Tam Lin
Child Ballad #39
Marg’ret sat in her empty bower
Sewing her silken seam
And longed for the woods of Carterhough
Among the roses green (1)
Marg’ret watched from her lonely bower
Sewing her silken thread
And longed for the woods of Carterhough
Among the roses red (2)
She let the seam fall to the floor,
The needle to her toe
And off she’s gone to Carterhough
As fast as she could go (3)
She rolled her Kirtle to her knee;
She brode her yellow hair;
She ran on towards Carterhough,
Foe young Tam Lin was there. (4)
When she got to the woods of Carterhough
Tam Lin was at the well.
She found his good steed standing there,
Though away he was himself (5)
She hadn’t pulled a rose, a rose,
A rose but sure not two
When then appeared Tam Lin, and said,
“Fair girl what do you do?” (6)
“What makes you pull the rose, the rose?
What makes you climb the tree?
What makes you come to Carterhough
Without the ask of me? (7)
I’ll pull the flowers as I please;
I’ll climb on any tree.
There are roses, roses, roses here
And I need not ask of thee. (8)
He took by her milk-white hand
And by her grass green sleeve
He laid her down among the flowers,
Among the roses green (9)
He took by her milk-white hand—
And laid her down to bed;
He laid her down among the flowers
Among the roses red. (10)
Marg’ret back from Carterhough
Hid her secret shame
From four and twenty ladies fair
Who bade her avoid Tam Lin, (11)
There’s four and twenty ladies fair
Weaving threads of silk
And Marg’ret goes among them all,
Her face as pale as milk (12)
There’s four and twenty gentlemen
A playing on the grass
And Marg’ret goes among them all
As green as any glass. (13)
Now sternly spoke an auld grey knight:
“You bring the castle shame,”
And says, “Alas fair Marg’ret,
For this babe, we’ll all be blamed.” (14)
Hold your tongue you old-faced knight,
Some ill death may ye’ die.
I’ll father my boy with whom I will
But never you and I.” (15)
Then up and spoke her father clear;
Well-spoken meek and mild:
“Alas this day, my Marg’ret dear,
I fear you go withchild.” (16)
“And is it to a man of might
Or to a man of means
Or who among my gentlemen
Shall give the babe his name?” (17)
“Oh, father, if I go with child
This much to you I’ll tell
There’s none among your gentlemen
That I would treat so well. (18)
And, father, if I go with child
Then I must bear the blame;
There’s none among your gentlemen
Shall give the babe his name. (19)
The steed my lover rides upon
Is lighter than the wind,
With silver he is shod before,
With gold he’s shod behind. (20)
If he were to an earthly knight
As he’s an elfin grey,
I’d never give my own true love
For any lord you have. (21)
If he were to a gentleman
And not a wild shade,
I’d rock him all the winter’s night
And all the summer’s day” (22)
She let the seam fall to the floor,
The needle to her toe,
And off she’s gone to Carterhough
As fast as she could go (23)
She rolled her Kirtle to her knee
And brode her yellow hair,
And on she ran towards Carterhough
For she knew Tam Lin was there. (24)
She hadn’t pulled a rose, a rose,
A rose but sure not two,
When then appeared young Tam Lin
“Fair girl what do you do? (25)
What makes you pull the poison rose?
What makes you climb the tree?
To kill the bonny babe, the babe,
That we have got between?” (26)
“Oh I’ll pull the poison rose, Tamlin,
Oh, I will break the tree,
But I’ll not bear the little babe
That you have got with me. (27)
If our babe were to a gentleman
And not a wild shade,
I’d rock him all the winter’s night
And all the summer’s day” (28)
Marg’ret’s skin blushed rowan red
And she did feel great shame
And said, “If you are a gentleman
You will tell me now your name.” (29)
“First they called me Jack,” he said,
“Then called me John, the same,
But since I’ve lived in the Faerie’s Court
Tam Lin has been my name. (30)
So do not pluck the poison rose,
That has these pimples gray;
They would destroy our bonny babe,
That we’ve got in our play.” (31)
“Then tell me, Tamlin,” Marg’ret said,
“Pray tell as soon you can.
Were you ever at the good church door?
Are you a Christian man?” (32)
“Oh, I have been at the good church door,
And I am a Christian man.
I was born Roxbrough’s eldest son,
And heir of all this land. (33)
But it fell upon me once a day,
As a’ hunting I did ride,
As I rode east and west yon hill
There woe did me betide. (34)
O drowsy, drowsy I did ride!
She poured sleep upon me bones;
Then the Queen of Faeries pulled me down,
And took me as her own. (35)
Now pleasant is the fairy land,
Where I’m condemned to dwell;
I am fairy, lythe and limb,
Dear Marg’ret view me well. (36)
The Elfins is a pretty place,
In which I love to dwell,
But when seven years comes to end
The last here goes to hell. (37)
And as I am made of flesh and blood,
I’ll be the tithe they’ll pay to hell.
As I am made of flesh and blood
They’ll sacrifice myself. (38)
Now tonight, Marg’ret is Hallow’s Eve
The morn is Hallow’s day,
Then win me, win me, if you will,
or in this Elfin world I’ll stay. (39)
Tonight at the dark and midnight hour
the faerie folk will ride;
And if any maiden wins her man,
Then true she’ll be his bride.” (40)
“But how, Tam Lin, shall I see you clear,
How shall your true-love know,
Among so many Elfin knights,
With whom you’ll riding go?” (41)
“First let by the sleek black mare,
And then let by the brown;
Then grab me from the milk-white steed,
And pull me to the ground. (42)
My right hand will be gloved, lady,
My left hand will be bare,
and cocked up shall my bonnet be,
And combed down shall be my hair. (43)
But the Faerie Queen will not be pleased,
her rage will dark and swell;
She’ll try her magic to win me back
and now these to ye’ I tell: (44)
“She’ll turn me in your arms, Marg’ret
into a monstrous snake,
But hold me fast me fast; don’t let me go,
or me from you she’ll take. (45)
She’ll turn me in your arms, Marg’ret
into a bear so bold,
But hold me fast; don’t let me go,
As soon the babe we’ll know. (46)
She’ll turn me in your arms, Marg’ret
Into a lion fierce and wild,
But hold me fast; don’t let me go,
I’m the father of your child. (47)
She ‘ll turn me in your arms, Marg’ret,
Into red-hot rod of iron;
But hold me fast; don’t let me go,
I’ll ne’er do you harm. (48)
And last they’ll turn me in your arms
Into a burning gleed of coal,
Then sprinkle me with well water,
To save my dying soul. (49)
Then I’ll be your own true-love,
And I’ll turn a naked knight,
Then cover me with your green mantle,
And hide me out of sight.” (50)
Gloomy, gloomy, was the night,
And eerie was the path,
As Marg’ret, in her green mantle,
To Miles Cross came at last. (51)
At the midnight hour of Halloween
She heard the bridles ring.
