Author: Thomas Campbell

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    A chieftain, to the Highlands bound,
    Cries, "Boatman, do not tarry!
    And I'll give thee a silver pound,
    To row us o'er the ferry."

    "Now who be ye, would cross Lochgyle
    This dark and stormy water?"
    "O, I'm the chief of Ulva's isle,
    And this Lord Ullin's daughter.

    And fast before her father's men
    Three days we've fled together,
    For should he find us in the glen,
    My blood would stain the heather.

    His horsemen hard behind us ride;
    Should they our steps discover,
    Then who will cheer my bonny bride
    When they have slain her lover?"

    Out spoke the hardy Highland wight,
    "I'll go, my cheif, I'm ready:
    It is not for your silver bright;
    But for your winsome lady:

    And by my word! the bonny bird
    In danger shall not tarry:
    For though the waves are raging white,
    I'll row you o'er the ferry."

    By this the storm grew loud apace,
    The water, wraith was shrieking;
    And in the scowl of heaven each face
    Grew dark as they were speaking.

    But still wilder brew the wind,
    And as the night grew drearer,
    Adown the glen rode armed men,
    Their trampling sounded nearer.

    "Oh haste thee, hast!" the lady cries
    "Though tempest round us gather;
    I'll meet the raging of the skies,
    But not an angry father."

    The boat had left a stormy land,
    A stormy sea before her,
    When, oh! too strong for human hand,
    The waters gathered o'er her.

    And still they rowed amidst the roar
    Of waters fast prevailing:
    Lord Ullin reached that fatal shore,
    His wrath was changed to wailing:

    For sore dismayed, through storm and shade,
    His child he did discover:
    One lovely hand stretched out for aid,
    And one was round her lover.

    "Come back! come back!" he cried in grief,
    "Across this stormy water:
    And I'll forgive your Highland chief,
    My daughter! oh, my daughter!"

    'Twas vain: the loud waves lashed the shore,
    Return or aid preventing:
    And the waters went wild o'er his child,
    And he was left lamenting.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a dramatic narrative, steeped in themes of love, defiance, and regret. The love story between the chief of Ulva's isle and Lord Ullin's daughter is a central theme, encapsulated in their daring attempt to escape her father’s wrath. The defiance against societal norms and parental authority is depicted through the elopement of the young lovers, while the theme of regret is embodied in Lord Ullin's desperate pleas for their return and his grief upon their tragic end.

The tone of the poem is both intense and melancholic, capturing the urgency of the lovers' flight, the fear of their pursuers, and the eventual sorrow of their fate. The structure of the poem, with its regular rhyme scheme and rhythm, helps to build tension and evoke emotion. The poet uses vivid imagery and personification, like "the storm grew loud apace," and "the waters fast prevailing," to create a sense of impending doom and the relentless pursuit of nature and man. The metaphor of the storm not only adds to the urgency and danger of the situation but also symbolizes the societal and parental opposition the lovers are facing. Finally, the juxtaposition of the raging storm and the angry father underscores the tragic predicity of the lovers, caught between the fury of nature and man. The poem thus offers a poignant exploration of love, rebellion, and tragic consequences.