Thomas the Rhymer

Red Fairy — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:02:11 +0000

Thomas Learmonth, or Thomas the Rhymer as he is more popularly known, was a 13th Century Scottish laird and reputed friend of the Faeries and prophet of Earlston, a town on the river Leader in Leaderdale (modern day Berwickshire) in Scotland.

Rhymer's Tower

He was born in 1225 in Earlston (or Ercildoune as it was then know) and it is believed that he lived in Rhymer’s Tower, now an ivy-clad ruin but still visible within the town. He was a historical figure and he is mentioned in two charters dating from 1260-80 and 1294. The latter refers to Thomas as “Thomas de Ercildounson son and heir of Thome Rymour de Ercildoun“.

The story goes that he met a beautiful, graceful woman riding a horse while wandering alone in a forest near of Melrose Abbey, Roxburghshire. Thomas mistook her as the Queen of Heaven but she told him that she was the Queen of Elfland (Queen of the Fairies). Thomas was taken by her and kissed her despite her warning that to do so would put him under her power. Immediately after the kiss the Queen turned into a hag and told him that he must accompany her to the Faerie realm and serve her for seven years.

After a long journey through the Underworld they reached the Queen’s castle where her husband waited for her. She then turned back into the beautiful Queen he had met and kissed. He served her for seven years and eventually returned to the upper world with the gift of prophecy and a tongue that couldn’t lie. His prophecies proved accurate and his gifts soon brought him fame and wealth and he was revered throughout the land.

Thomas became the subject of verse and song and his story is recorded in several forms. Here’s a fuller version of the story.

Steeleye Span, Thomas the Rhymer

See below for the lyrics.

True Thomas sat on Huntley bank,
And he beheld a lady gay;
A lady that was brisk and bold,
Come riding o’er the ferny brae.
Her skirt was of the grass green silk,
Her mantle of the velvet fine;
At every lock of her horse’s mane,
Hung fifty silver bells and nine.
True Thomas, he pulled off his cap,
And bowed him low down to his knee’
“All hail, thou mighty Queen of Heaven
Your like on earth I ne’er did see.”
“No, no Thomas,” she said,
“That name does not belong to me,
I am the queen of fair Elfland,
And I have come to visit thee.”
“You must go with me Thomas,” she said,
True Thomas you must go with me;
And must serve me seven years,
Through well or woe, as chance may be.”

Chorus:
Hark and carp, come along with me,
Thomas the Rhymer;
Hark and carp, come along with me,
Thomas the Rhymer;
Hark and carp, come along with me,
Thomas the Rhymer;
Hark and carp, come along with me,
Thomas the Rhymer.

She turned about her milk white steed,
And took Thomas up behind;
And aye whenever her bridle rang,
Her steed flew swifter than the wind.
For forty days and forty nights,
They rode through red blood to the knee;
And they saw neither sun nor moon,
But heard the roaring of the sea.
And they rode on and further on,
Further and swifter than the wind;
Until they came to a desert wide,
And living land was left behind.
“Don’t you see yon narrow, narrow road,
So thick beset with thorns and briars?
That is the road to righteousness,
Though after it but few enquire.”
“Don’t you see yon broad, broad road,
Lying lies across the lily leaven?
That is the road to wickedness,
Though some call it the road to heaven.”
“Don’t you see yon bonnie, bonnie road,
Lying across the ferny brae?
That is the road to fair Elfland,
Where you and I this night must go.”

Arwen, Faerie Queen

Red Fairy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:51:56 +0000

Although, strictly speaking, Arwen is an elf in The Lord of the Rings. her character, demeanour, and role is very much that of a Faerie Queen as the following video demonstrates. Her counterpart Galadriel is even more so.

The Realm of the Red Fairy » faerie queen

Thomas the Rhymer

Steeleye Span, Thomas the Rhymer

Arwen, Faerie Queen