And Marg’ret was as g1ad of that
As any earthly thing. (52)
And first went by the sleek black mare,
And then went by the brown;
But fast she leapt on the milk-white steed,
And pulled young Tam Lin down. (53)
Marg’ret held fast to Tamlin
As they laid there on the ground;
The Faerie Queen raised a cry,
“Who pulled young Tam Lin down?” (54)
She turned him to a monstrous snake
that coiled Marg’ret round,
But she held him fast and did not let go
As they rolled upon the ground (55)
She turned him to a bear so bold
Then to a lion wild,
But she held him fast and did not let go
The father of his child. (56)
She turned him into a red hot iron
Then to a glowing gleed of coal
Then dipped him in the well water,
The husband she would know. (57)
The Faerie Queen gave in at last
and once more Tam Lin changed:
She turned him to a naked man,
And in dear Marg’ret’s arms he lay. (58)
“Now I am your true-love,
A true and naked knight,
But cover me with your green mantle,
And hide me out of sight.” (59)
Upspake the Queen of Faeries,
Out of a bush of broom:
“She that’s borrowed young Tam Lin
Has now a stately groom.” (60)
Upspake the Queen of Faeries,
Out of a bush of rye:
“She’s taken away the bonniest knight
I’ve had in all my life.” (61)
“Had I known, Tam Lin,” she says,
“A lady would borrow thee,
I’d have pulled out your two blue eyes,
And put them in a tree.” (62)
“Had I known, Tam Lin,” she says,
“Before ye came from home,
I would have pulled out your heart of flesh,
And put in a heart of stone. (63)
Had I known on Hallow’s Eve
What I now know today,
I’d have sent you on your way to hell
Before you’d been won away.” (64)
There’s four and twenty maidens fair
and one of them did cry,
A Knight and Marg’ret on a milk-white steed
Together they do ride. (65)
There’s four and twenty gentlemen
playing on the grass:
One loudly cried that Roxbrough’s son
Is a’ coming home at last. (66)
Then up spoke Marg’ret’s father,
Spoken meek and mild,
“No happier man than me today
for my daughter with her child.” (67)
Come all you who long for Carterhough,
Who wear gold in your hair,
Heed my song of young Tam Lin
Before ye think of going there. (68)
Aye, I would wager many times
Five hundred merk or more:
A maiden goes to Carterhough,
A maiden is no more. (69)
If you have any more information to share about this song or helpful links, please post as a comment.
Thanks for stopping by the site!
~John Fitz
I am indebted to the many friends who share my love of traditional songs and to the many scholars whose works are too many to include here. I am also incredibly grateful to the collector’s curators and collators of Wikipedia, Mudcat.org, MainlyNorfolk.info, and TheContemplator.com for their wise, thorough and informative contributions to the study of folk music.
I share their research on my site with humility, thanks, and gratitude. Please cite their work accordingly with your own research. If you have any research or sites you would like to share on this site, please post in the comment box. Thanks!
Tam (or Tamas) Lin (also called Tamlane, Tamlin, Tambling, Tomlin, Tam Lien, Tam-a-Line, Tam Lyn, or Tam Lane) is a character in a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. It is also associated with a reel of the same name, also known as the Glasgow Reel. The story revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies. The motif of winning a person by holding him through all forms of transformation is found throughout Europe in folktales.[2][3]
The story has been adapted into numerous stories, songs and films.
It is listed as the 39th Child Ballad and number 35 in the Roud Folk Song Index.
Synopsis
Most variants begin with the warning that Tam Lin collects either a possession or the virginity of any maiden who passes through the forest of Carterhaugh. When a young woman, usually called Janet or Margaret, goes to Carterhaugh and plucks a double rose, Tam appears and asks her why she has come without his leave and taken what is his. She states that she owns Carterhaugh because her father has given it to her.[5]
In most variants, Janet then goes home and discovers that she is pregnant; some variants pick up the story at this point. When asked about her condition, she declares that her baby's father is an elf whom she will not forsake. In some versions, she is informed of a herb that will induce abortion; in all the variants, when she returns to Carterhaugh and picks a plant, either the same roses as on her earlier visit or the herb, Tam reappears and challenges her action.[2]
She asks him whether he was ever human, either after that reappearance or, in some versions, immediately after their first meeting resulted in her pregnancy. Tam Lin reveals that, though he was once a mortal man, he was imprisoned in Caterhaugh by the Queen of Faeries after she kidnapped him by catching him when he fell from his horse.[6] He goes on to tell Janet that the fairies give one of their people as a teind (tithe) to Hell at midnight on every seventh Hallowe'en. He asks Janet for her help in freeing him, and receives her agreement; he then instructs her to come to the forest at the time of the tithe, during which he'll be in the company of numerous faerie knights -- he tells her that she'll recognize him by his white horse. Janet must pull him down from his horse, thus making her the one to "catch" him this time, and hold him tightly: he warns her that the fairies will attempt to make her drop him by turning him into all manner of beasts (see Proteus), but states that none of these forms will actually cause her harm. Tam Lin will eventually take the shape of burning coal; when this occurs, Janet is to throw him into a well, whereupon he will reappear as a naked mortal man whom Janet must hide. She does as she is asked and wins her knight; though her success angers the Queen of Faeries, the latter accepts her defeat.[2][5]
In different variations, Tam Lin is reportedly the grandson of the Laird of Roxburgh, the Laird of Foulis, the Earl of Forbes, or the Earl of Murray. His name also varies between versions (Tam Lin being the most common) as Tom Line, Tomlin, Young Tambling, Tam-a-line and Tamlane.[7][1]
Early versions
The ballad dates to at least as early as 1549 (the publication date of The Complaynt of Scotland that mentions "The Tayl of the Ȝong Tamlene" ('The Tale of the Young Tamelene') among a long list of medieval romances).[2][8] Michael Drayton's narrative poem Nimphidia (1627) includes a character called Tomalin who is a vassal and kinsman of Oberon, King of the Fairies. Robert Burns wrote a version of Tam Lin based on older versions of the ballad, which was printed in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum (1796).[9]
The story featured in several nineteenth century books of fairy tales under different titles:
- "Elphin Irving, the Fairies' Cupbearer" in Traditional Tales of the English and Scottish Peasantry by Allan Cunningham (1822)[10]
- "Wild Robin" in Little Prudy's Fairy Book by Sophie May (1866)[11]
- "Tamlane" in More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (1893)[1]
Francis James Child collected fourteen traditional variants in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads in the nineteenth century.[2] (Another Child ballad, Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane, has no connection with this ballad except for the similarity of the heroes' names.)
Motifs
Child took the threat to take out Tam Lin's eyes as a common folklore precaution against mortals who could see fairies, in the tales of fairy ointment. Joseph Jacobs interpreted it as rather a reversal of the usual practice; the Queen of Faeries would have kept him from seeing the human woman who rescued him.[1]
In some variants, "Hind Etin" has verses identical to this for the first meeting between the hero and the heroine.[2]: 340
Field recordings
The ballad has been recorded several times from Scottish and Northern Irish people who learned it in the oral tradition. Eddie Butcher of Magilligan, County Londonderry knew a fragment of the ballad which can be heard via the Irish Traditional Music Archive,[12] and Paddy Tunney of Mollybreen, County Fermanagh sang a version to Hugh Shields in 1968.[13] In Scotland, Duncan Williamson of Auchtermuchty, Fifeshire,[14] William Whyte of Aberdeen[15] and Betsy Johnston of Glasgow[16] all had traditional versions recorded, the latter two by Hamish Henderson.
