692
THOMAS THE RHYMER
[Part
"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.
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 briers?—
That is the path of righteousness,
Though after it but few inquires.
So thick beset with thorns and briers?—
That is the path of righteousness,
Though after it but few inquires.
"And see not ye that braid, braid road,
That lies across that lily leven?[1]—
That is the path of wickedness,
Though some call it the road to heaven.
That lies across that lily leven?[1]—
That is the path of wickedness,
Though some call it the road to heaven.
"And see not ye that bonny road,
That winds about the fernie brae?—
That is the road to fair Elfland,
Where thou and I this night maun gae.
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 Elflyn land,
Ye'll ne'er get back to your ain countrie."
Whatever ye may hear or see;
For, if you speak word in Elflyn land,
Ye'll ne'er get back to your ain countrie."
O they rade on, and farther on,
And they waded through rivers aboon[2] the knee,
And they saw neither sun nor moon,
But they heard the roaring of the sea.
And they waded through rivers aboon[2] the knee,
And they saw neither sun nor moon,
But they heard the roaring of the sea.
It was mirk,[3] mirk night, and there was nae stern[4] light,
And they waded through red blude to the knee,
For a' the blude, that's shed on earth,
Rins through the springs o' that countrie.
And they waded through red blude to the knee,
For a' the blude, that's shed on earth,
Rins through the springs o' that countrie.
Syne they came on to a garden green,
And she pu'd an apple frae a tree[5]—
"Take this for thy wages, true Thomas;
It will give thee the tongue that can never lie."
And she pu'd an apple frae a tree[5]—
"Take this for thy wages, true Thomas;
It will give thee the tongue that can never lie."
"My tongue is mine ain," true Thomas said;
"A gudely gift ye wad gie to me!
I neither dought[6] to buy nor sell,
At fair or tryst where I may be.
"A gudely gift ye wad gie to me!
I neither dought[6] to buy nor 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 ladye said,
"For, as I say, so must it be."
Nor ask of grace from fair ladye."
"Now hold thy peace!" the ladye said,
"For, as I say, so must it be."
- ↑ Lily leven is a lawn overspread with lilies or flowers.—Jamieson.
- ↑ Above
- ↑ Dark.
- ↑ Star.
- ↑ The traditional commentary upon this ballad informs us, that the apple was the produce of the fatal Tree of Knowledge, and that the garden was the terrestrial paradise. The repugnance of Thomas to be debarred the use of falsehood when he might find it convenient, has a comic effect.
- ↑ Am able.
