Two fine recordings, one by Ewan MacColl and the other by Duncan Williamson. I have another recording of this ballad, by Hermes Nye, on Folkways. R

a) Thomas Rymour
Ewan MacColl, English and Scottish Popular Ballads (Child Ballads) sung by Ewan MacColl, volume 1, Folkways FG 3509, 1961

True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank
A ferlie he spied wi' his e'e
And there he saw a lady bright
Come riding down by 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 pull's aff his cap
And louted low down to his knee:
All hail, thou mighty Queen o' Heaven!
For 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
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 body I will be

Betide me weal, betide me woe
That weird shall never daunton me
Syne he has kissed her rosy lips
All underneath the Eildon Tree

Now ye maun gang wi' me – she said
True Thomas, ye maun gang wi' me
And ye maun serve me seven years
Thro' weal and woe, as may chance to be

She mounted on her milk-white steed
She's ta'en True Thomas up behind
And aye whene'er her bridle rung
The steed flew faster than the wind

O they rode 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 and rest a little space
And I will show you ferlies three

O see ye not yon narrow road
So thick beset with thorns and briars?
That is the path of righteousness
Tho' after it but few enquires

And see ye not that braid, braid road
That lies across that lily leven?
That is the path of wickedness
Tho' some ca' it the road to heaven

And see ye not that bonny road
That winds about the fernie brae?
That is the road to fair Elfland
Where thou and I this night maun gae

But, Thomas, ye maun hold your tongue
Whatever ye may hear or see
For if you speak word in Elfyn land
Ye'll ne'er get back to your ain countrie

Syne they came on to a garden green
And she pu'd an apple frae a tree:
Take this for thy wages, True Thomas
It will gi' ye the tongue that can never lie

My tongue is mine ain – True Thomas said
A guidly gift ye wad gie to me!
I neither dought to buy or sell
At fair or tryst where I may be

I dought neither speak to prince or peer
Nor ask of grace from fair ladye.
Now hold thy peace – the lady said
For as I say, so must it be

He has gotten a coat of the even cloth
And a pair of shune of velvet green
And till seven years were gane and past
True Thomas on earth was never seen



b) Thomas the Rhymer
Duncan Williamson, Put another log in the fire, Songs and tunes from a Scots Traveller, Veteran Tapes VT128 (cassette)

O true Thomas he lay on a Huntly bank
Beneath an Eilton tree
O when he saw a lady fair
Comin ridin oer the lea

O her mantle it was of the forest green
And her tresses they were so fair
And from every tass of her horse's mane
Hung twenty siller bells and mair

O Thomas he doffed off his hat
He got down upon his knee
He said - Lady you're the greatest queen
That ever I did see

O no O no O Thomas - she said
That name does not belong to me
For I have come from Elfinland
I have come to visit wi thee

And you maun come O Thomas - she said
You maun come along wi me
For I am bound for Elfinland
It is very far away

So they rode and they rode and they merrily merrily rode
They rode for a night and a day
Until they came to a red river
That lay across their way

What river is this? O Thomas he said
O please to me do say
This is a river of blood - she said
That is spilled on this earth in one day

So they rode and they rode and they merrily merrily rode
O merrily they rode away
Until they came to a crystal river
That lay across their way

What river is this? O Thomas he said
O please to me do say
This is a river of tears - she said
That is spilled on this earth in one day

So they rode and they rode and they merrily merrily rode
O merrily they rode away
Until they came to a thorny road
That lay across their way

What road is that? O Thomas he said
O please to me do tell
That is a road you must never lead
For that road it leads to hell

So they rode and they rode and they merrily merrily rode
Merrily they rode away
Until they came to a great orchard
That lay across their way

Lie down, lie down O Thomas - he cried
O it's hungry that I maun be
Lie down, lie down O Thomas he cried
Some fine apples I do see

O touch them not - the Elfin queen said
Please touch them not I say
For they are made from the curses
That fall on this earth in one day

Then reachin up into a tree
Into a tree so high
She plucked an apple from a tree
As they went riding by

O eat you this O Thomas - she said
As we go riding by
And it will give to you a tongue
You shall never tell a lie

So they rode and they rode and they merrily merrily rode
O they rode for a year and a day
Until they came to a great valley
That lay across their way

What place is this? O Thomas he said
O please to me do say
O this is Elfinland - she said
And it's here that you maun stay

So Thomas got a coat of lovely brown
And some shoes of elfin green
And for seven long years and a day
On earth he was never seen