze bears far and wide

The little fishers' evening hymn.

Verse 2

"Poor fishermen, too weak are we

To stem the rolling ocean's wave;

And, Mary, we have turn'd to thee,

A mother's gentle help to crave.

Hail, Mary! star of ocean, hail!

Oh, hear the hymn we sing to thee,

The while we trim our shifting sail,

And shape our course across the sea.

Verse 3

Oh, deign our feeble toil to bless,

And keep old Ocean calm the while;

Oh, grant us, Mary, good success,

And make our home with plenty smile.

Hail, &c.

Verse 4

Sweet Mother, light our outward track,

Poor helpless little fishers three,

And bring our boat in safety back,

Across the wide and pathless sea.

Hail, &c.

Credits

Written by Cecilia Mary Caddell

Words by Cecilia Mary Caddell. Historical text published in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853), “The Little Mariners' Hymn to the Blessed Virgin”

Every text in this 1853 collection is by Henry Formby (1816-1884), who died more than 140 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
Keep tracing

More from Cecilia Mary Caddell: Collected Lyrics.

01A Child's Hymn to the Blessed VirginPublic-domain lyrics02Divine ProvidencePublic-domain lyrics03Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the B. V. MaryPublic-domain lyrics04Hymn to Jesus in the Blessed SacramentPublic-domain lyrics