“Sir Patrick Spens” is a traditional Scottish ballad preserved for generations via oral tradition. Finally set down in writing in 1765, the poem has no true author and composer; academics can only guess at when—and by whom—the poem was written. 

Sung in taverns and by firesides by generations of Scottish singers, “Sir Patrick Spens” has taken on numerous forms over the years. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, and always with a variety of subtly different details, the ballad has appeared in many different ways—in fact, one collector recorded eighteen different versions of the song. This summary, however, relies on a version recorded in 1802 by Sir Walter Scott.

Stanzas 1-4: A Summons

As the ballad opens, a king sits in his stronghold at Dunfermline, drinking “blude-red wine” and pondering a problem. He needs a “skeely skippe”—a skilled skipper—to sail his new ship. A veteran knight speaks up with a suggestion: Sir Patrick Spens, the knight says, is the “best sailor” who ever sailed a ship, so the king should seek him out. Taking the knight’s suggestion, the king writes a letter, seals it, and sends it off. He instructs Sir Patrick to travel “To Noroway o’er the faem”—to Norway over the foam of the sea—and, from there, bring the king’s daughter home.

Stanzas 5-7: A Brave Reply

When Sir Patrick reads the king’s letter, his reaction is to first laugh aloud and then marvel at the tears filling his eyes. He wonders who mentioned his name to the king and bemoans the fact that he has been ordered to sail during the winter, a season notoriously dangerous for sailing. Despite his misgivings, the brave Sir Patrick acquiesces to the king’s command. “Be it wind, be it weet, be it hail, be it sleet,” he says, “Our ship must sail the faem.” In short: No matter the weather or danger, Sir Patrick and his crew will journey to Norway to retrieve the king’s daughter.

Stanzas 8-11: An Unfriendly Reception

On a cool Monday morning, Sir Patrick takes to the sea and, soon after, lands in Norway. However, the brave skipper and his crew receive a poor welcome; they are only in Norway for two weeks before the Norwegian lords begin to gossip, saying that the Scotsmen are living high at the expense of the Norwegian king and queen. Sir Patrick takes great offense at these claims, calling the lords liars and declaring that he has “brought as much white monie, / as gane my men and me.” Indignant, he reiterates that he has plenty to support himself and his crew without any help.

Stanzas 12-15: A Warning and a Storm

The Scottish skipper decides he will not stay in Norway another day and declares his intention to set sail the next morning. His crew, however, warns him: “I fear a deadly storm!” He has seen a sure sign: The new moon holds the old moon in her arms, indicating that if they sail now, they will surely “come to harm.”

The crew, it soon appears, was right. The ship sails only three leagues before the sky grows dark, the wind picks up, and the sea grows “gurly” (a Scottish term meaning rough and stormy). As they feared, this is a “deadly storm,” which their ship cannot weather.  Its top mast snaps, its anchors break, and waves threaten to overwhelm the sundered ship.

Stanzas 16-20: A Battle

Sir Patrick and his crew find themselves in a fight for their lives. Sir Patrick calls for a “gude sailor” to take the helm while he himself climbs the top mast to try to spy land....