Reynardine

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a scene of a mysterious encounter, opening with a narrator overhearing a conversation between a woman and someone named Reynardine. The woman is described with striking, almost idealized features – black hair, blue eyes, lips red as wine – while Reynardine is characterized as sly and bold, smiling as he gazes at her. This initial setup hints at an attraction, but also an underlying wariness from the woman. The central tension arises from Reynardine's persistent, almost predatory advance despite the woman's clear discomfort and suspicion. She directly calls him out, stating, "I fear you are some rake," and asks him to "forsake" her company. Reynardine dismisses her concerns, claiming he's not a rake but rather seeking "concealment." However, his subsequent declaration that her beauty "enticed me" and his offer to "guard you" with his gun reveal his true, possessive intent, framing his pursuit as protection while clearly being driven by desire. The most striking aspect of the craft here is the subtle, yet chilling, characterization of Reynardine. His smooth-talking evasion of the "rake" accusation, coupled with the unsettling image of his "gun" as a means of guarding her, creates a disquieting duality. The repeated phrase "sly, bold Reynardine" reinforces this, suggesting a figure who is both charmingly forward and dangerously cunning. The final lines, where he leads her "up a-the mountains" and she follows, despite her earlier apprehension, underscore his manipulative success. This narrative is effective because it captures a primal fear of being pursued by someone whose intentions are masked by charm. The lyrics don't explicitly state Reynardine's true nature, but the narrator's observation and the woman's initial reaction, combined with Reynardine's own words, build a palpable sense of unease. The ambiguity of his "castle" and the final image of him leading her away leaves the listener with a lingering sense of dread, suggesting a classic tale of deception and potential danger.