Tamlyn
- Oh, I forbid you maidens all
That wear gold in your hair
To come or go by Cartershay
For young Tamlin is there, my love
For young Tamlin is there - There's none that go by Cartershay
But they leave him a wad
Either their rings or their green mantles
Or else their maidenheads - May Margery sat in her castle tower
Sewing her silken seam
She looked from out her high window
And she saw the leaves growing green - She's let the seams drop to her foot
The needle to her toe
And she's away to Cartershay
As fast as she can go - She had not pulled a red, red rose
A rose but barely three
When up there started young Tamlin
Says, Let the roses be - Why pulls thou the rose, Margaret?
And why breakest thou the wand?
And why comes thou to Cartershay
Withouten my command? - Cartershay it is my own;
My father gave it me
And I will go to Cartershay
And ask no leave of thee - He's taken her by the milk-white hand
Among the leaves so green
And what they did I cannot say
The green leaves were between - Now since you've had your will of me
Come tell to me your name
But she nothing heard and nothing saw
And all the woods grew dim - May Margery's kilted her green, green skirt
A little above her knee
And she is to her father's hall
As fast as she can hie - Four and twenty ladies fair
Were playing at the ball
And out it's come Lady Margaret
Who was once the flower of all - Four and twenty ladies fair
Were playing at the chess
And out it's come Lady Margaret
As green as any glass - Out then spoke her old waiting maid
And she spoke meek and mild
And ever alas, sweet Margaret, she says
I think thou goes with child - Out then spoke an old grey knight
Lay over the castle wall
And ever alas, fair Margaret, for thee
But we'll be blamed for all - Oh hold your tongue, you ill-faced knight
Some ill death may you die
Father my child on whom I will
I'll father none on thee - Out then spoke her old father dear
And he spoke meek and mild
And ever alas, fair Margaret, he says
I think thou goes with child - If that I go with child, Father,
Myself must bear the blame
There's ne'er a lord about your hall
Shall get the baby's name - If my true love were an earthly knight
As he's an elfin grey
I would not give my own true love
For any lord here today - The horse that my true love rides on
Is lighter than the wind
With silver he is shod before
With burning gold behind - Out then spoke her mother dear
And ever alas, said she
I know an herb in the merry green wood
That will scathe thy babe from thee - May Margery's braided her yellow hair
A little above her breast
And she's away to Cartershay
Without a moment's rest - She had not pulled at Cartershay
An herb but barely one
'Till up there started young Tamlin
Says, Leave the herbs alone - Why pulls thou that bitter herb
Among the leaves so green?
And all to kill the bonnie babe
That we got us between - Now tell to me the truth, Tamlin
A truth - we will not lie-
If ever you were a mortal man
And christened the same as me? - Oh, I will tell the truth, Margaret
A truth - I will not lie -
It's truth I've been in holy chapel
And christened as well as thee - But once it fell upon a day
As hunting I did ride
As I rode East and I rode West
Strange chance did me betide - There blew a drowsy, drowsy wind
And sleep upon me fell
The Queen of Fairies she was there
And she took me to herself - And never would I tire, Margaret
In fairyland to dwell
And pleasant is the fairyland
But an eerie tale to tell - For aye, at every seven years
They pay a tithe to Hell
And I'm so fair and full of flesh
I'm feared 'twill be myself - The night is Halloween, Margaret
The morn is Hallowday
The win me, win me, and ye will
For all I know ye may - Just at the mirk and midnight hour
The elfin folk will ride
And they that would their true love win
At Miles Cross, they must bide - But how shall I thee ken, Tamlin
And how shall I thee know?
Among so many unearthly knights
The like I never saw? - Oh, first let by the black, black steed
And then let by the brown
But haste ye to the milk white steed
And pull the rider down - For I'll be on the milk white steed
With a gold star in my crown
Because I was an earthly knight
They gave me that renown - And they will turn me in your arms
Into a beast so wild
But hold me fast and fear me not
I'm the father of your child - And they'll change me in your arms
Into the red hot iron
But hold me fast and fear me not
I'll do you no harm - They'll turn me in your arms, my love
Into an awful snake
But hold me fast and fear me not
For I'm to be your mate - At last they'll turn me in your arms
Into the melting lead
Then throw me into clear well water
And throw me in with speed - And then I'll be your own true love
I'll turn a naked knight
Cover me with your green mantle
And cover me out of sight - My right hand will be gloved, Margaret
My left hand will be bare
Cocked up shall my helmet be
No doubt I shall be there - Gloomy, gloomy was the night
And eerie was the way
When Margaret in her green mantle
To Miles Cross she did gae - About the middle of the night
She heard the bridles ring
Margaret was as glad of that
As any mortal thing - First went by the black, black steed
And then went by the brown
But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed
And pulled the rider down - And thunder rolled across the sky
And the stars they burned like day
And out then spoke the Queen of the Fairies
Crying young Tamlin's away - They turned him to a bear so bold
Then to a lion wild
She held him fast and feared him not
He was the father of her child - And then they turned him in her arms
Into iron like hot fire
She held him fast and feared him not
He was her heart's desire - They turned him, changed him in her arms
Into a hissing snake
She held him fast and feared him not
He was to be her mate - At last they turned him in her arms
Into the molten lead
She threw him into clear well water
And threw him in with speed - And then he turned a naked knight
She young Tamlin did win
She covered him with her green mantle
As blithe's a bird in spring - Out then spoke the Queen of the Fairies
Out of a bush of broom
She that has gotten young Tamlin
Has gotten a stately groom - Out then spoke the Queen of the Fairies
And angry queen was she
She has gotten the fairest knight
In all my company - Out then spoke the Queen of Fairies
Out of a bush of rye
Shame betide her ill-starred face
And an ill death may she die - If what I'd see this night, Tamlin
Last night I'd understood
I'd have torn out thy two grey eyes
And put in two of wood - If what I see this night, Tamlin
Last night I'd only known
I'd have taken out your heart of flesh
Put in a heart of stone - If I'd but half the wit yestereen
That I have bought today
I'd have paid my tithe seven times to Hell
E'er you'd been won away