Popular recordings of the ballad
Following are some of the notable recordings of the ballad, including their artists, titles, albums, and years:
| Artist | Title | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frankie Armstrong | "Tam Lin" | I Heard a Woman Singing | 1984 |
| Anne Briggs | "Young Tambling" | Anne Briggs | 1971 |
| Current 93 | "Tamlin" | Tamlin | 1994 |
| Daniel Dutton | "Tam Lin" | Twelve Ballads | 2006 |
| Fairport Convention | "Tam Lin" | Liege & Lief | 1969 |
| Archie Fisher | "Tam Lin" | Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition | 2017 |
| Bob Hay | "Tam Lin" | Tam Lin and More Songs by Robert Burns | 2006 |
| The Imagined Village (Benjamin Zephaniah, Eliza Carthy, et al.) | "Tam Lyn Retold" | The Imagined Village | 2007 |
| Bill Jones | "Tale of Tam Lin" | Panchpuran | 2001 |
| Alastair McDonald | "Tam Lin" | Heroes & Legends of Scotland | 2007 |
| Mediæval Bæbes | "Tam Lin" | Mirabilis | 2005 |
| Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer | Tam Lin (Child 39)[17] | Child Ballads | 2013 |
| Pete Morton | "Tamlyn" | Frivolous Love | 1984 |
| Mrs. Ackroyd Band | "Tam Lin" | Gnus & Roses | 1995 |
| Ian Page | "Tam Lin" | Folk Music of Scotland | 2008 |
| Pentangle | "Tam Lin" | The Time Has Come | 2007 |
| Steeleye Span | "Tam Lin" | Tonight's the Night, Live! | 1992 |
| Tempest | "Tam Lin" | Serrated Edge | 1992 |
| Tricky Pixie (Betsy Tinney, S. J. Tucker, Alexander James Adams) | "Tam Lin" | Mythcreants | 2009 |
| Mike Waterson | "Tam Lyn" | For Pence and Spicy Ale (reissue) | 1993 |
| Kathleen Yearwood | "Tam Lin" | Book of Hate | 1994 |
| Faun | "Tamlin" | Pagan | 2022 |
Benjamin Zephaniah was awarded Best Original Song in the Hancocks 2008, Talkawhile Awards for Folk Music (as voted by members of Talkawhile.co.uk[18]) for Tam Lyn Retold. He collected the award at The Cambridge Folk Festival on 2 August 2008.[19]
Popular instrumental recordings
Following are some of the notable instrumental recordings, including their artists, titles, albums, and years:
| Artist | Title | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davey Arthur (with Three Fingered Jack) | "Tam Lin" (with 2 other reels) | Bigger Than You Think | 2010 |
| Séamus Egan | "Tamlin" (with 2 other reels) | In Your Ear | 1998 |
| Elephant Revival | "Tam Lin Set" | It's Alive | 2012 |
| Tania Elizabeth | "Tam Lynn's" | This Side Up | 2000 |
| Fiddler's Green | "Tam Lin" | Wall of Folk | 2011 |
| Joe Jewell | "Tam Lin" | Bluebells of Scotland | 1997 |
| King Chiaullee | "Tam Lin" (with 3 other reels) | Reel: Ode | 2003 |
| Jeremy Kittel | "Tamlin" | Celtic Fiddle | 2003 |
| Catriona MacDonald & Ian Lowthian | "Tam Lin" (with 2 other reels) | Opus Blue | 1993 |
| Trent Wagler & The Steel Wheels | "Tam Lin" | Blue Heaven | 2006 |
Adaptations
Prose
- John Myers Myers tells a variant in Silverlock (1949)
- The Armourer's House, by Rosemary Sutcliff (1951) -- includes a telling of the Tam Lin tale, which parallels the novel's theme of a girl struggling to obtain her dreams.
- Scottish Folk-Tales and Legends, by Barbara Ker Wilson (1954)
- Thursday, by Catherine Storr (1971)
- Red Shift, by Alan Garner (1973)
- The Queen of Spells, by Dahlov Ipcar (1973)
- The Perilous Gard, by Elizabeth Marie Pope (1974)
- Fire and Hemlock, by Diana Wynne Jones (1985)
- Tam Lin by Joan D. Vinge, in Imaginary Lands edited by Robin McKinley (1986)
- Nattens demon (translated from Norwegian as Demon of the Night), by Margit Sandemo (1987)
- Tam Lin: An Old Ballad, by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak (1990)
- Hold Me Fast, Don't Let Me Pass, by Alice Munro, in Friend of My Youth (1990)
- Tam Lin by Susan Cooper, illustrated by Warwick Hutton (1991)
- Tam Lin, by Pamela Dean (1991)
- Tam Lin, in the graphic novel series Ballads and Sagas edited by Charles Vess (1995)
- Winter Rose, by Patricia McKillip (1996)
- Never Let Go, by Geraldine McCaughrean, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft (1999)
- Burd Janet, by Jane Yolen, in Not One Damsel in Distress (2000)
- Tam Lin (a version in Scots), by Ian MacFadyen, in The Eildon Tree, Special Double Issue 4-5: Winter 2001, edited by Tom Bryan
- "Cotillion", by Delia Sherman, in Firebirds, edited by Sharyn November (2003)
- The Dogs of Babel (UK edition: Lorelei's Secret), by Carolyn Parkhurst (2003)
- Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black (2004)
- "He Said, Sidhe Said" by Tanya Huff, in Faerie Tales ed. Russell Davis and Martin H. Greenberg (2004)
- An Earthly Knight, by Janet McNaughton (2005)
- Blood and Iron, by Elizabeth Bear (2006)
- Summer's Lease, by Eluki bes Shahar (Rosemary Edghill) [citation needed]
- ”The Lady and the Fox,” by Kelly Link, in My True Love Gave to Me, ed. Stephanie Perkins (2014)
- Roses and Rot, by Kat Howard (2016)
Theatre
- The Thyme of the Season by Duncan Pflaster (incorporates elements and allusions to the story)
- Tamlane by Edwin Stiven[20]
Film
- Tam-Lin (1970) directed by Roddy McDowall, and starring Ava Gardner.
Novels
- In Carolyn Parkhurst's novel The Dogs of Babel (also known as Lorelei's Secret in the UK), a section of Tam Lin plays a pivotal role in the story. In it the narrator, Paul Iverson, discovers that his recently deceased wife left an encrypted message to him in their bookshelf, quoting Tam Lin.
- In The House of the Scorpion, a novel by Nancy Farmer, Tam Lin is the bodyguard of the protagonist, the clone of Matteo Alacrán.
- The multi-faceted novel Red Shift by Alan Garner can be read as a subtle reworking of the ballad.
- In the fantasy novel The Battle of Evernight by Cecilia Dart-Thornton, the story of Tam Lin is told as the story of Tamlain Conmor.
