The Lady of the Lake

Walter Scott set this long narrative poem in the Scottish Highlands, where three stories braid together around Ellen Douglas, the lady who lives beside Loch Katrine. Three men pursue her love, an exiled nobleman clashes with the disguised King James V, and clan and crown drift toward open war. Scott moves the action through hunts, feuds, and a famous fiery cross summoning the Highlanders to battle. Published in 1810, the poem was a sensation, drawing tourists to the Trossachs and shaping romantic ideas of Scotland for a generation. Its lines later inspired both a Schubert song and the tune that became a well-known anthem. This free PDF and EPUB edition presents the complete poem.