Come all and hear of young Tuiren
The beauty of the clan Fionn
Whose hair was dark as clearest night
With eyes that sparkled like the dawn

Heed well the words that speak of she
This maid who fell for one untrue
And for her folly faced a trial
Scarce dreamed by mortals of this earth

Young Tuiren loved a poet fair
Whose verse had swept her off her feet
She pledged her heart unto Ullan
"Your equal I shall never meet."

Maid Tuiren was kin of the king
And Ullan boldly asked her hand
Which fierce king Fionn was glad to give
Believing him an honest man

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt and sing of running free
As hound or maid, it matters not
Trust in the heart that carries thee

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt while singing to the sky
As hound or maid, it matters not
So long as to thy love you fly

Within the year the word spread far
of news that brought the clan great joy
That fair Tuiren and her Ulann
Would give birth to a baby boy

But one fierce lady of the Sidhe
Who long had known the fair Ulann
Burned wild with rage to hear her love
Had ta'en a wife of mortal stand
Garbed as a royal messenger
The Bhean sidhe called upon Tuiren
"Your husband needs you at his side
Oh lady, we must go at once."

Tuiren ran swift to help her love
But once beyond the castle's bounds
The jealous faery cast a spell
And changed her form into a hound
Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt and sing of running free
As hound or maid, it matters not
Trust in the heart that carries thee

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt while singing to the sky
As hound or maid, it matters not
So long as to thy love you fly

The faery led her, great with child,
a rope placed round her dark, furred head
To the home of Fergus Fionnlath
Who beat all hounds and wished them dead

Yet Tuiren met his gaze and showed
The depths of pain she held within
And Fergus, moved by this display
Swore ne'er to strike a hound again

In time Tuiren gave birth to twins
The young boys born as puppies wild
At Fergus' side they ran the woods
As loved as any human child

And Tuiren true to her kind heart
Brought joy to Fergus hence unknown
He could not bear from her to part
And loved her as one of his own

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt and sing of running free
As hound or maid, it matters not
Trust in the heart that carries thee

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt while singing to the sky
As hound or maid, it matters not
So long as to thy love you fly

Yet Ulann learned of the faery’s trick
And begged her, "I must have my wife!"
"You'll want her not, oh foolish man,
Unless a hound you'll wed for life."

"Oh change her back, my lover fair.
Or else the king my life will take"
The faery smiled, "Of course my love,
But first a promise you must make."

"All those I've changed within my power
Shall have the body of their birth
But only if you swear that I
Am your sole lover on this earth."
Ulann who wished to save his skin
Agreed with with haste to the faery's plan
The faery smiled, "It is done."
And the poet returned to his clan.

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt and sing of running free
As hound or maid, it matters not
Trust in the heart that carries thee

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt while singing to the sky
As hound or maid, it matters not
So long as to thy love you fly

Ulann returned to find Tuiren
Human arms circled round her sons
Who stayed as hounds, as they were born,
The faery yet had won

She raised her head to see Ulann
The eyes once kind now full of hate
"Begone from me, you wicked fool
I still bear hunter in my frame."

Ulann fled back to faery land
He saw the beast within the maid
Then Tuiren turned to Fergus gaze
Her eyes now soft but unafraid

"I cannot stay here Fergus, love
I live as neither girl nor hound.”
And so she left sons at her side
To hunt the love of freedom found

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt and sing of running free
As hound or maid, it matters not
Trust in the heart that carries thee

Chase thy dreams on nimble feet
Give hunt while singing to the sky
As hound or maid, it matters not
So long as to thy love you fly