THOMAS THE RHYMER TRUE Thomas lay on Huntlie bank; And there he saw a ladye bright Her skirt was o' the grass-green silk, 8 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." 12 "O no, O no, Thomas," she said, "That name does not belang to me; I'm but the Queen o' fair Elfland, "Harp and carp, Thomas," she said; And if ye dare to kiss my lips, Sure of your bodie I will be." 16 20 "Betide me weal, betide me woe, That weird shall never daunten me." Syne he has kiss'd her rosy lips, All underneath the Eildon Tree. "Now ye maun go wi' me," she said, 66 'True Thomas, ye maun go wi' me; And ye maun serve me seven years, 24 Thro' weal or woe as may chance to be." 28 She's mounted on her milk-white steed, The steed gaed swifter than the wind. 3× O they rade on, and farther on, The steed gaed swifter than the wind; Until they reach'd a desert wide, And living land was left behind. 36 "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. 40 “O 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? i 44 That is the path of wickedness, Heaven. "And see ye not yon bonny road That winds about the fernie brae? 48 Where thou and I this night maun gae. 52 "But, Thomas, ye sall haud your tongue, Whatever ye may hear or see; For speak ye word in Elflyn-land, Ye'll ne'er win back to your ain coun trie." O they rade on, and farther on, And they waded rivers abune the knee; And they saw neither sun nor moon, But they heard the roaring of the sea. It was mirk, mirk night, there was nae sternlight, 56 60 They waded thro' red blude to the knee; For a' the blude that's shed on the earth Rins through the springs o' that coun trie. Syne they came on to a garden green, never lie." 64 68 "My tongue is mine ain," true Thomas he “A gudely gift ye wad gie to me! At fair or tryst where I might be. "I dought neither speak to prince or peer, Nor ask of grace from fair ladye!". "Now haud thy peace, Thomas," she said. For as I say, so must it be." 66 72 76 He has gotten a coat of the even cloth, KEMP OWYNE HER mother died when she was young, In everything that she could dee, Till once, in an unlucky time, She threw her in o'er Craigy's sea. Says, "Lie you there, dove Isabel, Till Kemp Owyne come o'er the sea, Her breath grew strang, her hair grew lang, 15 And twisted thrice about the tree, And all the people, far and near, Thought that a savage beast was she. These news did come to Kemp Owyne, Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And with a swing she came about: "Here is a royal belt," she cried, He stepped in, gave her a kiss, The royal belt he brought him wi'; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, 20 25 30 35 |