question_answer

  "His horsemen hard behind us ride; Should they our steps discover, Then who will cheer my bonny-bride When they have slain her lover"?     (a) Who is 'his' in line I? Who does 'us' refer to? (b) Explain 'cheer my bonny bride'. Why would the lover be slain?

Answer:

                  (a) 'His' refers to Lord Ullin and 'us' refers to Lord Ullin's daughter and her beloved. (b) 'Bonny bride' means 'attractive bride'. The Chieftain is worried that if he dies, then who will look after his beloved. (c) He would be slain because he had eloped with Lord Ullin's daughter. Lord Ullin was against their relationship and did not give permission to his daughter to marry her lover. He wanted to punish the Chieftain,