A woman had a baby boy
She loved him much and he gave her joy
The wee folk came and on a whim
They took the boy away with them
Eggs and crumbs and milk and grain
Bring my baby back again
And in his place they left, instead
A changeling sleeping in his bed
The lass she saw his wizened face
"They've ta'en my baby from his place
Eggs and crumbs and milk and grain
Bring my baby back again
The changeling shrieked and howled and cried
And naught she did would make it bide
She formed a plan to try to prove
This Elfling child was not her love
Eggs and crumbs and milk and grain
Bring my baby back again
She put a cauldron on to boil
And soon the changeling ceased to roil
She broke a dozen eggs in half
And as he watched, the changeling laughed
Eggs and crumbs and milk and grain
Bring my baby back again
She put the eggs shells in the brew
He says, "Me mother, what do you do?"
"Why, can you see, my silly dove?
I've egg shells brewing on the stove."
Eggs and crumbs and milk and grain
Bring my baby back again
"In eighteen hundred years," says he,
"A brewer of shells I never did see!"
And with those words he realized
He broke the spell and he lost the prize
Eggs and crumbs and milk and grain
Bring my baby back again
And with her baby boy restored,
The lass was troubled never more