Tam Lin Balladry

Tam Lin: Child Ballad #39F
Site Reference Number: 6

source cited Motherwell's MS., p.64, from the recitation of widow McCormick, February, 1825

summary: Margeret goes to Chester wood to pull roses and is confronted by Thomas, but there is no conversation between them. Margeret runs home where her sister angrily accuses her of being pregnant and her mother angrily informs her of the location of abortive agents. She goes to get them, at which point Thomas re-appears and informs her of how to rescue him, which she then does.

1. She's taen her petticoat by the band,
   Her mantle owre her arm,
   And she's awa to Chester wood,
   As fast as she could run.
   
   
2. She scarsely pulled a rose, a rose,
   She searse pulled two or three,
   Till up there starts Thomas
   On the Lady Margeret's knee.
   
   
3. She 's taen her petticoat by the band,
   Her mantle owre her arm,
   And Lady Margeret's gane hame agen
   As fast as she could run.
   
   
4. Up starts Lady Margeret's sister,
   An angry woman was she:
   If there ever was , woman wi child.
   Margaret, you are wi!'
   
   
5. Up starts Lady Margaret's mother.
   And an angry woman was she:
   There grows ane herb in yon Kirk-yard
   That will scathe the babe away.'
   
   
6. She took her petticoats by the band,
   Her mantle owre her arm,
   And she's gane to yon kirk-yard
   As fast as she could run.
   
   
7. She scarcely pulled an herb, an herb,
   She scarse pulled two or three,
   when up starts there Thomas
   upon this Lady Margret's knee.
   
   
8. How dare ye pull a rose? ' he says,
   How dare ye break the tree?
   How dare ye pull this herb,' he says,
   To scathe my babe away?
   
   
9. This night is Halloweve,' he said,
   Our court is going to waste,
   And them that loves their true-love best
   At Chester bridge they'll meet.
   
   
10. First let pass the black,' he says,
    And then let pass the brown,
    But when ye meet the milk-white steed,
    Pull ye the rider down.
    
    
11. 'They'll turn me to an eagle,' he says,
    'Amd then into an ass;
    Come, hold me fast, and fear me not,
    The man that you love best.
    
    
12. 'They'II turn me to a flash of fire,
    And then to a naked man;
    Come, wrap you your mantle me about
    And then you'll have me won.'
    
    
13. She took her petticoats by the band,
    Her mantle owre her arm,
    And she's awa to Chester bridge,
    As fast as she could run.
    
    
14. And first she did let pass the black,
    And then let pass the brown,
    But when she met the milk-white steed,
    She pulled the rider down.
    
    
15. They turned him in her arms an eagle,
    And then into an ass;
    But she held him fast, and feared him not,
    The man that she loved best.
    
    
16. They turned him into a flash of fire,
    And then into a naked man;
    But she wrapped her mantle him about,
    And then she had him won.
    
    
17. 0 wae be to ye, Lady Margaret,
    And an ill death may you die,
    For you've robbed me of the bravest knight
    That eer rode in our company.'

© 1997-2003 Abigail Acland for all original works unless otherwise noted.
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