Summary
Maidens are forbidden to enter Carterhaugh, for fear of Tam Lin, who takes a fee of those that enter. Janet goes to Carterhaugh and plucks roses, which summons Tam Lin. He questions her presence, to which she responds that the land is hers and she does not need his permission. He takes her by the hand and sleeve. She returs to her father's house, where it is observed that she looks a bit green and her petticoat seems to have shrunk. She declares that no man present is the father of her child. She returns to Carterhaugh, again plucking roses and again summoning Tam Lin. He questions if she means to kill their child. She asks him of his origins. He explains that he is of the house Roxborough, but he fell from his horse while out hunting, and was taken by the Queen of Elfinland to dwell in her lands. He enjoys his life with them, but they perform sacrifices to Hell. That night is Halloween, and he tells her how to recognize him in the troop and how to save him. She follows his instructions, hiding at the crossroads, saluting the first part of the troop, and finally pulling Tam Lin from his horse. She hides him under her skirts, holding him as he transforms, and completing the transformations by dipping him in milk and then water. The Queen of Elfinlands says her true love has been stolen from her, and had she known this would happen, she would have replaced his eyes with wood and his heart with stone.
Tam Lin
- I forbid ye, maidens a
That wear gold in your hair
Tae come or gae by Carterhaugh
For young Tam Lin is there. - There's nane that gaes tae Carterhaugh
But pays to him their fee,
Either their rings or green Mantles
Or else their maidenheid. - Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little abune her knee,
and she has gane to Carterhaugh
as fast as she could hie - She hadnae pu'd a double rose
A rose but and a briar
When oot and started Young Tam Lin,
Says, "Lady, ye'll pu' nae mair." - 'Why pu' ye the rose, lady,
And why break ye the wand?
And why come ye tae Carterhaugh
Withooten my command?" - "Carterhaugh is mine," she said,
My daddy gie tae me,
And I will come tae Caterhaugh
Withoot the lief o' thee." - He's taen her by the milk-white haund
Amd by the grass-green sleeve,
and laid her doon upon a bank,
and didnae ask her leave. - Janer has kilted her green kirtle
a little abune her knee,
And she has gane tae her daddy's hoose
As fast as she could hie. - There were fowre-and-twenty ladies fair
A-playing' at the ba',
And Janet gaed like ony queen,
A flowr amang them a'. - There were fowre-and-twenty ladies fair
A-playing' at the chess,
And Janet gaed amang them a'
As green as ony grass. - Oot spak then an auld grey knicht,
Stood owre the castle wa',
And said, "Alas, dear Janet
But I fear ye've gotten a fa',
Your petticoat is gey shorter
and we'll be blamed a'." - O Haud yer tongue, ye old grey knicht
And an ill deith may ye dee
Faither my bairn on wha I will
I'll faither nane on thee. - Then oot spak her auld faither,
Says, "Janet, you're beguiled.
Your petticoat is gey shorter
I fear ye gang wi' child." - "O if I gang wi' bairn, faither,
It's I will tak' the blame.
There's no' a knicht aboot your ha'
Sha' bear my bairnie's name. - Janet as kilted her green kirtle
a little abune her knee,
And she's has gane tae Carterhaugh
as fast as she could hie - She hadnae pu'd a double rose
A rose but and a briar
When oot and started Young Tam Lin,
Says, "Janet, ye'll pu' nae mair." - "Why pu' ye the rose, Janet,
Amang the leaves sae green?
A' for to kill the bonnie babe
That we gat us between." - "Tell me, noo, Tam Lin," she said,
"For's His sake wha died on tree,
Gin ever ye were in holy kirk
or else in Christendee." - "Roxburgh was my grandfaither
And wi' him I did ride,
And it fell oot upon a day
That wae did me betide. - Ay, it fell oot upon a day,
A cauld day and a snell,
When we were fae the hunting come
That fae my horse I fell. - The Queen o' Elfinland passed by,
Took me wi' her to dwell,
E'en whaur there is a pleasant place
For them that in it dwell,
Though at the end o' seiven year
They pay their soul to Hell. - The nicht it is auld Hallow E'en
When elfin folk do ride,
And them that would their true-loves win
At Miles Cross they maun bide. - "But tell me noo, Tam Lin," she said,
"When ye're amang the thrang,
Hoo should I ken my ain true-love
amang that unco band?" - "Some will ride the black, the black,
And some will ride the broon,
But I'll be on the milk-white horse
Shod wi' the siller shoon. - "The ae hand will be gloved, Janet
the other will be bare,
And by these tokens' I'll gie ye,
Ye'll ken that I am there. - "The first company that passes by,
say "na" and let them gae,
The second company that passes by,
Then let them gang their way,
But the third company that passes by
Then I'll be yin o' they. - Ye'll hie ye tae my milk-white steed
and pu' me quickly doon,
Throw your green kirtle owre me
To keep me fae the rain - They'll turn me in your airms, lady
Tae an adder and a snake,
But haud me fast unto yer breist
Tae be your worldy mate. - They'll turn me in your airms, lady
A spotted toad to be,
But haud me fast unto your breist
T'enjoy your fair body. - They'll turn me in your airms, lady
Tae a mither-naked man,
Cast your green kirtle owre me
To keep me frae the rain. - First put me in a stand o' milk
Syne in a stand o' water,
and haud me fast unto your breist
I am your bairn's father. - Janet has kilted her green kirtle
a little abune her knee
and she has gane tae Miles Cross
as fast as she could hie. - The first company that passed her by
She said "na" and let them gae,
The second company that passed her by
She let them gang their way
But the third company that passed her by
Then he was yin o' they. - She's heid her to his milk-white steed
And pu'd him quickly doon,
Cast her green kirtle owre him
To keep him fae the rain. - They've turned him in his lady's airms
Tae an adder and a snake,
She held him fast unto heir breist
He was her worldy mate. - They've turned him in his lady's airms
A spotted toad to be,
She held him fast unto heir breist
T'enjoy her fair body. - They've turned him in his lady's airms
Tae a mither-naked man,
She's cast her green kirtle owre him
To keep him fae the rain. - She's put him in a stand o' milk,
Syne in a stand o' water,
She's held him fast unto her breist,
He was her bairn's faither. - Oot spak the Queen O' Elfinland
Oot o' a bush o broom,
"O, wha' has gotten young Tam Lin
Has gotten a stately groom - "Oot spak the Queen o' Elfinland
Oot o' a thorny tree,
O', wha has gotten young Tam Lin
Has taen my love fae me. - "Gin I had kent, Tam Lin," she said
"A lady would borrow thee,
I would hae torn oot thy twa grey e'en
Put in twa e'en o' a tree. - "Gin I had kent, Tam Lin," she said
"When first we came tae home,
I would hae torn oot that hairt o' flesh,
Put in a hairt o' stane."
Video
Version Notes
Added to site: October 2005