True Thomas lay on grassy bank
And he beheld a ladie gay
A ladie that was brisk and bold
Came riding over the fernie brae
Her skirt was of the grass-green silk
Her mantle of the velvet fine
At ilka-tett of her horse mane
Hung fifty silver bells and nine
True Thomas he took off his hat
And bowed him low down till his knee
"All hail thou, mighty queen of heaven
For your peer of Earth I never did see"
"O no, o no, True Tom," she said
"That name does not belong to me
I am just a queen of fair Elfland
And I'm come here to visit thee
"But you must go with me
True Thomas you must go with me
For you must serve me seven years
Thro' wheel or wae as may chance be"
She turned about her milk-white steed
And took True Thomas up behind
And aye whenever her bridle rang
Her steed flew swifter than the wind
For forty days and forty nights
They rode and came to garden green
"Light down, light down, you ladie fair
Some of that fruit please let me pull, let me pull for thee"
"O no, o no, True Tom," she said
"That fruit must not be touched by thee
For all the plagues that are in hell
Light on the fruit of this countrie"
"But see you not that braid braid road
Which winds about the fernie brae?
That is the road to fair Elfland
Where you and I this night must gae"
"Don't be afraid, Thomas
Don't be afraid, Thomas
Welcome
Don't be afraid"
"But Thomas, you must hold your tongue
Whatever you may hear or see
For gin ae word you chance to speak
You'll never ger back to your own countrie"
He got a coat of elven-cloth
A pair of shoes of velvet green
And till seven years were past and gone
True Thomas on earth was never seen