Feyland: The Dark Realm

The Ballad of Tam Lin

I forbid you maidens all

That wear gold in your hair

To come or go by Carter Hall

For young Tam Lin is there.

Janet has kilted her kirtle green

A little about her knee,

And she has braided her yellow hair

A little above her bree,

And she's away to Carter Hall,

As fast as she can hie.

When she came to Carter Hall

Tam Lin was at the well,

And there she found his steed standing,

But away was himself.

The steed that my true-love rides on

Is lighter than the wind,

With silver he is shod before,

With burning gold behind.

She had not pulled a double rose,

A rose but only two,

Till up then started young Tam Lin,

Says, ‘Lady, pick no more.

And once it fell upon a day,

A cold day and a snell,

When we were from the hunting come,

That from my horse I fell;

The Queen o Fairies she caught me,

In yon green hill to dwell.’          

'And pleasant is the fairy land,

But an eerie tale to tell,

Aye at the end of seven years

We pay a tiend to hell;

I am so fair and full o flesh,

I'm feared it be myself.

The night is Halloween, lady,

The morn is Hallowday,

And for to win me, win me well

Take heed to what I say.

Just at the mirk and midnight hour

The faerie folk will ride,

And they that would their true-love win,

At Miles Cross must bide.

Oh first let pass the black horse,

And then let pass the brown,

But quickly run to the milk-white steed

And pull the rider down.

'They'll turn me in your arms, lady,

An adder and a snake;

But hold me fast, let me not go,

To be your worldly mate.

'They'll turn me to a bear

And then a lion bold;

But hold me fast, and fear me not,

As ye shall love your child.

'Again they'll turn me in your arms

To a red hot bar of iron;

But hold me fast, and fear me not,

I'll do to you no harm.

At last they’ll turn me in your arms

Into a naked knight,

Then cloak me in your mantle green,

And cover me from sight.'

Gloomy, gloomy was the night,

And eerie was the way,

As fair Janet in her mantle green

To Miles Cross she did go.

About the middle of the night

She heard the bridles ring;

This lady was as glad at that

As any earthly thing.

First she let the black pass by,

And then she let the brown;

But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed,

And pulled the rider down.

So well she minded what he did say,

And young Tam Lin did win;

Then covered him with her mantle green,

As blithe's a bird in spring.

Out then spoke the Queen o Fairies,

Out of a bush of broom;

'She that has gotten young Tam Lin

Has got a stately groom.'

Out then spoke the Queen o Fairies,

Out of a bush of rye:

'She that has gotten young Tam Lin

Has the best knight in my company.

Had I but known, Tam Lin,' she says,

'Before I came from home,

I’d taken out that heart of flesh,

Put in a heart of stone.'

Collected by Francis James Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads

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