Thomas the Rhymer

Thomas, of Ercildoun, in Lauderdale, called the Rhymer, on account of his
producing a poetical romance on the subject of Tristrem and Yseult, which
is curious as the earliest specimen of English verse known to exist,
flourished in the reign of Alexander III. of Scotland. Like other men of
talent of the period, Thomas was suspected of magic. He was also said to
have the gift of prophecy, which was accounted for in the following
peculiar manner, referring entirely to the Elfin superstition.

As Thomas lay on Huntly Bank (a place on the descent of the Eildon Hills,
which raise their triple crest above the celebrated monastery of
Melrose), he saw a lady so extremely beautiful that he imagined she must
be the Virgin Mary herself. Her appointments, however, were those rather
of an amazon, or goddess of the woods. Her steed was of the highest
beauty, and at its mane hung thirty silver bells and nine, which were
music to the wind as she paced along. Her saddle was of "royal bone"
(ivory), laid over with "orfeverie" (goldsmith's work). Her stirrups,
her dress, all corresponded with her extreme beauty and the magnificence
of her array. The fair huntress had her bow in hand, and her arrows at
her belt. She led three greyhounds in a leash, and three raches, or
hounds of scent, followed her closely.

She rejected and disclaimed the homage which Thomas desired to pay her;
so that, passing from one extremity to the other, Thomas became as bold
as he had at first been humble. The lady warned him he must become her
slave if he wished to prosecute his suit. Before their interview
terminated, the appearance of the beautiful lady was changed into that of
the most hideous hag in existence. A witch from the spital or almshouse
would have been a goddess in comparison to the late beautiful huntress.
Hideous as she was, Thomas felt that he had placed himself in the power
of this hag, and when she bade him take leave of the sun, and of the leaf
that grew on the tree, he felt himself under the necessity of obeying
her. A cavern received them, in which, following his frightful guide, he
for three days travelled in darkness, sometimes hearing the booming of a
distant ocean, sometimes walking through rivers of blood, which crossed
their subterranean path. At length they emerged into daylight, in a most
beautiful orchard. Thomas, almost fainting for want of food, stretched
out his hand towards the goodly fruit which hung around him, but was
forbidden by his conductress, who informed him that these were the fatal
apples which were the cause of the fall of man. He perceived also that
his guide had no sooner entered this mysterious ground and breathed its
magic air than she was revived in beauty, equipage, and splendour, as