- Tamlin appears in the fantasy novel Rumors of Spring by Richard Grant.
- In Jim Butcher's novel Cold Days Tam Lin is referenced as a former Knight of the Winter Court
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015) has a fairy character named Tamlin whom the protagonist saves from an evil fairy queen, though the novel's plot resembles Beauty and the Beast.[citation needed]
Comic books
- Tam-Lin, a closet drama written by Elaine Lee and illustrated by Charles Vess, appears in The Book of Ballads and Sagas, Vess's collection of adaptations of traditional songs, mostly into comics form.[21]
- In the Vertigo comic book, Fables, Tam Lin died in the defence of the last stronghold of the Fables against the forces of the Adversary. He is claimed to be the knight loved by the queen of the faeries, who had a reputation of a scoundrel, but gave up his chance of freedom to his page.
- In the Vertigo comic book series, The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, the notion that Faerie pays a sacrificial tithe to Hell is mentioned in the storyline "Season of Mists".
- In the Vertigo comic book series The Books of Magic, The Names of Magic, and The Books of Faerie, Tamlin is the father of the protagonist Timothy Hunter, potentially the greatest sorcerer in the world. In The Books of Faerie: The Widow's Tale, the story of Tamlin's romance with Queen Titania of Faerie is revealed.[22]
Other
- The story was inserted in Cecilia Dart-Thornton's last book of the Bitterbynde trilogy, The Battle of Evernight.
- In the mobile game Fate/Grand Order, Tam Lin are used to refer to Fairy Knights in the English Translation of the game.
- In the Shin Megami Tensei series of video games, Tam Lin is a recurring demon that can often be recruited relatively early and is one of the very few demons whose design share an exact model with another demon – its brother model being another northern European mythological hero, Cu Chulainn.
- This ballad was one of 25 traditional works included in Ballads Weird and Wonderful (1912) and illustrated by Vernon Hill.
- The Rose,[23] The Knight,[24] and The Faery Host[25] are paintings by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law depicting various parts of the Tam Lin legend.
- The Choose Your Own Adventure book Enchanted Kingdom has an ending in which the reader/player's character is rescued from the fairies by a girl whom the character has befriended, who has to hold onto the character through three transformations.
- In Seanan McGuire's October Daye series, the poem is both spoken and referenced over the course of the series, and Janet is a character in some of the later books. The events of the poem occurred in universe.
- Alastair White's fashion-opera WOAD adapts the ballad to explore the implications of multiverse theory.[26]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Jacobs, Joseph; Batten, John D. (1894). "Tamlane". More English Fairy Tales (2nd ed.). London: David Nutt. pp. 159–62 & notes: 238. ISBN 0-370-01023-X.
- ^ a b c d e f Child, Francis James, ed. (1890). "Tam Lin". English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Vol. I Part 2. Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company. pp. 335–358. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ "Tam Lin". The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Internet Sacred Text Archive. 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Ayto, J.; Crofton, I; Cavill, P., eds. (2005). "Carterhaugh". Brewer's Britain and Ireland. Chambers Harrap.
- ^ a b Waltz, Robert B.; Engle, David G. (2012). "Tam Lin". Folklore The Traditional Ballad Index: An Annotated Bibliography of the Folk Songs of the English-Speaking World. California State University, Fresno. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ Achland, A. (1997). "What is Tam Lin?". Tam Lin Baladry. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ^ Chope, R.P. (1911). "Tamlane". Ballads Weird and Wonderful. Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. pp. 53–60. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ The Complaynt of Scotland, c. vi., ed. J. A. H. Murray, E.E.T.S., p.68 (excerpted in: Ker, W. P. (1922). Epic and romance: essays on medieval literature. Macmillan. p. 389.)
- ^ "BBC - Robert Burns - Tam Lin". BBC. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^
The full text of Elphin Irving, the Fairies' Cupbearer at Wikisource
- ^ The full text of Wild Robin at Wikisource
- ^ Archive, Irish Traditional Music (9 March 2021). "Saturday night is Halloween night, song / Eddie Butcher". ITMA. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Saturday Night is Hallowe'en Night (Roud Folksong Index S251048)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Tam Lin (Roud Folksong Index S336896)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Tam Lin (Roud Folksong Index S332203)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Tam Lin (Roud Folksong Index S162763)". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer (2013). "Tam Lin (Child 39)". Folk Alley Sessions. FreshGrass Foundation. Video on YouTube
- ^ "TalkAwhile UK Acoustic music forum". Talkawhile.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ^ "Best Original Song". Talkawhile.co.uk. 3 August 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ^ "Obituary: Charles Nowosielski, visionary director behind Theatre Alba". The Scotsman. 3 June 2020.
- ^ Gaiman, Neil; Yolan, Jane; McCrumb, Sharyn; Snyder, Midori; De Lint, Charles (2018). The Book of Ballads and Sagas. Illustrated by Charles Vess. Titan Comics. ISBN 978-1782763321.
- ^ Irvine, Alex (2008). "The Books of Faerie". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The Vertigo Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 36–37. ISBN 978-0-7566-4122-1. OCLC 213309015.
- ^ "The Rose". Shadowscapes.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Stephanie Pui-Mun Law". Shadowscapes. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "The Faery Host". Shadowscapes.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Alastair White: WOAD". Classical Music. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
External links
Source: Mainly Norfolk
Tam Lin
[ Roud 35 ; Child 39 ; G/D 2:330 ; Ballad Index C039 ; trad.]
For much more information about this ballad than can be shown here, see Abigail Acland’s comprehensive Tam Lin web pages.
This is a truly magical ballad. It was first mentioned in The Complaynt of Scotland in 1549 but no words were published until Herd put a fragment into hisAncient and Modern Scots Songs in 1769. It never seems to have been collected outside Scotland, though a possible relative of Tam’s, Brian O’Lynn (who may be a burlesqued son of the Irish god-mother Danu) crops up in comic songs in Ireland, Scotland and America, and the first printed version of Brian’s song in 1568, called him Tom a Lin.
Janet is a puzzle; on the one hand she is clearly a virgin, by virtue of the gold she wears in her hair, and the threat in the first verse is like the warning to the maiden in the analogous Broomfield Wager. But like that maiden, she may have had magical powers herself to deal with the Fairy Queen, for more than half the convicted witches in Scotland in 1590 and 1697 were called Janet.
Carterhaugh is near Selkirk in Scotland, and it is said the three rings where grass will not grow mark the spot where three containers of magic milk or water stood, into which, in one old version of the ballad, Janet dipped her protean lover to change him back to human shape.
Betsy Johnson of Glasgow and Willie Whyte of Aberdeen sang Tam Lin in field recordings made by Hamish Henderson in 1956 on the anthology The Muckle Sangs (Scottish Tradition 5; Tangent 1975; Greentrax 1992).
Eddie Butcher of Magilligan, Co. Londonderry, sang The Bride Stolen by Fairies (Tam Lin) on July 6, 1968 to Hugh Shields. This recording was included in 1975 on the Leader album of Folk Ballads from Donegal and Derry collected by Shields.
