Thomas The Rhymer Lyrics

True Thomas lay on Huntlie Bank

A ferlie he spied with his eye

And there he saw a lady bright

Come riding down by the Eildon tree

Her skirt was of the grass green silk

A mantle of the velvet fine

And in the tuft of her horse's mane

Hung fifty silver bells and nine

True Thomas took off his cap And bowed low down upon his knee

Hail to thee Mary, Queen of Heaven

For thy peer on earth

I could never be

Oh no, oh no, Thomas, she said

That name does not belong to me

For I am the Queen of Fair Elf Land

And I have come to visit thee

Harp and carp with me she said

Come play along with me

And if you dare to kiss my lips

Sure of your body I will be

Betide me good, betide me bad

The doom shall never daunt me

And he has kissed her rosy lips

All underneath the Eildon tree

Now you must come with me, Thomas, she said True Thomas, you must go with me

And you must serve me seven years

Through good or bad may chance to be

She has mounted a milk-white steed

She's taken True Thomas up behind

Whenever her bridle rang

Her steed went swifter than the wind

They rode on and further on Her steed went swifter than the wind

Until they reached a desert wide

And living land was left behind

Light down, light down, Thomas, she said

Lay your head upon my knee

Abide ye there a little space

And I'll show you ferlies three

Oh, do you see the narrow road So thick beset with thorns and briars

That is the path of righteousness

Though after it but few inquires

Oh, do you see the braid, braid road

That lies across the lily leaven

That is the path of wickedness

Though some call it the road to heaven

Oh, do you see the bonny road

That winds about the fernie brae

That is the path to fair elf land

Where you and I this night must go

Now hold your tongue, Thomas, she said Whatever you see or hear

For speak ye a word in fair elf land

You'll never come back to your own country

They rode on and further on

Waded rivers about the knee

They neither saw sun nor moon

Only heard the roaring of the sea

Until they reached a garden green

She's pulled an apple from a tree

Take this for thy wages, True Thomas

It'll give you a tongue that'll never lee

My tongue is my own, True Thomas said

A goodly gift you would give to me

I would neither want to buy or sell

At fair or tryst

Wherever I may be

I would not speak to prince or peer Or ask from grace from fair lady

Now hold thy peace, Thomas, she said

For as I say so must it be

He has a coat of the even cloth

A pair of shoes of the velvet green

Until seven years has gone and passed

True Thomas on earth was never seen