Introducing: The Scottish Folklore Podcast

Hello, it's Jenny here, introducing my new show, the Scottish Folklore Podcast. A podcast where each week I bring you traditional folklore, folktales and mythology from all around Scotland. This is the first episode on Thomas the Rhymer, and I really hope you enjoy it. If you do, then please head over to the show on your podcast app and give me a follow. This will help you stay updated with new episodes and also help me get my little show off the ground.

Alright, I'm really excited to share this with you. Enjoy! Hello and welcome to the very first episode of the Scottish Folklore Podcast. A podcast that does exactly what it says on the shortbred tin. My name is Jenny, and in each episode of this podcast I'll be taking you into the mysterious and mesmerising world of Scottish folklore, folktales and mythology.

The stories I'll be sharing come from the vast tapestry of folklore that blankets this country from coast to coast to coast to coast to coast. From the mighty mountaintops to the furrows of freshly ploughed fields, and from far-flung islands to the heart of Aldriki herself. This tapestry is thick with stories. And no matter how or when each story was born, be that to instill morals, to explain the unexplainable, to while away hours of monotonous work, or just for pure entertainment.

Since each story's inception it has been told countless times. Passed from bard to barns, captain to crew, turnip puller to turnip puller, and on and on down through time. This oral storytelling tradition is a pillar of Scottish culture. This is the carrying stream. The flow of Scottish folk stories, songs, and tradition from each generation to the next.

The carrying stream tumbles, meanders and trickles through time, and by being here, listening to this podcast, you too are a part of this ancient tradition. I hope that you will not only listen to these stories, but also tell them to those that you love, or even just like, and in turn keep the carrying stream flowing well into the future.

When it comes to starting a Scottish folklore podcast, there's only one logical place to begin. Because if there's anything I've learnt from my many years immersed in these stories, It's that of all the terrifying fairy tale creatures, of giants, monsters, ghosts, witches and warlocks, landlords, and even the devil himself. Fairies are by far the most powerful of all.

them not just in the tales themselves, but also beyond them, for they are perhaps the strongest of all currents in the carrying stream. Stories of the good folk can be found in every nook and cranny of Scotland. For hundreds of years every child was told tales about them, and every adult told tales of them. They were a constant presence in people's lives, and by far the most popular story type that has been passed down.

Tales of the fairy's generosity, beauty, and good will were common, but even more so were stories of their tricks, mischief, and wrath. For the only thing that our Scottish fairies have in common with their Disney cousins is that they love a good song and dance. So it's only natural that we start this journey into the supernatural with a good old fairy tale. And there's no tale so good and so old as that of Thomas the Rhymer.

Thomas the Rhymer was born Thomas Learmont in the early thirteenth century, in a village called Erklun in the Borders. You won't find Erkaldun on any modern maps, however. As over the centuries between us and Thomas, the settlement's name has evolved into Earlston, which a modern map will show you sits thirty miles south of Edinburgh and not too far from Gallishiels and Melrose.

Thomas was not born poor, but neither was he born rich, and he had to work for a living the same as most folk in the area. Every market day Thomas could be heard shouting loudly over the clamour that his cattle were the finest in all the land and worth a fair whack of gold. But rarely did Thomas sell a beast, for if truth be told, he was a rather lazy fellow, who far preferred playing the loot for bonny lassies over looking after his livestock.

And so his cattle were skinny and lame, and not worth half as much as he claimed every market day. And while the folk knew Thomas for a bit of a fool, they liked him all the same. On one sunny market day, despite once again having had no luck selling cattle, Thomas was in a fine mood and fancied a walk through the countryside to revel in the wonders of the late summer. He left his cattle with his young farm lad, and, loot in hand, headed out into the Ealdon Hills.

After a time he found a spot at the edge of a great forest, and sat to rest in the shade of the Eeldon tree, a great twisting thorn tree that rustled gently in the breeze. Nestled in the roots, Thomas began playing his lute. He was working on a new tune, you see, and Yeah. And the lasses. With love having a wee dance. It was hard work. And after a time. Thomas grew weary, rested his head against the bark of the tree, and nodded off in the warm afternoon air.

