TAM LIN 1692

Riders of the Sidhe by John Duncan 

The King forbade his maidens a'

That wore gold in their hair

To come and go by Carterhaugh,

For the young Tam Lin is there.

And those that go by Carterhaugh

From them he takes a wad,

Either their rings or green mantles

Or else their maidenheads!

So Janet has kilted her green mantle

Just a little above her knee,

And she has gone to Carterhaugh

Just as fast as she could flee.

She had not pulled a double rose,

A rose but three or four,

When up and spoke this young Tam Lin,

Crying 'Lady, pull no more!'

'How dare you pull those flowers!

How dare you break those wands!

How dare you come to Carterhaugh

Withouten my command?'

She says, 'Carterhaugh it is my own

My Father gave it me,

And I will come and go by here

Withouten any leave of thee!'

There were four and twenty ladies gay

All sitting down at chess,

In and come the fair Janet,

As pale as any glass.

Up and spake her father dear,

He spake up meek and mild,

'Oh alas, Janet,' he cried,

'I fear you go with child!'

'And if I go with child,

It is myself to blame!

There's not a lord in all your hall

Shall give my child his name!'

Janet has kilted her green mantle

Just a little above her knee,

And she has gone to Carterhaugh

For to pull the scathing tree.

'How dare you pull that herb

All among the leaves so green

For to kill the bonny babe

That we got us between!'

'You must tell to me Tam Lin,

Ah you must tell to me,

Were you once a mortal knight

Or mortal hall did see?'

'I was once a mortal knight

I was hunting here one day,

I did fall from off my horse,

The Fairy Queen stole me away.

'And pleasant is the Fairy Land

But a strange tale I'll tell,

For at the end of seven years

They pay a fine to Hell.

'At the end of seven years

They pay a fine to Hell,

And I so fair and full of flesh

I fear it is myself.'

'Tomorrow night is Halloween,

And the Fairy Folk do ride;

Those that would their true love win

At Miles Cross they must hide!

'First you let pass the black horse

Then you let pass the brown,

But run up to the milk white steed

And pull the rider down.

'First they'll change me in your arms

Into some esk or adder,

Hold me close and fear me not,

For I'm your child's father.

'Then they'll turn me in your arms

Into a lion wild.

Hold me tight and fear me not

As you would hold your child.

'Then they'll turn me in your arms

Into a red-hot bar of iron,

Hold me close and fear me not,

For I will do no harm.

'Then they'll turn me in your arms

Into some burning lead,

Throw me into well-water

And throw me in with speed.

'Last they'll turn me in your arms

Into a naked knight

Wrap me up in your green mantle,

And hide me close from sight.'

So well she did what he did say

She did her true love win,

She wrapped him up in her mantle,

As blythe as any bird in Spring.

Up and spake the Fairy Queen,

And angry cried she,

'If I'd have known of this Tam Lin,

That some lady'd borrowed thee,

'If I had known of this Tam Lin,

That some lady borrowed thee,

I'd have plucked out thine eyes of flesh

And put in eyes from a tree!

'If I'd have known of this Tam Lin,

Before we came from home,

I'd have plucked out thine heart of flesh

And put in a heart of stone!'

R.J. Stewart version based upon the 1692 text of ‘The Secret Commonwealth of Elves Fauns and Faeries’ by Robert Kirk.