Thomas the Rhymer

X:17401
T:Thomas the Rhymer
S:Digital Tradition, tomrhym
B:Collected by Child and Scott
D:A shorter version recorded by Steeleye Span on Now We Are Six
Z:dt:tomrhym
M:3/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
W:True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank
W:A fairy he spied with his e'e
W:And there he saw a lady bright
W:Come riding down by the Eildon Tree
W:
W:Her skirt was of the grass green silk
W:Her mantle of the velvet fine
W:At each tett of her horse's mane
W:Hung fifty silver bells and nine
W:
W:True Thomas, he pulled off his cap
W:And bowed low down to his knee
W:All hail, thou mighty Queen of Heaven
W:For thy peer on earth I never did see
W:
W:Oh no, oh no, Thomas, she said
W:That name does not belong to me
W:I am but the Queen of fair Elfland
W:That am hither come to visit thee
W:
W:Harp and carp, Thomas, she said
W:Harp and carp along with me
W:And if you dare to kiss my lips
W:Sure of your body I will be
W:
W:Betide me well, betide me woe
W:That weird shall never daunton me
W:Syne he has kissed her rosy lips
W:All underneath the Eildon Tree
W:
W:Now, ye maun go with me, she said
W:True Thomas, ye maun go with me
W:And ye maun serve me seven years
W:Though weal and woe, as may chance to be
W:
W:She mounted on her milk white steed
W:She's taken True Thomas up behind
W:And aye whenever her bridle rang
W:The steed flew swifter than the wind
W:
W:Oh they rode on, and further on
W:The steed gaed swifter than the wind
W:Until they reached a desert wide
W:And living land was left behind
W:
W:Light down, light down now, true Thomas
W:And lean you head upon my knee
W:Abide and rest a little space
W:And I will show you ferlies three
W:
W:Oh, see you not yon narrow road
W:So thick beset with thorn and briars
W:That is the path of righteousness
W:Though after it but few enquire
W:
W:And see you not that broad, broad road
W:That lies across that lily leven
W:That is the path of wickedness
W:Though some call it the road to Heaven
W:
W:And see you not that bonnie road
W:That winds about the fernie brae
W:That is the road to fair Elfland
W:Where thou and I this night maun gae
W:
W:But Thomas, you must hold your tongue
W:Whatever you may hear or see
W:For if you speak word in Elfin land
W:You'll ne'er get back to you ain country
W:
W:Then they came on to a garden green
W:And she pulled an apple frae a tree
W:Take this for thy wages, True Thomas
W:It will give the tongue that can never lie
W:
W:My tongue is my own, True Thomas said
W:A goodly gift you would give to me
W:I neither dought to buy or sell
W:At fair or tryst where I may be
W:
W:I dought neither speak to prince nor peer
W:Nor ask of grace from fair lady
W:Now hold thy peace, the lady said
W:For as I say, so it must be
W:
W:He has gotten a coat of the even cloth
W:And a pair of shoes of velvet green
W:And till seven years were gone and past
W:True Thomas on earth was never seen
K:Bb
D|GA B2 A-G|FG D2 zD|GA B2 A-G|Bc d2 zD|
GA B2 A-G|FG D2 G-A|BA G2 GF|D/-E/F G2 ||

Alternative sources for this tune:

• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/OTIS_Irish_Session/melnets_big_abc_file/14480
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/atrilcoral.com/t/1143
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/home.quicknet.nl/england/7521
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/kirby98.fsnet.co.uk/th/Thomas_the_Rhymer_1/0000
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/mucl.de/~mdoering/dt-songs/0208

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