(Trad - Child 37A)
True Thomas lay on Huntly Bank
A ferlie he spied wi' his ee
An' then he spied a lady bright
Come ridin' doun by the eildon tree
Her shirt was o' the grass green silk
Her mantle o' the velvet fine
At ilka tet o' her horse's mane
Hung fifty siller bells and nine
True Thomas he pu'd aff his cap
And louted low doun tae his knee
All Hail, thou mighty Queen of Heaven
Thy peer on Earth I never did see
O no, o no, Thomas, she said
That name does not belong to me
I am but the Queen of fair Elfland
Hither come to visit thee
Harp an' carp, Thomas, she said
Harp an' carp along with me
And if you dare to kiss my lips
Sure of your body I will be
Betide me weel, betide me woe
That wierd sall never daunton me
Syne he has kissed her ruby lips
All underneath the eildon tree
Now ye maun go wi' me, she said
True Thomas, ye maun go wi' me
An' ye maun serve me seiven years
Thro' weel or woe, as chance may be
She's mounted on her milk white steed
An' ta'en True Thomas up behind
Oh whenever her bridle rang
The steed flew swifter than the wind
But Thomas, ye maun haud yer tongue
Whatever ye may hear or see
If word ye speak in Elfinland
Ye'll never get back tae yer ain countrie
Syne they came tae a garden green
She's pu'd an apple frae a tree
Take this for wages, True Thomas
Ye'll have the tongue that never can lee
They rade on an' further on
The steed flew swifter than the wind
Till they reached a desert wide
An' livin' land was left behind
Licht doun, licht doun, Thomas, she said
An' lean yer head upon my knee
Abide and rest a little space
And I will show you ferlies three
See ye not yon narrow road
So thick beset wi' thorns and briars
That is the path of righteousness
Tho' after it but few enquires
An' see ye not yon braid, braid road
That lies across the lily Leven
That is the path of wickedness
Some call it the road tae Heaven
An' see ye not yon bonnie road
That winds aboot the fernie brae
That is the road tae fair Elfland
Where thou and I this night maun gae
(as sung by Clan Alba)
ferlie - magical sight, wonder;
ilka tet - every strand;
louted - genuflected;
wierd - fate; daunton - deter;
syne - then;
licht doun - dismount
Susannes Folksong-Notizen English Notes