He was awoken by the sound of jingling bells growing closer and closer. He sat up and turned to see a snow white horse riding through the forest towards him. Fifty silver bells were tied to its mane and tail, and were ringing oh so sweetly through the trees. Open mouthed Thomas stared at the rider atop the horse, for she was the most magnificently beautiful woman he had ever seen, that he was certain anyone had ever seen.

The horse drew near, and the woman looked down kindly at Thomas, who eventually managed to stutter Why, you must be the Queen of Heaven Not quite. I am the Queen of Elfland. The other world. The world of the Fae. Will you play your lute for me? I could listen to your melodies for years. Tom is happily obliged and played his finest. And seeing how pleased she was, He thought he'd try a May I have a kiss? If you kiss me, you will have to come to Elfland and stay for seven years.

Thomas thought this was a great deal. Oh yes, I'll do that happily for a kiss. And taking her silken soft hand he kissed the fairy queen. Now you must come with me, said the Queen. And so Thomas mounted her snow white horse and held on tight. The silver bells tinkled as they trot, then they jangled as they cantered, and in no time at all they rang out in a cacophony as the horse galloped at the speed of wind through the forest.

They burst from the trees, and rode over the hills and through the moors, and soon Thomas did not recognize the blur of places they were flying by. On and on they rode, so long that Thomas thought they might never stop. But eventually the Queen slowed the horse down to a walk, and Thomas saw only barren nothingness wherever he looked. There is something I wish to show you, said the Queen, and she rode on to where the road split into three.

She pointed to the road to the right, which was overgrown with dense thorns and briars. This way is a long, difficult, and painful road to travel. It is the road to righteousness, yet few embark upon it. She pointed to the road that head off to the left. It was wide and smooth. Its edges were lined with lush green vegetation and great blooming lilies. Many are fooled into thinking this is the way to heaven, when really it leads to hell.

Thomas gulped, for he very much thought that that road looked lovely. And this road, said the queen, gesturing to the road between the others, which led straight ahead and disappeared into a sea of green ferns. It is the road to Elfinland, it is the road that we shall be taking, but I must warn you, When we enter my queingdom, no matter what wonders you may behold, you must hold your tongue.

For all seven years you are with me, you must not say a single word, else you shall never be able to return to your home again. Thomas went to agree, but he stopped himself speaking, and instead silently nodded. And so they set off galloping down the middle road. The way was long and winding, and they had to wade through many rocky rivers, until finally they reached the banks of a very odd-looking river indeed.

The Queen said This is the final river we shall cross before entering the fairy realm. The horse began wading through the dark waters, but as Thomas raised his heels, he gasped, for he saw that the water was a deep, dark red. All the blood that is shed on earth runs through this river. Now remember, Thomas, not a single word. And they left the river of blood, and entered the land of the Fae.

They arrived to much fanfare and celebration, and an almighty feast was prepared for them. Thomas was given shimmering silk clothing and all the wine he could drink, and although he was amazed at everything he saw, he did not utter a single word. The days passed, and Thomas served the Queen as best he could. They spent much time together, and not a moment went by that he did not cherish.

And became good friends with the other fairies in her court, even playing his loot for them for many long hours. And although Thomas never said a word, and the queen grew very close indeed. But one day the Queen summoned him and told him that his seven years was up. Thomas couldn't believe it. It felt as though only a few weeks at most had passed.

The Queen led him to an orchard and plucked a shining red apple from a tree. Take this apple as payment for your service. Eat it, and you shall have a tongue that cannot lie. Thomas hesitated. He didn't think this was such a great gift. If he could not lie, then how would he sell his cattle or woo the lassies?

Sensing his hesitation, the Queen continued, You will be able to tell the truth about things that have not yet happened. You will become well known and rich, and people will travel far and wide to hear you speak. Thomas could not refuse the fairy queen, and so he took a bite from the apple, and then another and another. When he was finished, the Queen said, I will call you to Fairyland again, dear Thomas. When the day comes, you will know. And they rode from the other world.

