The Queen of Elfan's Nourice
Encyclopedia
"The Queen of Elfan's Nourice" or "The Queen of Elfland's Nourice" is Child ballad number 40, although fragmentary in form.
of Elfland promises that if she nurses the queen's child, she will be returned. The Queen then points out their path: the road to Elfland, rather than to Heaven or Hell.
" rather than be a part of this tale.
The plot of the ballad revolves about a common piece of folklore, the taking
of human woman to Elfland to nurse fairy babies; women were often regarded as being in particular danger of being taken by the fairies immediately after giving birth.
This ballad was one of 25 traditional works included in Ballads Weird and Wonderful (1912) and illustrated by Vernon Hill (sculptor)
.
Synopsis
A mortal woman laments being taken from her four-day-old son. The QueenQueen of Elphame
In the folklore of Lowland Scotland and Northern England, the Queen of Elphame, Elphen, Elfen or Elfan is the elfin ruler of Elphame , the usually subterranean Anglo-Scottish fairyland...
of Elfland promises that if she nurses the queen's child, she will be returned. The Queen then points out their path: the road to Elfland, rather than to Heaven or Hell.
Motifs
The path to Elfland appears to be taken from the ballad "Thomas the RhymerThomas the Rhymer
Thomas Learmonth , better known as Thomas the Rhymer or True Thomas, was a 13th century Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston . He is also the protagonist of the ballad "Thomas the Rhymer"...
" rather than be a part of this tale.
The plot of the ballad revolves about a common piece of folklore, the taking
Changeling
A changeling is a creature found in Western European folklore and folk religion. It is typically described as being the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature that has been secretly left in the place of a human child. Sometimes the term is also used to refer to the child who...
of human woman to Elfland to nurse fairy babies; women were often regarded as being in particular danger of being taken by the fairies immediately after giving birth.
This ballad was one of 25 traditional works included in Ballads Weird and Wonderful (1912) and illustrated by Vernon Hill (sculptor)
Vernon Hill (sculptor)
Vernon Hill was a sculptor, lithographer and Illustrator.-Biography:Vernon Hill was born in Halifax and undertook formal training in print-making from an early age, being apprenticed as a lithographer in his early teen....
.