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Updated: June 8, 2025
Seven long years passed away since Thomas had parted from the Elfland Queen, and yet another seven. War had raged here and there throughout the land, when on a time it chanced that the Scottish army encamped close to the castle of Ercildoune where Thomas the Rhymer dwelt. It was a time of truce, and Thomas wished to give a feast to the gallant soldiers who had been fighting for their country.
And after he had been taught, and had repeated his lesson, he set out for Elfland. But long they waited, and longer still, With doubt and muckle pain, But woe were the hearts of his brethren, For he came not back again. Then the second brother got tired and sick of waiting, and he went to the Warlock Merlin and asked him the same as his brother. So he set out to find Burd Ellen.
Such, it seemed, was the joy of man, either in elfland or on earth; the happiness depended on not doing something which you could at any moment do and which, very often, it was not obvious why you should not do. Now, the point here is that to me this did not seem unjust.
"Horns of Elfland" never sounded more sweetly around hoary castle and ruined fane than those vesper calls of the robins from the twilight spruce woods and across green pastures lying under the pale radiance of a young moon. When we reached home we found that Miss Reade had been up to the hill farm on an errand and was just leaving.
There, under the leaves of the greenwood, while the little birds sang their lays, the Queen of Elfland said farewell to Thomas. 'Farewell, Thomas, farewell, I may no longer stay with thee. 'Give me a token, pleaded Thomas, 'a token ere thou leavest me, that mortals may know that I have in truth been with thee in Elfland.
It was a sight to make one sad, and Thomas, as he gazed, cried, as well he might, 'Alas, alas! 'Thyself hast sealed thy doom, Thomas, cried the lady. 'Thou must come with me to Elfland. Haste thou therefore to bid farewell to sun and moon, to trees and flowers, for, come weal, come woe, thou must e'en serve me for a twelvemonth.
Thomas wondered if it were but a dream, so strange seemed the sights he saw. Gaily passed the days, and Thomas had no wish to leave the strange Elfland. But a day came when the queen said to Thomas, 'Now must thou begone from Elfland, Thomas, and I, myself, will ride with you back to your own country. 'Nay now, but three days have I dwelt in thy realm, said Thomas, 'with but little cheer.
Nevertheless, as the principle is so clear, it is believed that these difficulties will ultimately be overcome. The wide, glistening road was gay with the coria. They darted in and out of the gardens; within them the fair-haired, extraordinarily beautiful women on their cushions were like princesses of Elfland, caught in gorgeous fairy webs, resting within the hearts of flowers.
And the lazy sea lay at the city's foot a pavement of lapis lazuli. But all was faint, unreal. Far, far away a group of palms caught opalescent reflections. A slight breeze had sprung up, raising minute particles of sand which caused the elfland on the horizon to quiver like a mirage. "It is a dream-city," said I, in admiration. Carlotta did not reply. I thought she had not heard.
And the thing to do is this: after you have entered the land of Fairy, whoever speaks to you, till you meet the Burd Ellen, you must out with your father's brand and off with their head. And what you've not to do is this: bite no bit, and drink no drop, however hungry or thirsty you be; drink a drop, or bite a bit, while in Elfland you be and never will you see Middle Earth again."
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