Tam Lin Balladry

A website of folklore and discovery.

Tam Lin: Pyewackett

Source: Pyewackett

album:The Man In The Moon Drinks Claret

Title: Tam Lin

Site reference number: 31

Summary

Lady Margaret travels to Elphick Glen to pluck flowers, where a young man questions her about her presence. They lay down together, and she asks him about his identity. He reveals that he is of noble birth, and named Tam Lin. He was capture by the fairies when he fell from his hunting horse, and though he is the Queen's favorite, he fears he will soon be sacrificed to the devil. He tells her how she can save his life. She travels to Miles Cross, and waiting in hiding, pulls Tam Lin from his horse when the troop passses by. She hold on to him as he transforms, and wins his away from the fairies.

Tam Lin

  1. Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret
    she was handsome, she was fair,
    and she went out to Elphick Glen
    for to gather the flowers and the leaves so green
    for to gather the flowers and the leaves.
  2. And it's then she saw a young man
    and he ran up to her side,
    saying Who are you to gather flowers
    without the leave of me, my dear,
    without the leave of me?
  3. Oh, I will walk in Elphick Glen
    as freely as I please
    and I will pick the flowers and leaves
    without the leave of you, kind sir,
    without the leave of you.
  4. Then he catch'd her by the middle
    and he gently laid her down
    and when she ask'd the young man's name
    he said My name it is Tam Lin;
    he said, My name's Tam Lin.
  5. The truth I'll tell you, Margaret,
    and a word I would not lie;
    I am a knight and a lady's son,
    and I come from a noble house, he said,
    from a noble family.
  6. Oh, we were out a-hunting
    when from my horse I fell,
    and the Queen of Faerie she captured me,
    and she took me to live in yonder hill,
    to live in yonder hill.
  7. She makes an offering to the Devil
    each and ev'ry seventh year,
    and though I'm in the Queen's favour
    I fear it will be me this time,
    I fear it will be me.
  8. And tomorrow night is Halloween
    and the elvish folk will ride,
    and if you wish to ransom me
    at Miles Cross you must hide, my love,
    at Miles Cross you must hide.
  9. How shall I know you, Tam Lin,
    among so many knights?
    I will ride the milk-white steed,
    and you must pull me down, my dear,
    you must pull me to the ground.
  10. But before I'll be your true love
    and the father of your child
    you must wrap your coat around me:
    and then I shall be yours, Margaret,
    then I shall be yours.
  11. So gloomy was the darkness
    and eerie was the way
    when Margaret came to Miles Cross.
    She heard the horses' bridles ring,
    and she heard their bridles ring.
  12. And the black horse was the first one
    and the next one was the brown,
    but quickly she ran to the milk-white steed.
    She pulled the rider down to the ground,
    and she pulled Tam Lin to the ground.
  13. But they turned him to a lion,
    and they turned him to a snake;
    and as he lay in Margaret's arms
    he turned like ice on a frozen lake,
    like ice on a frozen lake.
  14. And they turned him to a fire,
    and at last to a mortal man;
    and she wrapped her coat around him
    and so she won her love Tam Lin;
    and she won her own true love.

Video

Version Notes

Added to site: July 2001