horse, when he meets a stranger who wants to buy the horse, the farmer refuses the price that was offered thinking he could get more for it at market. The horse is over-looked at the market and on his way back home the farmer again meets the stranger, this time the farmer accepts the money offered for his horse. The stranger tells the farmer to follow him into the woods so he can get the bag of gold for the horse. When they arrive at a sandstone cliff face the rock parts with a loud roar revealing a huge cavern. Inside the cavern lay rows of sleeping warriors, and standing by every warrior is a horse. The stranger pays the farmer his bag gold but before he leaves the stranger tells the farmer,

“Should danger ever threaten the country side, the warriors would awaken to protect all by turning away the danger”. The farmer leaves and can never again find the sandstone cliff.

Now, there is a natural spring in the woods just below a cliff, the cliff is carved with a bearded face and the following words.” Drink of this and take thy fill, for the water falls by the wizards will”. The carving date and artist are unknown, and it is has been used as a wishing well.

Notes:  We’ve all heard the legend of King Arthur, and it is thought that the legends started around the 6^th century AD, following the withdrawal of the Romans. The next giant step in the legend appears in “The History of the Kings of Britain, written in 1136AD by Geoffery of Monmouth.  It seems to form the backbone of the different versions we now read and hear about. Arthur appears in many places and countries, his role of the hero filled the darkest hours of need, with victory.

Our next version of the cave legend appears with Canobie Dick.

 In the Borders region, Canobie Dick was a horse cowper (trader), who was admired and widely known for his fierce courage. While traveling over the Bowden Moor in the moonlight near the west side of Eildon Hills, he encountered a stranger. [The scene prophesies by Thomas the Rhymer].

Canobie Dick has a brace of horse that did not sell at the market that day. On this moonlit road he runs into a stranger dressed in centuries past clothing. The stranger asks the price of the horses, they barter, then the stranger promptly pays Camobie Dick in gold coinage from the same period as the clothing. The stranger asks

if they may meet again, which they did, and on the third such visit Canobie Dick, his curiosity over flowing, gets the stranger to take him to his abode. The stranger warns Canobie Dick that if he were to lose his courage at what he was to see, he would rue it all the rest of his life.

The stranger took Canobie Dick down a narrow path in an area called Lucken Hare, a famous witches meeting place. They entered an opening in the hillside which led into a cavern passage way. The stranger asked Canobie Dick if he wished to turn back and with a shrug of his shoulders Dick urged the stranger to continue. Moving forward they came upon rows of horse stalls in each stood a coal black horse, lying next to each horse was a knight in jet black clothing and full armor.  All were sleeping holding a drawn sword in their hand.

At the back of the cavern bathed in soft light was a large oak table and on the table was a sheathed sword and a horn. The stranger (Thomas of Ercildoun) turned to Canobie Dick saying.” The man who shall sound the horn and draw the sword shall, if his heart does not fail him, be King over all Britain. But all depends on courage and the taking of the horn or the sword first.”Seized with supernatural terror, thinking that by taking the sword first he would offend the powers of the mountain, Dick took up the horn, put it to his lips and let out a feeble blast that echoed in the cavern like thunder. Suddenly there was a terrible clatter of armor as the knights rose out of their slumber. The fearful army before him terrified Dick who tried to free the sword from the scabbard, as an awesome voiced boomed in the cavern.

”Woe to the Coward, that ever he was born, who did not draw sword before he blew the horn.”

All of a sudden supernatural wind blasted Canobie Dick from the cavern and deposited him outside the entrance. Dick was found the next morning by passing shepherds with his last breath he blurted out his tale.

Notes: In Adderley Edge the stranger was Merlin the magician and in Lucken Hare it was thought be Thomas of Ercildoun, both tales supposedly reported in some manner by Thomas the Rhymer who was a known famous Scottish prophet, also known by the names of True Thomas, Thomas of Ercildoun, and Lord Learmount. There are documents signed in the thirteenth century by him as Thomas Rymour