Tam Lin: Doug Bischoff

Summary

Maidens know not to go to Carterhaugh, but Janet goes anyway, and meets Tam Lin after she plucks some roses. When she returns home, her maids note that she looks ashen, and say they will get the blame. Janet returns to Carterhaugh to find herbs to end the pregnancy, which causes Tam Lin to appear again. He tells her how she can rescue him. She does so, to the anger of the Queen of Fairies.

Tam Lin

1. All maiden know that to go
   To Carterhaugh's forbid,
   But never a mind what old men say,
   That's just what Janet did.
2. She had not pulled a single rose
   Till up spoke young Tam Lin
   Says "No maiden comes to Carterhaugh
   And a maid returns again"
3. Janet, kilt your kirtle green
   And braid your golden hair
   And get ye gone from Carterhaugh
   For young Tam Lin is there
   An earthly knight once was he
   Till one fell day did ride
   Then seven years in the land of fey
   Did young Tam Lin abide.
4. To her home did Janet fly
   Back to her ladies fair
   They saw her look, her ashen face
   And knew that she'd been there.
5. "On us will be blame" said one
   and thus reply'd she:
   "I'll father my bairn on whom I will
   and ask no leave at thee".
6. Janet, kilt your kirtle green
   And braid your golden hair
   And get ye back to Carterhaugh
   For young Tam Lin is there
   An earthly knight oh once was he
   Till one fell day did ride
   Then seven years in the land of fey
   Did young Tam Lin abide
7. An herb there was in Carterhaugh
   She knew would change the tide.
   Back to the darkling forest
   She set herself to ride.
8. She had not pulled a single leaf
   Till up then spoke Tam Lin
   Saying "How can you scathe the bonny babe
   That we got us between?"
9. Janet, kilt your kirtle green
   And braid your golden hair
   And get ye back to Carterhaugh
   For young Tam Lin is there
   An earthly knight oh once was he
   Till one fell day did ride
   Then seven years in the land of fey
   Did young Tam Lin abide
10. "On Hallow's eve, you'll win me, lass,
    And I'll your husband be
    Just hold me fast and fear me not
    Nae matter what you see"
11. As on the mirk and midnight hour
    The fairy folk did ride
    And there was she, as he did say,
    At Miles Cross betide
12. She pulled him from his milk-white steed
    And a serpent he became
    Then in her arms he was a bear
    And finally a flame.
13. Then he turned a simple man
    She'd won him from the fae
    Their angry queen said "Aye Tam Lin,
    You're fairly won away!"
14. Janet, kilt your kirtle green
    And braid your golden hair
    And get ye gone to Carterhaugh
    For young Tam Lin is there
    An earthly knight oh once was he
    Till one fell day did ride
    Then seven years in the land of fey
    Did young Tam Lin abide.

Notes

Added to site October 2014

Available from artist's website