On 17 Oct, David Francis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Auchtermuchty, Ardentinny, Glenlivet/ Tomintoul, Dunbar, Glen Affric, Eigg, > Rum, Melrose, Ullapool, Portavadie, Glenshiel, Glasgow.
David, You've got me started now. The Melrose - Earlston area is the home of two great local legends. I get some details mixed up. Thomas the Rhymer - who was a real scholar who probably went off to Italy, giving rise to alegend that he lived in fairy land for this time. As i recall he entered he entered after meeting the Fairy Queen by the "Eildon Tree" - presumeably near the three Eildon Hills, by Melrose. I cannot recall whether I have heard this sung, but no tune comes to mind. Tam Linn, has a similar theme but the fairy queen is more malign this time. She keeps the young man in Fairy land against his will. It is through the bravery of his lover that he escapes. He rides out in a fairy troupe on horseback on Hallowe'en. She follows his instructions, pulling him from the horse and wrapping him in her cloak while he changes shape into "an adder and and asp" - a red hot coal. She holds on through all this and the spell is broken. I think this is in Scott's Border Minstrelsey. Again no tune comes to mind. I have heard it recited to the reel of this name, but that's not much use to you. So, it's time to write some tunes for them! In general there are plenty of songs of the borders - the Border Widow's lament which has a simple effective tune and then there's The Twa Corbie's sung , I think, to an African tune. Again very effective. Then there's Dainty Davie ................ This is a great passtime you've invented. Philip -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