Fairport Convention recorded Tam Lin with Sandy Denny singing on October 29, 1968. The band play rhythm games on this song, which is mainly in 3/4 time, with the odd bar of 4/4 appearing now and then. The recording originally appeared on Liege and Lief, and made later appearances on the double CD compilation Meet on the Ledge: The Classic Years 1967-1975, on the famous anthology The Electric Muse, and on the Sandy Denny compilationsWho Knows Where the Time Goes?, The Best of Sandy Denny, and A Boxful of Treasures.
An early version, taken at a quicker pace, was recorded by Fairport live on September 23, 1969 in in Studio 4, Maida Vale, for the Top Gear / John Peel radio show and broadcast on September 27, 1969 with a repeat on December 13, 1969. This version is much closer to the way the band would have performed the song live. For ten years, this recording was available on the 1992 semi-bootleg From Past Archives only, but then in 2002, it was suddenly reissued three (!) times: on Ashley Hutchings’ CD 5 from the Guv’nor series, on the Island CD re-release of Heyday and on the Fairport unConventioNal 4CD set.
More live versions: Dave Swarbrick sang Tam Lin on Fairport’s Stockholm gig in 1971; this was included in the Dave Swarbrick anthology Swarb! in 2003. Tam Lin also appears on Fairport’s cassette The Boot: 1983 Fairport Reunion and, with the near-original lineup (Vikki Clayton replaces Sandy Denny), on their CD 25th Anniversary Concert. This video shows them at Cropredy 2007 in their original 1969 line-up with Chris While filling in for Sandy Denny:
Dave and Tony Arthur sang Tam Lin in 1970 on their Trailer album Hearken to the Witches Rune.
In 1971, Anne Briggs sang this ballad as Young Tambling unaccompanied on her first solo album Anne Briggs. This recording was reissued on her Fellside and Topic compilation CDs, Classic Anne Briggs and A Collection. A.L. Lloyd wrote in the original album’s sleeve notes:
Better known through Child’s English and Scottish Popular Ballads as Tam Lin. It was thought to have disappeared from tradition but of recent years a number of versions, mostly fragmentary, have turned up among country singers, particularly Scottish travelling people. I cobbled this set together, in part from Child, in part from recent collection; the tune is derived from one used for this ballad by travellers. Many consider it the best of all English-language ballad stories.
A.L. Lloyd sang Tamlyn (Young Tambling) live at the Top Lock Folk Club, Runcorn, on November 5, 1972. This recording is on his anthology Classic A.L. Lloyd and on the 2010 CD An Evening with A.L. Lloyd.
Mike Waterson sang Tamlyn unaccompanied on his 1977 album Mike Waterson. It was added to the Watersons’ 1993 CD reissue of For Pence and Spicy Ale and in 2004 to the Watersons’ 4CD anthology Mighty River of Song. A.L. Lloyd commented in the original recording’s sleeve notes:
We haven’t all that many fairy ballads, and this is by far the finest. It’s fairly venerable, it was already printed on a broadside in 1558, and it wasn’t new then. It seems to be uniquely Scottish, though there are international folk tales that come near its story; a Greek tale considerably more than two thousand years old tells how Peleus, wanting to marry the sea-nymph Thetis, lay in wait for her in a cave and seized here as she came riding in naked on a harnessed dolphin. She turned herself successively into fire, water, a lion, a snake, even to an ink-squirting cuttlefish, but Peleus “held her tight and feared not”, and in the end she gave in and the Olympian gods all came to the wedding. Tamlyn is a long ballad but the story moves swiftly. Mike says that he got his version “from A. L. Lloyd and Child”. So be it.
Steeleye Span recorded Tam Lin live during their 1991 tour. This recording was released on their CD Tonight’s the Night… Live. Another live recording from St. David’s Hall, Cardiff on December 6, 1994 was included on the video 25 Live: The Classic Twenty Fifth Anniversary Tour Concert.
A reel of this name, Tam Lin, which was written by Davey Arthur, can be found on Steeleye Span’s album Time.
Frankie Armstrong’s several version of Tam Lin can be found on the 1976 LP Here’s a Health to the Man and the Maid, on her 1984 albums I Heard a Woman Singing and Tam Lin, and in 1997 on the Fellside anthology Ballads. Paul Adams commented in the latter album’s notes:
Tam Lin has been Frankie’s tour-de-force for several years now. Her stunning performance here, full of passion and drama, clearly illustrates why she is a ballad singer par excellence. This is the classic “Elfland” ballad and contains a considerable amount of ancient folklore: Tam Lin is a human abducted by the elves and when he returns to the human world at the end the Elf Queen’s wish that she had “put out his eyes” is not borne out of vindictiveness, but because he has seen the secrets of Elfland and will take them to the human world.
Frankie notes: “Given that I’ve sung this more than any other ballad, that it is the most requested and consistently touches me to the core, it’s strange that I find it difficult to know what to say about it. There are scholarly things that can be said—they are interesting but do not illuminate the story or its effect. At its heart there is a mystery and I have no desire to analyse this away—even were it possible—I simply know that its power lies somewhere in the glorious weaving of words, images, story and tune an in something magical about tales of transformation. This song has lived with me for thirty years now and inspired the song-cycle based on the themes and characters that I devised and recorded with Brian Person in the early eighties. Singing it still thrills me.”
Kirsten Easdale sang Oh I Forbid You in 2002 on the anthology The Complete Songs of Robert Burns Volume 11.
Geordie McIntyre sang Tam Lin in 2003 on Alison McMorland’s and his Tradition Bearers CD Ballad Tree.
Benjamin Zephaniah and Eliza Carthy sang Tam Lyn Retold in 2007 on The Imagined Village.
Jon Boden sang Tam Lin quite close to Anne Briggs’ version in October 2010 as the Halloween entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.
James Findlay sang Tam Lin in 2011 on his Fellside CD Sport and Play.
Anaïs Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer sang Tam Lin in 2013 oh their CD Child Ballads. This video shows them at Folk Alliance International in Toronto, Ontario, in February 2013:
Lyrics
Fairport Convention sing Tam Lin
[The words are different from the original (Child) version but this is a very close approximation of the song as performed by Sandy Denny.]
- “I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair
To travel to Carterhaugh, for young Tam Lin is there - None that go by Carterhaugh but they leave him a pledge
Either their mantles of green or else their maidenhead” - Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she - She’d not pulled a double rose, a rose but only two
When up then came young Tam Lin, says,“Lady, pull no more” - “And why come you to Carterhaugh without command from me?”
“I’ll come and go,” young Janet said, “and ask no leave of thee” - Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to her father as fast as go can she - Well, up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild
“Oh, and alas, Janet,” he said, “I think you go with child” - “Well, if that be so,” Janet said, “myself shall bear the blame
There’s not a knight in all your hall shall get the baby’s name - For if my love were an earthly knight, as he is an elfin grey
I’d not change my own true love for any knight you have” - So Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she - “Oh, tell to me, Tam Lin,” she said, “why came you here to dwell?”
