Thomas the Rhymer and the Queen of Elfland
A Scottish poet met a beautiful lady under a tree on the Eildon Hills and kissed her. She was the Queen of Elfland, and he vanished with her for seven years.
What was reported
Thomas of Erceldoune was a real man who lived in the 1200s at Earlston in the Scottish Borders, famous as a poet and prophet. The ballad of Thomas the Rhymer tells that, lying under the Eildon Tree, he saw a lady in green riding a white horse. She was the Queen of Elfland. He kissed her, and had to go with her into her realm.
After seven years, which felt like three days, he returned with a gift: a tongue that could not lie. He became known as True Thomas and was credited with many prophecies, including the death of a Scottish king.
Explanations offered
The story combines a real historical figure with the old belief that the fairies take people away, and that time passes differently in their world. The Eildon Tree Stone marks the traditional spot near Melrose. Prophecies attributed to Thomas were still being published centuries later.
- When
- 1200s
- Where
- Earlston and the Eildon Hills, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK
- Witnesses
- Scottish ballads and chronicles
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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