Of Ane Blak-Moir facts for kids
"Of Ane Blak-Moir" is a short poem in Scots by William Dunbar (born 1459 or 1460).
It takes the form of a hymn in praise of a beautiful lady, but is a parody of the form. The lady addressed is apparently an African woman playing a role in a tournament or chivalric pageant. It is one of the first references to someone of Sub-Saharan African origin living in Scotland. The "portrayal of the black woman creates a very unfavourable contrast between black female physiology and that of white ladies at court".
The text of the poem is preserved in the Maitland Folio Manuscript.
The Poem
"Of Ane Blak-Moir" is written in five short and simple stanzas. The tone is one of scurrilous comedy. In the first two stanzas, the poet describes his subject's unfamiliar complexion and features in impolite terms.
- Lang heff I maed of ladyes quhytt,
- Nou of an blak I will indytt,
- That landet furth of the last schippis,
- Quhou fain wald I descryve perfytt,
- My ladye with the mekle lippis.
- Quhou schou is tute mowitt lyk an aep,
- And lyk a gangarall onto gaep,
- And quhou hir schort catt nois up skippis,
- And quhou schou schynes lyk ony saep,
- My ladye with the mekle lippis.
The description is continued. A punning reference to The nycht/The Knycht desiring to be her champion is made.
- Quhen schou is claid in reche apparrall,
- Schou blinkis als brycht as an tar barrell
- Quhen schou was born the son tholit clippis,
- The nycht be fain faucht in hir querrell,
- My ladye with the mekle lippis.
The fourth stanza relates how "My ladye with the mekle lippis" is the object of other knights' attention. The man who "for her sake with spear and shield proves most mightily in the field", shall win the lady.
- Quhai for hir saek with speir and scheld
- Preiffis maest mychtellye in the feld,
- Sall kis and withe hir go in grippis,
- And fra thyne furth hir luff sall weld,
- My ladye with the mekle lippis.
The final stanza tells of the fate of those "who in the field receives shame".
