The
former hypothesis, everything considered, is the more probable.
LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET
Published in Percy's Reliques, from a Scotch manuscript, "with some
corrections." The situation, with various differences in detail
and conclusion, is popular in Norse and Romaic ballads, and also in
many Marchen of the type of The Black Bull of Norraway.
FAIR ANNIE
From The Border Minstrelsy. There are Danish, Swedish, Dutch, and
German versions, and the theme enters artistic poetry as early as
Marie de France (Le Lai del Freisne). In Scotch the Earl of Wemyss
is a recent importation: the earldom dates from 1633. Of course
this process of attaching a legend or Marchen to a well-known name,
or place, is one of the most common in mythological evolution, and
by itself invalidates the theory which would explain myths by a
philological analysis of the proper names in the tale. These may
not be, and probably are not, the original names.
THE DOWNIE DENS OF YARROW
From The Border Minstrelsy. Scott thought that the hero was Walter
Scott, third son of Thirlestane, slain by Scott of Tushielaw. The
"monument" (a standing stone near Yarrow) is really of a very
early, rather Post-Roman date, and refers to no feud of
Thirlestane, Oakwood, Kirkhope, or Tushielaw. The stone is not far
from Yarrow Krik, near a place called Warrior's Rest. Hamilton of
Bangour's version is beautiful and well known. Quite recently a
very early interment of a corpse, in the curved position, was
discovered not far from the standing stone with the inscription.
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