“The Queen of Fairies caught me when from my horse I fell - And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hell
I so fair and full of flesh and fear it be myself - But tonight is Halloween and the fairy folk ride
Those that would let true love win at Mile’s Cross they must bide - So first let pass the horses black and then let pass the brown
Quickly run to the white steed and pull the rider down - For I’ll ride on the white steed, the nearest to the town
For I was an earthly knight, they give me that renown - Oh, they will turn me in your arms to a newt or a snake
But hold me tight and fear not, I am your baby’s father - And they will turn me in your arms into a lion bold
But hold me tight and fear not and you will love your child - And they will turn me in your arms into a naked knight
But cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sight” - In the middle of the night she heard the bridle ring
She heeded what he did say and young Tam Lin did win - Then up spoke the Fairy Queen, an angry queen was she
Woe betide her ill-far’d face, an ill death may she die - “Oh, had I known, Tam Lin,” she said, “what this night I did see
I’d have looked him in the eyes and turned him to a tree”
Dave & Toni Arthur sing Tam Lin
- Fair Margaret ran in the merry green wood
And pulled a flower but one
When at her side stood young Tam-a-Lin,
Saying, “Margaret, leave it alone. - “How dare you pull my flowers, madam?
How dare you break my tree?
How dare you run in these green woods
Without the leave of me?” - “Oh this green wood it is my own,
My father gave it me.
And I can pluck myself a flower
Without the leave of thee.” - He took her by the milk-white hand
And by the grass-green sleeve
And laid her low down on the flowers
And asked of her no leave. - And when he’d had his will of her
Young Margaret she felt shame,
Says, “If you are a gentleman
Pray tell to me your name.” - “Oh Tam-a-Lin is the name,” he said,
“The Elf Queen gave to me.
And long I’ve haunted these green woods
All for your fair body. - “So do not pluck that herb, Margaret,
That herb that grows so grey,
For that would kill the little babe
That we’ve got in our play. - ”When I was a boy just turned of nine
My uncle sent for me
To hunt and hawk and ride with him
And keep him company. - “Oh drowsy, drowsy as I was,
Dead sleep upon me fell,
And the Queen of Elfin she rode by
And took me for herself. - “Tonight it is good Hallowe’en,
The Elfin court will ride.
And they that would their true love win
At the crossroads they must hide. - “The second court that comes along
Is clad in robes of green.
It is the head court of them all
For in it rides the Queen - “And I upon a milk-white steed
With a gold star in my crown,
And I do ride beside the Queen
And you must pull me down. - “Then I will grow in your two arms
Like a savage creature wild.
But hold me fast, let me not go,
I’m the father of your child.” - She took her petticoats in her hand,
Her mantle on her arm,
Unto the crossroads she’s away
As fast as she could run. - The first court it came riding by,
She heard the bridles ring.
And the second court all dressed in green
And Tam Lin like a king. - She pulled him from his milk-white steed,
He on the ground did lay.
And the Elf Queen gave a shrieking cry,
”Young Tam-a-Lin’s away, my boys!
Young Tam-a-Lin’s away!” - And then they turned him in her arms
To a wolf and to an adder.
She held him fast in every shape
To be her baby’s father. - They shaped him in her arms at last
A mother-naked man.
She wrapped him in her mantle green
And saw her true love won. - Out then cried the Elfin Queen
And an angry woman was she,
Said, “You’ve stolen away the very best knight
In all my company. - “Oh had I known, Tam-a-Lin,” she says,
“What now this night I see,
I would have burned out your two grey eyes
And put in two from a tree, Tam-a-Lin,
And put in two from a tree.”
Anne Briggs sings Young Tambling
- Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret, was sewing at her seam
And she’s all dressed in black.
And the thought come in her head to run in the wood
to pull flowers to flower her hat, me boys,
to pull flowers to flower her hat. - So she hoisted up her petticoats a bit above the knee
And so nimbly she’d run o’er the ground.
And when she come in the merry greenwood,
Well, she pulled them branches down, me boys,
Well, she pulled them branches down. - Suddenly she spied a fine young man,
He’s standing by a tree.
He says, “How dare you pull them branches down
Without the leave of me, my dear,
Without the leave of me?” - Well, she says, “This little wood, oh, it is me very own,
Me father gave it to me.
I can pull these branches down
Without the leave of thee, young man,
Oh, without the leave of thee.” - And he took her by the milk-white hand
And by the grass-green sleeve,
He pulled her down at the foot of a bush,
And he never once asked her leave, me boys,
No, he never once asked her leave. - And when it was done she twist about
To ask her true-love’s name.
But she nothing heard and she nothing saw
And all the woods grew dim, grew dim,
And all the woods grew dim. - There’s four and twenty ladies all in the land
and they’re all playing at chess.
Except it was the Lady Margaret
And she’s green as any glass, me boys,
Oh, she’s green as any glass. - And there’s four and twenty ladies all in the land
Grow as red as any rose.
Except it was the Lady Margaret,
She’s pale and wan, me boys,
Oh, pale and wan she goes. - Up then spoke the little servant girl,
She lift her hand and smiled,
Says, “I think my lady has loved too long
And now she goes with child, me dears,
Oh, and now she goes with child.” - Up then spoke the second serving girl
“Oh, ever and alas,” said she,
“But I think I know a herb in the merry greenwood,
It’ll twine thy baby from thee, madam,
It’ll twine thy baby from thee.” - So Lady Margaret she got her silver comb,
Made haste to comb her hair,
And then she’s away to the merry greenwood
As fast as she can tear, me boys,
Oh, as fast as she can tear. - And she hadn’t pulled in the merry greenwood
A herb but barely one
When by her stood the young Tambling,
He says, “Margaret, leave it alone,
Oh Margaret, leave it alone.” - “Why d’you pull that bitter little herb,
The herb that grows so grey,
For to destroy that fine young babe
That we got in our play, my dear,
That we got in our play?” - “Well, come tell me now, young Tambling,” she says,
“If an earthly man you be.”
“I’ll tell you no lies,” says young Tambling,
“I was christened as good as thee, me dear,
I was christened as good as thee.” - “But as I rode a-hunting on a bitter, bitter night,
It was from my horse I fell,
And the Queen of Elfland she caught me
In yonder green hill to dwell, to dwell,
Oh, in yonder green hill to dwell.” - “But tonight is Halloween, lady,
The Elven Court will ride.
And if you would your true love win,
By the mill bridge you must hide, me dear,
By the mill bridge you must hide.” - “And first will run the black horse and then will run the brown,
And then race by the white.
You hold him fast and you fear him not,
For he’s the father of your child, my love,
Oh, he’s the father of your child.” - “They’ll turn me all in your arms, lady,
Into many’s the beasts so wild.
But you’ll hold on fast and you fear no ill,
For it’s the father of your child, my love,
It’s the father of your child.” - So Lady Margaret she got her silver comb,
She made haste to comb her hair.
Then she’s away to the old mill-bridge
As fast as she could tear, me boys,
Oh, as fast as she could tear. - And about the dead hour of the night
She heard the bridles ring.
And oh, me boys, it chilled her heart
More than any earthly thing it did,
More than any earthly thing. - And first run the black horse and then run the brown
And then race by the white.
