The Maid of Elvar by Allan Cunningham
April 2022
“The native legends of thy land rehearse.” Allan Cunningham (1784–1842), author of The Maid of Elvar: A Poem in Twelve Parts, an epic written in the style of traveling bards from former eras, places this quotation on the title page of his book, giving his due to a kindred spirit from a prior generation, one William Collins (1721–1759), a fellow Scottish poet and student of the old epics like himself. The epics recited by bards were an oral tradition and therefore likely to be lost to posterity. Both Collins and Cunningham studied what they could find of the disappearing genre, occasionally written down over the centuries, and tried to preserve it. But of course they were fighting an impossible battle without a time machine.
At some point Cunningham decided to write his own epic. This is the result—The Maid of Elvar tells the story of Eustace Græme, Scottish herdsman and farmer, also a poet and bard, who answers the call when Scotland is invaded by the hated English and leads the counter-charge that saves his land. He then enters a contest for bards sponsored by the princess of Elvar, who wants to hear the heroic battle described in the words of poets. He wins the contest and at the same time, of course—being a handsome lad—the heart of the princess. But then, before their love is even admitted, many further adventures ensue.
At some point Cunningham decided to write his own epic. This is the result—The Maid of Elvar tells the story of Eustace Græme, Scottish herdsman and farmer, also a poet and bard, who answers the call when Scotland is invaded by the hated English and leads the counter-charge that saves his land. He then enters a contest for bards sponsored by the princess of Elvar, who wants to hear the heroic battle described in the words of poets. He wins the contest and at the same time, of course—being a handsome lad—the heart of the princess. But then, before their love is even admitted, many further adventures ensue.