The comment about the two penultimate stanzas referred to earlier was made not by Bronson, but by Child: "...it is an entirely popular ballad as to style,* and must be of considerable age, though the earliest version (A) can be traced at furthest only into the first half of the last [i.e. 18th] century. "  [Footnote:] * "Excepting the two satirical stanzas with which Scott's version (C) concludes. The repugnance of Thomas to be debarred the use of falsehood when he should find it convenient, may have, as Scott says, a comic effect, but is, for a ballad, a miserable conceit.  Both ballad and romance are serious."

Although the tributary link with Hell is absent in the traditional ballad, it is worth mentioning that it was present in the earlier verse romance, and was the reason for Thomas' return to the world.  Though over three years have passed, it seems to him but three days when the Lady tells him that he must return to Eldone, and he protests; she explains (Fytt I: 57-58):

"To morne of helle þe foulle fende
Amange this folke will feche his fee;
And þou arte mekill mane and hende;
I trowe full wele he wolde chese the.

Ffor alle þe gold þat euer may bee,
Ffro hethyne vn-to þe worldis ende,
Þou bese neuer be-trayede for mee;
Þerefore with me I rede thou wende."

Roughly:  Tomorrow the foul fiend of hell will fetch his tribute from among this folk; and you are a great and handsome man; I am sure that he will want to chose you.  For all the gold that ever may be, from now to the world's end, you will not be betrayed if I have anything to do with it; therefore I advise you to go with me.

The fruit episode goes as follows.  They are in an orchard where many varieties of fruit are growing.  (Fytt I:34-35)

He pressede to pulle frowte with his hande,
Als mane for fude þat was nere faynt;
Scho sayd, Thomas, þou late þame stande,
Or ells þe fende the will atteynt.

If þou it plokke, sothely to saye,
Thi saule gose to þe fyre of helle;
It commes neuer owte or domesdaye,
Bot þer in payne ay for to duelle.

Again, roughly:  He hurried to pick fruit with his hand, like a man that was near faint for food; she said, Thomas, you let them be, or else the Fiend will take you.  If you pluck it, truly to tell, Your soul will go to the fires of Hell; it will never come out ere Doomsday, but will dwell there in pain forever.  It is worth mentioning that no particular fruit is specified; to eat of any of them would presumably attract the same fate.

There is no suggestion of any link between the eating of fairy food and the gift of prophesy, or of truth-telling.  When the Lady has returned Thomas to Eldone, their conversation goes (Fytt II:1-3):

"Fare wele, Thomas, I wend my waye,
I may no lengare stande with the:"
"Gyff me a tokynge, lady gaye,
That I may saye I spake with the."

"To harpe or carpe, whare-so þou gose,
Thomas, þou sall hafe þe chose sothely:"
And he saide, Harpynge kene I none,
Ffor tonge es chefe of mynstralsye.

"If þou will spelle, or elles telle,
Thomas, þou sall neuer lesynge lye;
Whare euer þou fare, by frythe or felle,
I praye the speke none euyll of me."

Roughly:  Farewell, Thomas, I depart, I may no longer stay with you.  Give me a token, lady gay, so that I may say I spoke with you.  You shall truly have the choice, Thomas, to harp or sing wherever you go.  And he said, I know nothing of harping, for the tongue is the most important part of minstrelsy.  If you wish to say or tell, Thomas, you shall never lie; wherever you go, by woodland or fell, I pray you speak no evil of me.

Spelle and telle were terms used both of ordinary speaking, and of storytelling.  Thomas asks her to tell him some marvels before she goes, and the romance continues with a long list of prophesies which Child does not quote.