Thomas The Rhymer (37 B) Lyrics

True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank;
A ferlie he spied wi' his e'e,
And there he saw a ladye bright
Come riding down by the Eildon Tree.

Her skirt was o' the grass-green silk,
Her mantle o' the velvet fyne;
At ilka tett o' her horse's mane,
Hung fifty siller bells and nine.

True Thomas he pu'd aff his cap,
And louted low down on his knee
"Hail to thee Mary, Queen of Heaven!
For thy peer on earth could never be."

"Oh no, Oh no, Thomas" she said,
"That name does not belang to me.
I'm but the Queen o' fair Elfland,
That am hither come to visit thee".

"Harp and carp, Thomas" she said;
"Harp and carp along wi' me,
And if ye dare to kiss my lips
Sure of your bodie I will be
".

"Betide me weal, betide me woe,
That weird shall never daunten me
."
Syne he has kissed her rosy lips,
All underneath the Eildon Tree.
"Now ye maun go wi' me" she said,
"True Thomas, ye maun go wi' me,
And ye maun serve me seven years,
Thro' weal or woe as may chance to be".


She's mounted on her milk-white steed,
She's ta'en true Thomas up behind,
And aye, whene'er her bridle rang
The steed gaed swifter than the wind
.

Oh, they rade on, and farther on,
The steed gaed swifter than the wind
,
Until they reached a desert wide
And living land was left behind.

"Light down, light down now, true Thomas,
And lean your head upon my knee.
Abide ye there a little space
And I will show you ferlies three.

"Oh see ye not yon narrow road,
So thick beset wi' thorns and briers?
That is the Path of Righteousness,
Though after it but few inquires.

"And see ye not yon braid, braid road,
That lies across the lily leven?
That is the Path of Wickedness,
Though some call it the Road to Heaven.

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About

Genius Annotation

Thomas the Rhymer is one of the Child Ballads. Nothing to do with children! They are the Ballads collected by Francis James Child.
Thomas is tempted by the Queen of the Faeries to enter her land. He does not return to Earth for 7 years, despite having been in her land for what was, to him, a short time.
Time shift is a common theme in the Supernatural Ballads.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

  1. 32.
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  2. 33.
    Kempy Kay (Child 33) (Missing Lyrics)
  3. 38.
    The Wee Wee Man (Child 38) (Missing Lyrics)
  4. 40.
    The Queen of Elfan’s Nourice (Child 40) (Missing Lyrics)
  5. 41.
    Hind Etin (Child 41) (Missing Lyrics)
  6. 42.
    Clerk Colvill (Child 42) (Missing Lyrics)
  7. 43.
    The Broomfield Hill (Child 43) (Missing Lyrics)
  8. 44.
    The Two Magicians (Child 44) (Missing Lyrics)
  9. 45.
    King John and the Bishop (Child 45) (Missing Lyrics)
  10. 46.
    Captain Wedderburn’s Courtship (Child 46) (Missing Lyrics)
  11. 47.
    Proud Lady Margaret (Child 47) (Missing Lyrics)
  12. 48.
    Young Andrew (Child 48) (Missing Lyrics)
  13. 49.
    The Twa Brothers (Child 49) (Missing Lyrics)
  14. 50.
    The Bonny Hind (Child 50) (Missing Lyrics)
  15. 73.
    Lord Thomas and Fair Annet (Child 73) (Missing Lyrics)
  16. 163.
    The Battle of Harlaw (Child 163) (Missing Lyrics)
  17. 181.
    The Bonnie Earl o’ Moray (Child 181) (Missing Lyrics)
  18. 183.
    Willie Macintosh (Child 183) (Missing Lyrics)
  19. 240.
    The Rantin Laddie (Child 240) (Missing Lyrics)
  20. Thomas The Rhymer (37 B)
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