Many years had passed since Thomas had left his village, but upon his return he was glad to see that the farm lad he had left his cattle with had kept his farm running as best he could. The cattle were still skinny and sickly, but they were still alive, and so Thomas took them to market just like he used to. But when he shouted over the noise at the top of his lungs, instead of his usual spiel about grand beasts,

he cried. Look at my cattle! Did you ever see such beasts? They are thin and their coats are dirty. They are lame and they can barely walk. The villagers all gathered round, and one farmer said to his friend Look, Thomas is back, and what's more, he's telling the truth. We are no being cheated. You know, we should be calling the lad true, Thomas.

Aye, maybe if we buy true Thomas's beasts at the low price they are worth, then we can fatten them up and make a profit. And so the farmers bought two cows each, and pleased as punch, Thomas returned to his farm. A few weeks passed, and although Thomas missed the Fairy Queen and the Land of the Fay greatly, he was settling back into normality.

But one evening, whilst having a wee dram with some friends, Thomas went as white as a ghost and choked. Oh, woe for Scotland. For this time tomorrow, the King of Scots will be dead. Never did we have such a good king. But thinking he'd just had a tad too much to drink, his friends soothed him and helped him to bed. But lo, the very next day, news came from Edinburgh that the king had been riding across Fife to see his wife, when a great mist rolled in, and he lost his way.

He ended up riding along the edge of a cliff which started to crumble under his horse's hooves, and they both fell crashing down to the rocks below. Well, word soon got around that Thomas had prophesized the king's untimely demise, and the townsfolk couldn't believe it. True Thomas was a prophet. From then on his reputation grew, and word spread far beyond his border home. Folk travelled from far and wide, coming from all corners of Scotland to seek his advice.

Chiefs travelled for weeks from the highlands and asked him about the outcomes of their long, bloody and bitter feuds with neighbouring clans. and they paid highly for Thomas's predictions, for not once when he peered through the veil was he wrong. At times he told of hidden treasure. Between the kirk and the kirk ford there lies St. Nathan's hoar. And more than one unfortunate ruler A windy winter and a wet spring brings a bloody summer and a dead king.

Thomas even took revenge upon a castle once. He was up north visiting Five Castle in Aberdeenshire, and just as he was about to enter through its gates, an almighty gust of wind slammed the heavy iron gates in his face, forbidding his passage. And in anger he placed the curse of the weeping stones upon the castle before him.

To this day, this curse is said to be the cause of much strife within the castle walls, and the very reason that succession issues have struck each family that has inhabited the castle over the centuries. Just as the Fairy Queen had promised, Thomas grew prosperous from his prophecies, and in time had a grand tower built not far from where he grew up. as well as true Thomas, he also earned the name Thomas the Rhymer, for his short and often poetic prophecies were so esteemed.

But these prophecies were not limited to those who could cough up the gold orb the region of the borders, or even the near future. There is a pool called the Order Pot up near Elgin in the highlands. that is so deep the locals believed it to be bottomless and connected to the river Lossey by an underground stream which ran under Elgin Cathedral The pool's name, the Order Pot, comes from its original name, the Ordeal Pot, for it was used for rather grim purposes.

Here criminals were punished with a watery death, and suspected witches were publicly drowned as late as fifteen sixty. Thomas the Rhymer predicted that The Order Pot and Lossy Grey shall sweep the Shannery cuck away. At the time, this revelation was scoffed at, for Shaneray Kirk was what the locals called Elgin Cathedral, and this was one of the most astounding pieces of architecture in all of Scotland. The idea that a mere pool could sweep it away was unthinkable.

However, true Thomas lived up to his name once more, as slowly over the ensuing centuries, the Reformation led to the abandonment and subsequent crumbling of the cathedral. In the nineteenth century, stone and debris of the ruin were dumped into the order pot, clogging it and filling it to the brim, thus fulfilling Thomas's prophecy. One last and perhaps the most pertinent prophecy made by Thomas was: The teeth of the sheep shall lay the plough on the shell.

These words indeed came true when, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, hundreds of thousands of highlanders were cleared from their ancestral lands to make way for sheep. The grinding of grass between sheep's teeth did indeed result in countless ploughs being left to rust.

