Thomas and the Fairy Queen

A Fairy Tale from 13th century Scotland

One beautiful summer morning Thomas,the young laird of Echildoune,went out walking
 by the burn in the woods beside his castle.

He sat down beneath a tree to watch the birds and small animals.
As he lay there he became aware of the trampling of horses hooves and crackling of branches,
he looked up,and there before him was a beautiful golden haired woman on a dapple-grey palfrey.
She wore a dress and cape of bright green silk and on her head was a crown of precious stones sparkling
in the sunlight.Her saddle cloth was of red satin and her horse's reins were of corded silk
 hung with tiny bells which made the sound of fairy music as she rode along.
She introduced herself as the Queen of Fairyland.
 

Thomas was so beguiled by her beauty that he begged for a kiss.This was just what she wanted because
now she had him in her power. To his horror as soon as they kissed this lovely woman turned into
 a frightening old witch.

The terrified Thomas was told to jump on the back of her horse,and off they sped,fast as lightening,
deeper and deeper into the forest until they reached her castle in Fairyland.

Thomas spent seven years there in the service of the rejuvinated Fairy Queen.He was given the gifts of
truth,poetry and prophecy and returned to the spot beneath the tree where they first met.
Luckily for Thomas,seven years of fairy time equaled only three days of mortal time!

A braided silk rein for the Fairy Queen's horse.

Assorted fabrics,bells,gold threads,wood pigeon and blackbird feathers.

The process is shown HERE

Thomas returns to Fairyland - illustration circa 1900


Many years went by and people had almost forgotten about Thomas's visit to Fairyland.
One night while a banquet was being held at the castle,two snow-white deer were spotted by the
river. Thomas went out to meet them,then all three disappeared into the night,never to be seen again.
It was believed that the Hart and Hind were messengers of the Fairy Queen,sent
to escort Thomas back to Fairyland.

Today a hawthorn tree marks the spot,beneath the Eildon Hills near Melrose in the Scottish Borders, 
where it is thought that Thomas met the Fairy Queen.


Thomas of Learmont was an actual  person who lived in the tower of Ercildoune in the 13th century.
The building would have looked similar to Neidpath Castle,shown in a previous post HERE.

The tale of Thomas's trip to Fairyland has been the source of many works of art,writing and music.
As Thomas the Rhymer he is most remembered for his prophetic poems,many of which
 are said to have become true.His prophecies were documented in English Prophetic writings
of the 14 and 15 hundreds and in a chapbook of his poems handed down through the centuries.
There is also documentation of his signature on a legal charter,
signed  Thome Rymor de Erchildoune.