One of the most famous legends from Scotland is Thomas the Rhymer. It is one of the loveliest stories of enchantment where a fairy queen falls in love with a mortal man. Here is how the story goes:
Ercildourne
is a hamlet that lies in the shadow of the Eildon Hills. It is located 20
miles from the Irish Sea and 50 miles from Edinburgh. Here in the old days
there lived a man called Thomas Learmont, who was not different from his neighbors
except he played a lute.
One summer's day Thomas set out to help a friend with his barn repairs, as always he took along his lute. Thomas enjoyed the walk and about half way he decided to rest at the Huntlie Bank, at the foot of Eildon Hills. Before him lay a small wood , full of green cloistered pathways; and as he gazed into its cool depths and plucked idly at his lute springs, he heard above his own music a distant sound like a trickel of a hillside stream. Then he started to his feet in amazement; for down one of those green pathways rode the fairest lady in the world.
She wore a robe of grass-green silk and a mantle of grass green velvet, and he bright red hair hung losely down upon her shoulders. Her milk white horse moved gracefully through the trees. Thomas pulled off his cap and knelt down on one knee before the lovely rider.
"I am the Queen of Elfland, come forth to visit thee, Thomas of Ercildourne," she said. Thomas was already under the spell of her unearthly beauty, but managed to extend a hand to help her dismount. He flung the horse brindle over a thorn bush and led her to the shade of a great tree.
"Play your lute to me" Thomas, She said. ; Fair music and green shade go well together.
So Thomas took up his instrument again, and it seemed as though he had never before been able to play such lilting tunes. The Elflind Queen smiled and applauded. Then she surprised Thomas by urging him to ask her a favor in return.
"Let me kiss your lips, fair Queen" he implored her. "If you kiss my lips, Thomas, then you must surely fall into my power." You will be bound to serve me for seven long years, through weal or woe as it may chance."
"What are seven years to me" replied thomas. It is a price I would gladly pay." And he pressed his mouth to the Elf Queen's lips. Then the Queen sprang up, and Thomas knew that he was bound to follow her wherever she might lead him. Yet still the love enchantment was strong upon him, and he did not regret his bold request. The Queen mounted her steed and indicated for Thomas mount up behind her. Then they rode through the valleys, and heathery slopes, with the music of the tinkling silver bells on the horse's bridle, until they reached a strange counryside. The Queen bade them rest. And Thomas looked about him curiously knowing it was no mortal ground on which they stood. They were at a crossroads with three forks in the road.
One road narrow and steep, was thickly flanked on either side by sharp thorn bushes and barbed briers, that met overhead and made the payway a dark tunnel. The second road was broad and fair and full of dancing sunlight, leading over a velvet lawn studded with clusters of jewel like flowers. The third road wound onward through a ferny brake , moss grown underfoot and with a green canopy of foliage casting a cool shade overhead.
The Elf Queen followed Thomas' gaze and told him where the three roads led.
"That steep and narrow road is called the Path of Righteousness" she said. " and few travellers are bold enough to take their way along it. The fair, broad road that leads acorss the lawn is the Path of Wickedness, for all it seems so beautiful and full of light. And the bonny road that winds between the green hedgerow is the path to fair Elfland, where you and I shall be this night."
Thomas noticed at the beginning of the third road there was a beautiful apple tree and approached the tree and asked the Elfind Queen if she would like some fruit. She quickly put out a hand to stop him and said, "This fruit is too powerful for you my friend. Here take some bread and wine I have carried in this bag. At a later time I will tell you about the magic orchard and when you are ready you will eat of the fruit of knowledge."
Then the Queen said to Thomas with all the love and some bittersweet sadness in her eyes, " While you are in ElfLand it is important you remain silent, in spite of all that you may hear and see, then at the end of the seven years that you are bound to serve me you will return to the land of mortals. But if you speak one word in my domain, you will forfeit your happiness and be doomed to wander for ever the wilderness that lies between fair Elfland and the world of mortals."
The riders continued in silence. Thomas was filled with awe by what he saw on the remainder of the journey. They traveled over valleys and hills, across moor and plain. Sometimes the sky grew black as midnight and sometimes the sun fringed all the clouds with gold. They forged rushing rivers that ran red blood, when the sides of the milk white steed were scarlet splashed and the Queen would kilt up her long green mantle. For all the blood that was ever shed upon the earth ran through the springs of that strange land. But at last they reached the gates of Elfin Land where a thousand faery trumpets proclaimed their approach and they passed through into an enchanted country filled with a splendid light.
Back in Earth born Ercildourne, Thomas' neighbors were whispering and wondering what had caused the disappearanced of their friendly mistrel.
During all the time that Thomas remaind in Elfinland he spoke no word in spite of all the wonderful things he saw and heard. And when he had served the Elf Queen for seven years, and the time was come for him to take his leave, she herself let him out of the gates. Now you may break your silence. And as a reward the Queen picked a fruit off a nearby tree giving it to Thomas said " Take this apple as a reward for the service you have rendered me. It is an enchanted fruit, and will bestow on you a tongue that can never lie." Thomas was remembering the world of mortals and if this gift of truthfulness would not be a mixed blessing. The Queen answered with the following words of prophesy: Hold you peace Thomas, for my gift is not to be taken lightly by any man. Greater than you imagine, it will bring you lasting fame, and cause the name of Thomas Learmont to be remembered so long as Scotland stands.
" Now you must return Thomas .. . but heed my words. A time will come when I shall call you to come back to me, and you must pledge yourself to obey my summons, wherever you may be. I shall send two messengers whom you will know at once are not of your world . . ."
Thomas gazed into the black eyes of the Elf Queen and he knew the love-spell she had cast upon him seven years since would never lose its power. Gladly he pleged to obey her command.
Thomas was transported back to the great tree on Huntlie Bank as if in a dream. He woke up with his lute in his hand as if seven hours had passed and not seven years. He was anxious to find out what had happened in his absence and was somewhat perplexed about the impact of his new gift of truthfulness on his neighbors.
All came about as the Queen had prophesied. Thomas at first lived in his old cottage, but as soon as word of his gift of prophesy spread, he became weathly and famous. He never forsook his home of Ercildourne. With his new found wealth , he built a fine Tower to live in and dwelt there for many years. And yet, for all his fame and weath, men remarked that Thomas was not an entirely happy man. There was always a strange light of longing in his eyes, as through he could not rid himself of the memory of an unearthly world.
One day, a servant walked in to Thomas and exlaimed in excitment, " Oh master I have seen the strangest sight. A milk white hart and a milk white hind are coming out of the forest beyond and walking down the street outside." Thomas had a broad smile on his face. He knew these were the messagers promised by his Elfin lover.