Well, she hold it fast and feared it not,
For it’s the father of her child,
Oh, it’s the father of her child. - The thunder rolled across the sky,
The stars blazed bright as day.
The Queen of Elven gave a thrilling cry,
“Young Tambling’s away, brave boys,
Young Tambling’s away.” - And the very first thing they turned him into
Was a lion that runs so wild.
But she held him fast, she feared him not,
For he’s the father of her child, me boys,
Oh, he’s father of her child. - And the very next thing they turned him into,
It was a loathsome snake.
He says, “Hold me fast and fear me not,
For I’m one of God’s own make, my love,
Oh, I’m one one of God’s own make.” - And again they changed him all in her arms
To a red hot bar of iron.
But she held it fast, she feared it not,
And it did to her no harm, no harm,
And it did to her no harm. - And the very last thing they changed him into
Was like any naked man.
She flung her mantle over him,
She cried, “Me love I’ve won, I’ve won,”
Oh, she cried, “Me love I’ve won.” - And the Queen of Elven she called from a bush,
She’s red as any blood.
“I should have tore out your eyes, Tambling,
And put in two eyes of wood, of wood,
And put in two eyes of wood.”
Mike Waterson sings Tamlyn
- Come all you maids, and you very pretty maids
And a warning take by me
Don’t go down to the Chaser’s wood
If a maid you want to return and return
If a maid you want to return. - Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret, she was sitting in her bower
She was red as any rose
But she longed to go the Chaser’s woods
To pull them flowers that grows and grows
Oh, to pull the flowers that grows - And she taken out her silver comb
Made in haste to comb her hair
Then she away to the Chaser’s wood
As fast as she could tear and could tear
Aye, as fast as she could tear - And she hadn’t pulled but the one red rose
The rose that grows there in the green
When a voice said, “Lady, how dare you pull a rose
Without no leave of me, and of me,
Aye, without no leave of me?” - “This little wood,” she says “it is me very own
Me father he given it to me.
I will pull, pluck, break, I’ll bend the branch
And I won’t ask leave of thee, and of thee,
No I won’t ask leave of thee.” - Oh, he’s taken her by the middle so small
Down to where the grass it grows so green
And what they’ve done, well I just couldn’t say
Oh, the green grass grew between and between
Aye, the green grass grew between - Aye, he’s taken her by the lily-white hand
Down to where the grass it grows so green
And it’s what they done, well I just couldn’t say
But he never once asked her leave, her leave
No he never once asked her leave. - It’s four and twenty ladies, they’re all sitting in the hall
Playing at the chess
All except for young Margaret
She’s green as any grass, any grass,
And she’s green as any grass. - Aye, there’s four and twenty ladies, they’re all sitting in the hall
All as red as the rose
All except for young Margaret
And pale and wan she goes, and she goes
Aye, pale and wan she goes. - Up there spake one of them little girls
And on her face there was a smile
She says, “I think my lady’s loved a little long
And now she goes with child, and with child
Aye, and now she goes with child.” - Up there spake another of them girls
A pretty little girl was she
She says, “I know a herb growing in the Chaser’s woods
As’ll twine the babe from thee, and from thee
As’ll twine the babe from thee.” - Lady Margaret, she picked up her silver comb
Made in haste to comb her hair
Then she away to the Chaser’s wood
As fast as she could tear, and could tear
Aye, as fast as she could tear. - And she hadn’t pulled but the one bit of herb
The herb that grows there in the loam
When up there spake young Tam o’ the Lyn
Saying, “Margaret, leave it alone
Oh, sweetheart, Margaret, leave it alone.” - “Why do you want that bitter, bitter herb
The herb that grows so grey
Except for to twine away the pretty little baby
We got in our play, our play,
Mark, we got in our play.” - “Oh tell me this, young Tam-‘o-Lyn,” she says
“If a mortal man you be.”
“Well, I’ll tell you truth without a word of a lie
I got christened as good as thee, as thee
I got christened as good as thee.” - “But as I rode out on a bitter, bitter day
‘Twas from me horse I fell
And the Queen of the Elvens did take me
In yonder greenwood for to dwell, and to dwell
Aye, in yonder greenwood for to dwell.” - “And it’s every seventh seventh year
We pay a toll to hell
And the last one here is the first to go.
And I fear the toll, it’s meself, it’s meself
Aye, I fear the toll’s meself.” - “Oh, tonight it is the Halloween
When the Elven Court shall ride
If you would your true lover save
By the old mill-bridge you must hide, you must hide
By the old mill bridge you must hide.” - “And it’s first there’ll come this black horse
And it’s then there’ll come the brown
And they’re both raced by the white
You must throw your arms up around my neck
And I will not you afright, and afright
No, I will not you afright.” - “And they’ll change me then, and it’s all in your arms
Into many’s the beast so wild
You must hold me tight, you must fear me not
I’m the father of your child,
Oh you know that I’m the father of your child.” - And the woods grew dark, and the woods grew dim
Tam o’ the Lyn was gone.
She picked up her lily-white feet
And to the mill-bridge run, now she run
Aye, and to the mill-bridge run. - She looked high, and she looked low
She encompassed all around
But she nothing saw, she nothing heard
She heard no mortal sound, no sound
No, she heard no mortal sound. - Till about the dead hour of the night
She heard them bridles ring
It chilled her heart, it’s given her a start
More than any mortal thing, any thing
More than any mortal thing. - Then it’s first there come this black horse,
and it’s then there come the brown
They both raced by the white
And she’s thrown her arms up ’round his neck
And he didn’t her afright, and afright
No, he didn’t her afright. - And the thunder roared across the sky
And the stars they burned as bright as day
And the Queen of the Elvens give a stunning ? cry,
Saying, “Young Tam-a-Lyn is away, is away
Aye, Young Tam-a-Lyn is away.” - And they changed him then—it were all in her arms
To a lion roaring so wild
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He was the father of her child, oh she knew he was
The father of her child. - Soon they changed him again—it were all in her arms
To a big black hissing snake
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He was one of God’s own make, oh she knew that he
Was one of God’s own make. - And they changed him again—it were all in her arms
To a big black dog to bite
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He didn’t her afright, and afright
No, he didn’t her afright. - So they changed him again—it were all in her arms
To a white-hot bar of iron
But she held him tight and she feared him not
He’d done to her no harm, no harm
No, he’d done to her no harm. - Then they changed him again—it were all in her arms
To a mother-naked man
And she throwed her cloak up around his shoulders,
Saying, “Tam o’ the Lyn, we’ve won, oh, we’ve won,”
Saying, “Tam o’ the Lyn, we’ve won.” - Then the Queen of the Elvens, how she cursed young Tambalyn
Oh, well she cursed him good
She said, “I should have torn out your eyes young Tam-a-Lyn
I should have put in two eyes of wood, of wood
I should have put in two eyes of wood.” - “And it’s curses on you, Tam-a-Lyn,” she says
“You once was my very own.
And when you was, I should have torn out your heart
And put in a heart of stone, cold stone
I should have put in a heart of stone.”
