Lord Ullin's Daughter

Thomas Campbell

 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 weather?"
 "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 chief --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;
 So, 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 as wilder blew the wind,
       And as the night grew drearer,
 Adown the glen rode armèd men,
       Their trampling sounded nearer. --

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

 The boat has left a stormy land,
       A stormy sea before her, --
 When, O! too strong for human hand,
       The tempest gather'd o'er her.

 And still they row'd amidst the roar
       Of waters fast prevailing:
 Lord Ullin reach'd that fatal shore, --
       His wrath was changed to wailing.

 For, sore dismay'd through storm and shade,
       His child he did discover: --
 One lovely hand she stretch'd 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! -- O my daughter!"

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

Commentary

A fairly standard ballad - unremarkable but enjoyable. As far as I know, it has no basis in fact (the only references to Lord Ullin I could find referred to the poem), though if anyone knows any better, do write in.

A quick note on the structure - the metre is the standard ballad heptameter, unvarying throughout (which contributes to the old-fashioned feel); the rhyme scheme likewise remains constant, except for one verse where it is changed to link it to the previous one (a sort of carry over effect).

Campbell, Thomas

   b. July 27, 1777, Glasgow, Scot.
   d. June 15, 1844, Boulogne, France

Scottish poet, remembered chiefly for his sentimental and martial lyrics; he was also one of the initiators of a plan to found what became the University of London.

Campbell went to Mull, an island of the Inner Hebrides, as a tutor in 1795 and two years later settled in Edinburgh to study law. In 1799 he wrote The Pleasures of Hope, a traditional 18th-century survey in heroic couplets of human affairs. It went through four editions within a year.

He also produced several stirring patriotic war songs–“Ye Mariners of England,” “The Soldier’s Dream,” “Hohenlinden,” and, in 1801, “The Battle of the Baltic.” With others he launched a movement in 1825 to found the University of London, for students excluded from Oxford or Cambridge by religious tests or lack of funds.

– EB

The Wondering Minstrels, poem #199 · 6 September 1999

Poem selected by Martin DeMello

Fair use

Show 23 commentsHide comments

From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.

MRROTHROCK · 11 June 2001

You cannot begin to imagine the shock and I
wonderment I experienced when I found this
great poem just now. I memorized it when
just a young boy, thanks to my mother who
was extremely well-read. She knew the value
of words, and insisted that I learn every word possible. I loved the poem when she would
quote it to me, and wanted to memorize it
myself, which I did.

Over the years, I have quoted it many times.
The people always enjoyed hearing it. There
is a profound lesson in it about what unbridled anger can lead to.

My beautiful mother passed away two and one
half years ago—but the words live on.

Gratefully

Edward Eugene Baskett

Vasudevan Srinivasan · 9 October 2001

Hello ! This is an unusual way to add a comment to a poem. This was one of my father’s favorite poems, which he used to read to us out of a book called “Story Poems”. It still brings tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat when I read it. I lived in Scotland for a few years and can imagine the scene as it may have been. I now have two grown up daughters and I wonder how they feel about me ! Thank you for a beautiful presentation !

Contact me if there are any questions.

Vasudevan (Vasu) Srinivasan
Project Manager ~ IBM Global Services
Mobile:Office:Home:

Charles Anderson · 7 February 2002

According to an article in “The Foster Hall Bulletin (number 11, February
1935) this poem is the one chosen by the 15-year old Stephen Collins Foster for a school recitation. Foster participated in the “exhibition” of Athens Academy students in the Presbyterian church in Tioga, Pennsylvania on April 2, 1841, giving a dramatic recitation of this ballad, and a performance of a waltz he composed for four flutes, “The Tioga Waltz”. The article was written by Jessie Welles Murray, whose relative, Frances Welles Stuart, attended the Athens Academy with Stephen Foster.

Charles Anderson
Fox Chapel High School

DPunjwaria · 14 December 2002

this poem always stayed in my mind since school way back in india, and tears flow as i go through it, its portrays love and how mighty it is and how weak anger is, a great poem

devinder punjwariatoronto

Paul Williams · 21 April 2003

Ulva is a small island off the island of Mull and the “Lochgyle” in the poem is Loch na Keal. On the nearby island of Tiree there is a mound said to be the burial mound of Lord Ullin’s daughter, although a site on Mull, close to Ulva ferry also claims the honour.

