Deep asleep, deep asleep,

Deep asleep it lies,

still lake of Semmerwater

Under the still sky.

And many a fathom, many a fathom,

Many a fathom below

In a king's tower and a queen's bower

The fishes come and go.

Once there stood by Semmerwater

A mickle town and tall;

King's tower and queen's bower.

And wakeman on the wall.

Came a beggar halt and sore,

faint for lack of bread"

King's tower and queen's bower,

Cast him forth unfed.

He knocked at the door of the herdman 's cot,

The herdman's cot in the dale.

They gave him of their oatcake,

They gave him of their ale.

He has cursed that city proud,

He has cursed it in its pride;

He has cursed it into Semmerwater, 

Down the brant hillside.

He has cursed it into Semmerwater,

There to bide.

King's tower and queen's bower,

And a mickle town and tall;

By glimmer of scale and gleam of fin,

Folk have seen them all.

King's tower and queen's bower,

And weed and reed in the gloom;

And a lost city in Semmerwater,

Deep asleep till Doom.