Version Numbers:Version numbers are applied sequentially to each version as it is added to this website. A full listing of versions available can be found here. If you wish to go straight to the versions cited, please follow these links:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38
Points of comparison between versions
The name of the mortal man (note: some version numbers may occur more than once as the name sometimes shifts within versions)
| Name | version |
|---|---|
| Tam-a-line | 7 |
| Tam-a-lyn or Tam o' the Lyn | 21 |
| Tam Lane or Tamlane | 8, 9, 12, 29 |
| Tamlene | 5 |
| Tam-a-lin | 25 |
| Tam Lin, Tamlin or Tam-Lin | 1, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38 |
| Tam Lien | 12 |
| Tamlyn | 19 |
| Tammas or True Tammas | 12, 23 |
| Thos | 33 |
| Tomlin | 4 |
| Tom Line | 2 |
| Thomas or True Thomas | 2, 3, 6, 10, 11, 12 |
| Unnamed | 34 |
| Young lord Robinson | 13 |
| Young Tambling | 26 |
The name of the heroine:
| name | version |
|---|---|
| Janet or Fair Janet | 1, 2, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 24, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38 |
| Jennet | 3 |
| Margaret or Lady Margaret | 5, 7, 12, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 31, 34 |
| Margeret | 6 |
| Marget | 11 |
| Margret | 4 |
| May Margery | 15, 27 |
| Unnamed | 10, 13, 17, 33 |
The name of the woods : Many of the names given for the wood have fairly similar sounding names, such as:
| name | version |
|---|---|
| Carterhaugh | 1, 2, 8, 9, 12, 14, 17, 20, 24, 27, 29, 35, 36, 38 |
| Cartershay | 15 |
| Carter hall | 16, 17, 30, 32 |
| Charteris ha | 5 |
| Charters Woods | 7, 11, 23 |
| Chasers Wood | 19, 21, 28 |
| Chaster's wood | 4 |
| Chester wood | 6 |
| Elphick Glen | 31 |
| Kertonha | 3, 37 |
| Kirk-yard | 6 |
| Merry green wood | 22, 25, 34 |
| Moorcartney wood | 10 |
| Unnamed Woods | 26 |
To read more about the areas of Scotland associated with the ballad of Tam Lin, see the Scotland section.
The name of the Waiting place : Janet is instructed by Tam Lin to wait for him where the Faerie troop will pass by. Some of the names given for this location are:
| name | version |
|---|---|
| Bells port | 33 |
| Blackning Cross | 8 |
| Backstock | 5 |
| Carden's stream or ha | 12 |
| Chester bridge | 6 |
| Crickmagh | 13 |
| Crossroads (unspecified) | 25 |
| Miles Cross (alt. Miles Moss or Miles-corse) |
1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37 |
| Old Mill Bridge or Mill Bridge | 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, 34 |
| Rides Cross | 4 |
The Transformations : Janet must hold onto Tam Lin while he is transformed into a variety of creatures or objects either frightening or difficult to hold. There are usually multiple transformations in each version. Multiple choices for the same creature rely on translations.
| creature | version |
| ass (donkey) | 6 |
| adder, snake, or ether | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38 |
| beast | 15, 16 |
| bear | 1, 14, 27, 32 |
| deer | 7, 24 |
| dove | 3, 9, 29, 37 |
| eagle | 6 |
| eel | 3, 9, 29 |
| ask, esk, eft, knute, or newt | 1, 3, 14, 16, 18, 33 |
| gleed, coal, or fire | 1, 6, 7, 9, 11, 16, 22, 31, 38 |
| greyhound or dog | 2, 5, 19, 21, 22, 28 |
| horse | 34 |
| ice | 12, 31 |
| burning iron or gaud of airn | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29 |
| melting or burning lead | 15, 20, 32 |
| lion | 1, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32 |
| Peregrine | 38 |
| savage | 4 |
| savage creature | 25 |
| silken string | 7 |
| swan | 3, 9, 29, 37 |
| toad | 3, 9, 29, 36 |
| wild bird | 13 |
| wolf | 7, 25, 37 |
| worm | 5, 13 |
Exploring the Ballad of Tam Lin
The Music of Tam Lin
Comparing Tam Lin to Other Tales
Communicating at Tam Lin
Scotland and Tam Lin
Tam Lin Oddities
Search Tam Lin
back to the entrance
© 1997 - present Abigail Acland for all original works unless otherwise noted.