But back to Thomas in the borders. Many years had passed, and one evening, whilst having a feast in his tower with all the townsfolk, Thomas realized how weary he was, It was a long and hard life only being able to speak the truth. And while he was revered and respected, he was so very tired. As he sipped his wine and looked about the happy folk around him, the great wooden doors burst open, and a young lass ran in and shouted

Why, there's the strangest sight outside. A white hind and heart are walking the road towards the tower. With this everyone got up and hurried outside to see what was happening. As Thomas pushed through the crowd, they turned to him. What does this mean? they asked. Is this an omen? Thomas did not answer, but smiled as the snow white hind and heart came to his side.

He bid his friends goodbye and walked with the graceful deer to the edge of the forest. With one final nod to the folk watching, he walked into the forest with animals and disappeared between the trees. Alright, there we have it, the most famous of all Scottish fairy tales to kick off the Scottish folklore podcast. And the fairies were nice, which is nice, because that is not always the case.

This particular tale of Thomas the Rhymer comes from the Scottish Borders, but he was a famous figure all over Scotland. There are some really weird and eerie origin stories that come from the Highlands that I really love, so I predict that I'll come back to old true Thomas in the future. If you're in or around Melrose and the Ealdon Hills, then you can visit where it is believed the Ealdon Tree once stood, and although the tree is long gone, the spot is marked by the Rhymer Stone.

This monument was erected in nineteen twenty nine by the Melrose Literary Society and marks the spot on which the fabled Aylden tree once grew. You can also visit the ruins of a tower that's called Reimer's Tower, and this is said to be the very tower that Thomas built with all his truth telling, future seeing gold.

Thank you so much for joining me on this, the first ever episode of the Scottish Folklore podcast. I'm so excited and a little bit scared to be starting this new project, but having you here honestly means the world to me. I'll be releasing a new episode each week and telling tales of every type from all corners of the country. So if you'd like to hear more, then please do follow or subscribe to the show on your podcast app so that I pop up in your feed with a new adventure each week.

If you would like to support me as I get this little podcast off the ground, then I would forever be in your debt if you would be so kind as to leave a five star rating on whichever app you listen on. Um and a review too if it lets you and you're feeling extra generous. You can also tell your friends and your family and that one colleague you know who listens to an insane amount of podcasts.

Uh I've also set up a website, www.scottish folklorepodcast.com, where I've put up the show notes for this episode and also linked a few different versions of this Thomas de Reimer story so that If you're interested in that kind of thing, you can read through them and see how each one follows similar plots but different things happen. Um I find that stuff really fascinating.

And also, I've made a little map that shows the various places that this story references. So you can go on and scoot around Scotland and see exactly where this folklore is tied to. I'm a bit of a map geek, so this was very fun. And I would love it if you also loved it. So yeah, check it out on the website. You can also give me a follow on Instagram. Search for the Scottish Folklore Podcast and you'll find me.

I have like a bunch of silly memes that I can't wait to share with you all. Um, and also like plenty of cute dog content along with mountains and forests. And rocks and beaches and cool old stuff, and like more memes and also episode updates, I guess, but mainly it's about the memes. Many, many thanks to Glenn Robertson, who played the absolutely majestic loot music you heard throughout the episode, including in the opening sequence.

You can find and support Glenn on Instagram at GCRmusician and I'll tag him in the show notes, so check him out. Um okay, okay, okay. Enough with the admin. I thought I would end with the words of Hamish Henderson. Henderson was a Scottish poet, songwriter, and folklorist who lived a very colourful life. And he dedicated a large part of his life to collecting folk songs and stories from around the country, and in doing so played a big part in the post-World War II folk revival in Scotland.

In this poem, which is actually cobbled together from the eulogy he wrote from himself, Henderson coins the phrase the carrying stream. Change elegy into him, remake it. Don't fail again. Like the potent sap in these branches, once bare and now brimming with the wrath of green leavery, remake it and renew. Maker ye mun sing them, to morrow songs will flow free again, and new voices be borne on the carrying stream.

I hope you enjoyed the tale of Thomas the Rhymer. If you'd like to hear more and help me get this show off the ground, then please do head over to the Scottish Folklore Podcast on your preferred podcasting platform and give me a follow. See you there, Slanjiva.