The ferry crossing to Ulva takes less than a minute, in very sheltered water, and even in very bad weather would be unlikely to have waves “raging white”. The crossing referred to in the poem would probably have been from the south side of Loch na Keal.

I don’t know who Lord Ullin was, or whether the story has any basis in fact. Campbell probably picked up the story while he was on Mull.

Paul Williams

Paul Williams
Duror
Appin
Argyll PA38 4DA

audrey CASSIDY · 24 April 2003

According to an article in “The Foster Hall Bulletin (number 11, February
1935) this poem is the one chosen by the 15-year old Stephen Collins Foster for a school recitation. Foster participated in the “exhibition” of Athens Academy students in the Presbyterian church in Tioga, Pennsylvania on April 2, 1841, giving a dramatic recitation of this ballad, and a performance of a waltz he composed for four flutes, “The Tioga Waltz”. The article was written by Jessie Welles Murray, whose relative, Frances Welles Stuart, attended the Athens Academy with Stephen Foster.

Charles Anderson
Fox Chapel High School

Raju Tonse (NIH/NICHD) · 3 July 2003

Hi,
I wanted to print out Campbell’s famous poem, Lord Ullin’s Daughter for a Kannada Poetry Recital next week in DC, and came across the website. As it is for so many others, this poem remains one of my favorites too. But, it is not the original that I first fell in love with, but its Kannada translation (into a South Indian language).

The poem was translated by one Prof. B. M. Shrreekanthaiah, the first professor of English AND Kannada in the newly established University of Mysore in 1920s. The poem appeared in Kannada in 1926 in a collection of his. The poem’s title was “Kaari Heggadeya Magalu” (The daughter of Heggade of Kaari). The collection of was translations of English Poems” English Geethegalu”–the first of such an undertakings by a Kannada poet.

I had read Kaari Heggedeya Magalu, in school without appreciating that it was a translation as did most of my friends. It is one of the best possible translations I have ever read from any language to any language. It is highly lyrical with a galloping rhythm: I was able to recite the entire poem by-heart (Can do it even now, after 40 years).

Although we were taught that it was a translation, I never believed that it was not the original; but when I read the Campbell’s original I was moved just as much as I did with the translation.

I know that no one who does not know Kannada (or who has not read the translation) will agree with me (particularly is you loved the English original): But, it is not my Kannada pride that makes me say this. The Kannada version is just as good as does the English original.

Thank you for posting it.

Tonse Raju, M.D., D.C.H.
Medical Officer
Pregnancy & Perinatology Branch
Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine, NICHD/NIH

Dick · 10 December 2003

I learned this poem in 1948. The second verse reads as follows. “Now, who be ye to cross Lochgyle,
This dark and stormy water?”
“I am the chief of Ulva’s isle,
And this,Lord Ullins daughter.

I visited Ulva about 2 years ago and saw the old Chief and his wife. He died shortly afterwards There is an old Thomas Telford Church on the Island a tranquil magical place. Dick Scott

Manisha · 16 December 2003

Hi! This is one of the most memorable poem, I have ever come across.I had remembered it since I was in school & has an everlasting impression on me.I can feel the emotions & the pain.Hats Up to Charles! for such a wonderful gift.

Cheers!
Shama Singh

ganeshnp · 31 January 2004

Last day I was telling my 11 year daughter about some of the memorable poems during my college days,especailly about Lord ullins daughter.Since I forgot few lines I thought of seraching in the net, and was happy to recall
those lines , back to my class room 30 years ago.

It is really a message for any daughter and father in the universe !!

Thanks for rekindling my thoughts of a great ballad .

Ganesh
Mumbai-India

Gregory Mirskiy · 30 July 2004

I learned this wonderful poem by heart when studying English in my early childhood and it is still with me although almost half a century elapsed.

