Thomas The Rhymer - Prophecies Attributed To Thomas

Prophecies Attributed To Thomas

• "On the morrow, afore noon, shall blow the greatest wind that ever was heard before in Scotland."

This prophecy predicted the death of Alexander III; the exact nature of the blow became apparent only with the king's death the next day.

• "As long as the Thorn Tree stands

Ercildourne shall keep its lands."

Of this prophecy, Barbara Ker Wilson writes: In the year the Thorn Tree did fall, all the merchants of Ercildourne became bankrupt, and shortly afterwards the last fragment of its common land was alienated.

• "When the Cows of o' Gowrie come to land

The Judgement Day is near at hand"

The Cows of Gowrie, two boulders near Invergowrie protruding from the Firth of Tay, are said to approach the land at the rate of an inch a year.

• "York was, London is, and Edinburgh shall be

The biggest and bonniest o' the three"

• "At Eildon Tree, if yon shall be, a brig ower Tweed yon there may see."

• "Fyvie, Fyvie thou'll never thrive,

As long as there's in thee stones three;

There's one in the oldest tower,

There's one in the lady's bower,

There's one in the water-gate,

And these three stones you'll never get."

To this day, only one of the stones has been found. Since 1885 no eldest son has lived to succeed his father.