The Undaunted Female
Come all you true lovers and a story I’ll unfold,
Of an undaunted female and a gallant soldier bold,
Young Mary was a damsel fair so virtuous and so kind,
And young William was as gallant a man every crossed the Line.
Long time these couple courted, but her father did not know,
Till the late wars in India nearly proved her overthrow,
He enlisted as a soldier brave, but yet she did not know,
That her William he was going to face the daring foe.
Young William then one morning he unto her did say,
I’m going with General Napier to cross the raging sea,
It’s for old England’s glory and the girl I do adore,
I’ll face the proud wild Indians on the Sutlej of Lahore.
Pretty Mary fell a weeping, and the tears fell from her eyes,
He clasped her to his bosom to hide her sobs and cries,
A watch and ring he gave to her, saying, adieu my only store,
So take them as a pledge my love until I return on shore,
Oh then she tore her lovely hair, and fell in deep despair,
Saying, William, dearest William, pray do not leave me here,
For I will go along with you where the Indias cannons roar,
And I’ll leave my father’s mansion for the lad that I adore.
Said William, Dearest Mary, why you can not lend a hand,
With your tender feet, my dear, on the battlefield can’t stand,
Besides body tender body the savage sword might scar,
So don’t face the proud wild Indians on the Sutlej or Lahore.
She said, I’m not afraid, there’s none shall persuade,
I’ll face the proud wild Indians, and be an enchanted maid,
I’ll leave my father’s dwelling, and I’ll cross the seas right o’er
And I’ll fight beside my true love at the Sutlej or Lahore.
As a soldier then she walked with her lover it is said,
By her William she did stand and fight in the midst of the Indian war,
And she faced the proud wild Indians on the Sutlej and Lahore.
At the storming of their garrison we put them in surprise;
While our cannons played upon them our bullets made them fly,
They fought them on the Sutlej till the Indians did give o’er,
Did Mary and her William in the late Indian war.
*Transcriber’s note: Dugaw’s catalogue contains multiple variants of this ballad; this is the first of the variants listed. To review other variants of this ballad, please consult the Dugaw catalogue.
BBO Roud Number: 289
Other website link: National Library of Scotland