Gregory

Deanna Griswold · 15 January 2005

I didn’t see any one mention hearing this poem as a song. so I am not sure if there was ever any music written for it. when I was a yooung child (age 63 today) my mother used to sing Lord Ullin’s daughter to me. she had such a pretty voice and the tune was beautiful. I have sang it over the years to my own children.

I thank you for sharing it with me once again.

John Parr · 25 June 2005

Second verse, second line, last word should be ‘water’.

chuck · 13 October 2005

I as others was delighted to find this poem again, after 73 years. When I was in fifth grade our teacher Miss White had us act out this poem. The vereses always stayed in my mind, I was curious to review the complete poem. I was happy that I could see the poem again. God Bless Mr. Campbell and Miss White. for sharing this lasting memory to us.

Dr. P.C. Sarkar · 2 November 2005

A wonderful poem.. was introduced to it by my mother, way back in the 70s. The poem was in the book of collected poems for ICSE students (‘O’ level of India).. although the poem was not in the syllabus!!. The poem was a great fav of mine, even in my school days and through all these years.. strikes a responsive chord.. altho how a poem based in Scotland can fire the imagination of a schoolboy in India is beyond me..

Karen Rhodes · 6 June 2006

This poem was part of my family tradition, in a way. My mother and sister and brother and I lived around the corner from my aunt and grandmother. I would go over to my aunt and grandmother’s house on a
Saturday to help my aunt with her errands, and upon entering the house (we did not have to lock our doors in those days), I learned to cry out a paraphrase of the poem’s penultimate verse, substituting “‘Up! Up!’ He cried, aloud in grief” for the first line.

I’m finally glad to find the entire poem, and plan to put it into my poetry scrapbook.

Thanks for posting it.

Karen Rhodes
Middleburg, FL

Camille Champarnaud · 11 July 2006

This poem can be sung to the air “The charming fair Eily”, as suggested in the book “The Ancient Music of Ireland” (the Bunting collection).

Susan Dotson · 13 September 2006

I won several Eisteddfods and even a silver cup reciting this wonderful piece when I was a young girl. I remember it so well, the hushed halls, silence reigning, you could have heard a pin drop, everyone in those packed halls hanging on my every word. Oh how this poem gave me such license to pour out the drama and passion that lay on my heart even at that innocent, early time in my life. Other contestants that had recited against me, used to cry to their mothers when they saw me walk in and they saw from the program which piece from my repertoire I was going to offer to the crowd that night. I know they all wished they had found the piece to use before me, but my drama teacher found me this precious jewel and Lord Ullin’s Daughter became known as Susan’s winning masterpiece! What a thrill to find it again after all these years, sadly my dramatic and passion filled heart didn’t lead me to the great fame that I thought I was destined for, but long ago each time I poured out these words from my very soul, this poem gave me glory for a few short moments and I was able to shine as at no other time in my life.

Susan M. Dotson (nee Froggatt)

Austin, TX

Abdulla Nasser & Associates · 4 February 2007

What a great poem it is. I was sitting in my office looking over the see across, it was cloudy and dark and wind was blowing and the see was choppy. And i suddenly remembered the poem I had studied in school way back in the 70’s. Though to myself I have to hunt for this poem and there I was staring at it.

Allwyn Vaz
Abu Dhabi- U.A.E.
from Goa - India

DUNBABIN Don · 29 March 2007

I have a picture of this poem on my wall - folded behind it is the text of the poem.
It belonged to my relatives on Muill many years ago. Regards, Don.

Dr Patrick Rudden · 6 March 2008

Like others, I was delighted and moved to find this poem at last. I had almost given up the search. It brought me back to a time when my grandmother recited it to me as a small child. I grieved every time I heard it. I’m intrigued to learn that it has affected so many people across the world.

DPunjwaria · 10 March 2008

Please remove my phone number from my commemts

Thanks
Devinder Punjwaria

james · 12 April 2008

This poem is memorable from my New Zealnd 1940’s primary school days when one of my class mates, whose father was a builder ( which is pertinent to the story), was required to recite the last verse. His version was:-

“Twas vain, the loud waves lashed the shore

Return or aid preventing

The waters wild went o’er his child

And he was left cementing”

The class went into hysterics. The teacher was not amused-but it was a memorable moment!

James Douglas