Summary
Lady Margaret travels to the green woods. She pulls branches down
and is confronted by someone who then instructs her that on
halloween night she can pull a rider from a horse to win the father
of her child.
Tam Lin
- Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret
Been sewing at a seam,
She looked East, she looked West
And she saw those merry green woods growing green,
She saw those merry green woods. - For she kiltit up her petticoats
It's up to them she ran;
And when she came to those merry green woods
She pulled those branches down, my dear,
She pulled those branches down. - For it's there she spied a gentleman
Coming through the wood to her side.
'O it's who gave you oh leave my dear
To pull those branches down, my dear,
It's who gave you oh leave?' - For it's onst I could pull those trees, those trees,
It's onst I could pull those trees.
It's onst I could pull those trees, those trees,
All without the leave of you, my dear,
All without the leave of you. - For he catched her by the middle small;
He gently laid her down;
'It's since you've got your will of me
Come tell to me your name, kind sir,
Come tell to me your name.' - 'For tomorrow it is new Halloween,
And the quality's goin to ride;
You'll pass them by at the old millbridge
As they go ridin by, my dear,
As they go ridin by. - 'For the first will be is a white-milk steed
And it's then there'll be a black;
You'll hold his head, you'll fear no ill
He's the father of your child, my dear,
He's the father of your child. - 'For the next will be
Is into a snake so large;
You'll hold his head, you'll fear no ill
He's the father of your child, my dear,
He's the father of your child. - 'For the next will be
Is into a naked man;
You'll throw your mantle all around
And cry, you're won, my dear, you're won,
You're the father of my child.'
Version Notes
It is not clear if Tam Lin is the roder of the horse or the horse in this version.
Added to site: January 2003