The lovers are the Chief of Ulva’s Island and Lord Ullin’s lovely daughter. Their tribes are enemies to each other.

So Lord Ullin has been pursuing the Chief of Ulva, his daughter’s lover. They are trying to escape from Lord Ullin’s men. They have orders to catch them and kill them. That’s why, the Chief of Ulva and his beloved ask the boatman for a favour. It is to ferry them across the stormy water without any more delay. The weather is really dark and stormy and looks menacing, but they also fear for their lives. While crossing the sea in the ferry, they drown in that bad weather.