Captain Finn and the Archer

Ursula the Widow

Finn was an Irish captain,
A swordsman of good fame.
As a mercen'ry in Scotland
He served Lord Donalbane.

Outside King Malcolm's castle
The armies lay at siege -
Seven lords in rebellion
Against their sovereign liege.

The lords were uneasy allies
Encamped all side by side
Each band with its own sentries
On all the others spied.

As Finn walked round his sentries
In a neighb'ring camp he saw
A lass in archer's tabard,
On her back a quiver bore.

Her hair flamed like a sunset,
Her face with beauty shone.
Captain Finn stood enchanted.
He burned to make her his own.

His heart it sank within him -
In the Bruce's camp she stood
And he and Finn's lord Donalbane
Had long time been at feud.

When all about is quiet
He creeps up to their fire.
To risk his life he thinks but cheap
For having of his desire.

He steps out in the open.
But two archers sit there:
A dark-eyed lass with a merry look
And she of the sunset hair.

"Why have ye come here, Captain?
To slay an ally true?"
Straight he looked her in the eye,
Said "I have come for you."

"Will ye have me as a free archer
To follow at your command?
Or will ye have a lady fair
Encastled on your land?"

"Come and be my lady,
Or fight with me beside -
I care not so ye come with me
This night to be my bride."

"I will go with no man
Until he pass one test:
To stand and abide my arrow
Looséd at his breast"

"And if my arrow strike you,
Turn and walk away -
But if my shot you parry,
I'll be yours for alway."

Next day at noon, he met her,
His soldiers looking on -
The lord held his sword before him,
The lady's bow was drawn.

The arrow flew - the soldiers gasped -
The archer's lips were pale -
Finn parried swift, but her arrow
Clattered against his mail.

True to his word, he turns away,
To battle then lay on.
When the castle taken was,
Bruce's troop was gone.

A year and a day have passed away,
And Donalbane does guest
At Bruce's board, and Finn once more
Pursues his heart's dear quest.

In hall he finds an archer,
She of the merry eye,
She gives him news of her sister,
Who in French soil now doth lie.

Finn demands she test him -
'Gainst her arrows he stands alone.
She empties all her quiver,
But never a one strikes home.

This page maintained by Cerian Cantwr, cerian@minstrel.com.