Summary
Maidens are forbidden to enter Carterhall for fear of Tam Lin. Tam Lin goes walking one morning by the waters. Maidens are again warned against entering Carterhaugh for fear of Tam Lin. Tam Lin encounters his lady love by the church. Soon afterwards, Tam Lin, who has been living int he fairy land, begins to fear he will be the next sacrifice to hell. Janet plucks a rose, and Tam Lin asks if she means to harm the child of theirs she carries. The fairy Queen speaks out angrily, saying that the best knight in her company is gone, and she should have taken out his eyes rather than letting him go.
Tam Lin
- Oh I forbid you maidens all
That wear gold in your hair
to come or go by Carterhall
For young Tam Lin is there. - Tam Lin went awalking one bright morning
Across the hills so green
And he cared nothing for where he'd go
Nor nothing for where he'd been - And he's passed over the little foot bridge
And down to Carterhall
Witrh steps so wide he passes by
you'd think he owned it all - So swiftly did the waters flow
as he came down beside
And you must go and greet him there
for now's no time to hide - Oh I forbid you maidens all
who wear gold in your hair
to come or go by Carterhall
for young Tam Lin is there - As he stood so still by the church yard wall
He spied his lady fair
and they surely knew that they must live
and love without a care - Oh pleasant is the fairy land
but an eerie tale to tell
but at the end of seven years
we pay a tithe to hell
I am so young and fair of face
I'm feared it will be myself - She had not pulled a double rose
a rose but only two
When up then started young Tam Lin
says "Think what you mean to do" - Oh Why you pull the rose, Janet
Among the groves so green?
You must not kill the bonny babe
that we got us between - Up Spoke the queen of the fairy land
and an angry woman was she
She's taken away the bonniest knight
in all my company - And adieu Tam Lin, but had I known
the secrets in your mind
I would have picked out your two fine eyes
and left you beggar blind
Video
(movie clip)
Version Notes
From the 1970 film version of Tam Lin (imdb), performed by the band Pentangle, lyrics by William Speir, performed by Salena Jones. Individual verses were sung as a sort of narrative at several points in the movie.
Added to site: January 2001