Steeleye Span’s Tam Lin
- Oh, I forbid you maidens all
That wear gold in your hair
To come or go by Carterhaugh
For young Tam Lin is there. - If you go by Carterhaugh
You must leave him a ward:
Either your rings or green mantle
Or else your maidenhead. - She’s away o’er gravel green
And o’er the gravel brown;
She’s away to Carterhaugh
To flower herself a gown. - She had not pulled a rosy rose,
A rose but barely one,
When by came this brisk young man,
Says, “Lady, let alone. - How dare you pull my rose, Madam?
How dare you break my tree?
How dare you come to Carterhaugh
Without the leave of me?” - “Well may I pull the rose,” she said,
“Well may I break the tree.
For Carterhaugh it my father’s,
I’ll ask no leave of thee.”Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh - He’s taken her by the milk-white hand
And there he’s laid her down,
And there he asked no leave of her
As she lay on the ground. - “Oh tell me, tell me,” then she said,
“Oh tell me who art thee?”
“My name it is Tam Lin,” he said,
“And this is my story: - As it fell out upon a day,
A-hunting I did ride;
There came a wind out of the north
And woe it did betide. - And drowsy, drowsy as I was,
The sleep upon me fell;
The Queen of Fairies she was there,
And took me to herself.Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh - At the end of every seven years
They pay a tithe to Hell;
And I’m so fain and full of flesh,
I fear ‘t will be myself. - Tonight it is good Halloween,
The fairy court will ride;
And if you would your true love win,
At Mile’s Cross, you must bide.”Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh - Gloomy was the night
And eerie was the way;
This lady in her green mantle
To Mile’s Cross she did go. - With the holy water in her hand
She cast the compass round;
At twelve o’clock the fairy court
Came riding o’er the bound. - First came by the black steed
And then came by the brown,
Then Tam Lin on a milk-white steed
With a gold star in his crown. - She’s pulled him down into her arms
And let the bridle fall;
The Queen of Fairies she cried out,
“Young Tam Lin is awa.” - They’ve shaped him in her arms,
An adder or a snake;
She’s held him fast and feared him not
To be her earthly mate. - They’ve shaped him in her arms again
To fire burning bold;
She’s held him fast and feared him not
Till he was iron cold. - They’ve shaped him in her arms
To a wood black dog so wild;
She’s held him fast and feared him not,
The father of her child. - They’ve shaped him in her arms at last
Into a naked man;
She’s wrapped him in the green mantle
And knew that she had him won. - The Queen of Fairies she cried out,
“Young Tam Lin is awa. - Had I known, had I known, Tam Lin,
Long before, long before you came from home,
Had I known, I would have taken out your heart
And put in a heart of stone. - Had I known, had I known, Tam Lin,
That a lady, a lady would steal thee,
Had I known, I would have taken out your eyes
And put in two from a tree. - Had I known, had I known, Tam Lin,
That I would lose, that I would lose the day,
Had I known, I would have paid my tithe to hell
Before you’d been won away.”
Jon Boden sings Tam Lin
- Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret, was sewing of her seam
And she’s all dressed in black.
When a thought came to her head to go into the wood
To pull flowers to flower her hat, my boys,
To pull flowers to flower her hat. - And she hoisted up her petticoat a bit above her knee
And so nimbly she’s tripped o’er the plain.
Until when she came in the merry greenwood,
And she pulled those branches down,
She has pulled those branches down. - And suddenly she spied a fine young man,
Stood underneath a tree.
Saying, “How dare you pull those branches down
Without the leave of me, lady,
Without the leave of me?” - Well, she says, “This little wood, it is my very own,
My father gave it me.
And I can pull those branches down
Without the leave of thee, young man,
Without the leave of thee.” - Well, he’s taken her by the lily-white hand
And by the grass-green sleeve,
And he has laid her down at the foot of an oak,
And he’s never once asked her leave, my boys,
He has never once asked her leave. - And when it was done she has turned herself about
For to ask her true-love’s name.
But she nothing saw and nothing heard
And all the woods grew dim, my boys,
And all the woods grew dim. - Well there’s four and twenty ladies all playing at the ball
Grown red as any rose.
Excepting for Lady Margaret,
As green as glass she goes, she goes,
As green as glass she goes. - Oh up and then spoke the first serving maid,
She lifted her head and smiled,
She said, “I think our lady has loved too long
And now she goes with child, with child,
And now she goes with child.” - Oh up and then spoke the second serving maid,
“Oh, ever and alas,” cried she,
“But I think I know a herb in the merry greenwood,
That’ll twine thy babe from thee, lady,
That will twine thy babe from thee.” - Lady Margaret’s taken out her silver comb,
She’s made haste to comb her hair,
And then she’s away to the merry greenwood
As fast as she could tear, my boys,
As fast as she could tear. - But she hadn’t pulled a herb in the merry greenwood
A herb but barely one
When up and spoke Young Tambling,
He says, “Margaret, leave it alone, alone,”
He says, “Margaret, leave it alone.” - “Oh how can you pull that bitter little herb,
That herb that grows so grey,
For to take away that young baby
That we got in our play, lady,
That we got in our play?” - “Oh, tell me true, young Tambling,” she said,
“If a mortal man you be.”
“Well, I’ll tell you no lies, Lady Margaret,
I was christened as same as thee, lady,
I was christened as same as thee.” - “But as I rode out on a cold and bitter night,
From off my horse I fell,
And the Queen of Elfland she took me
Into yonder hill to dwell, to dwell,
Into yonder hill to dwell.” - “And this night it is the Hallowe’en
And the Elven Court shall ride.
And if you would your true love gain,
By the old mill bridge you must bide, my love,
By the old mill bridge you must bide.” - “And first will run the black horse and then will run the brown,
And then chase by the white.
You must hold them fast and fear them not,
And they will not you afright, my love,
They will not you afright.” - “And they will change me all in your arms
Into many a beast so wild.
You must hold me fast and fear me not,
I’m the father of your child, you know,
I am the father of your child.” - Lady Margaret’s taken out her silver comb,
She’s made haste to comb her hair.
And then she’s away to the old mill bridge
As fast as she could tear, my boys,
As fast as she could tear. - And in the dead hour of the night
She’s heard the harness ring.
And oh, my boys, it chilled her heart
More than any a mortal thing it did,
More than any a mortal thing. - And first rode by the black horse and then rode by the brown,
And then chased by the white.
And she hold them fast and she feared them not,
They did not her afright, my boys,
They did not her afright. - And the thunder rolled across the sky
And the stars shone bright as day.
And the Queen of Elfland she gave a thrilling cry,
“Young Tam Lin is away, away!
Young Tam Lin is away!” - And then they have changed him all in her arms
Into a lion that roars so wild.
And she held him fast and she feared him not,
He was the father of her child, she knew,
He was the father of her child. - And next they’ve changed him all in her arms
Into a poisonous snake.
But she held him fast and she feared him not,
He was one of God’s own make, she knew,
He was one of God’s own make. - And next they have changed him all in her arms
To a red hot bar of iron.
But she held him fast and she feared him not,
And he did to her no harm, my boys,
He did to her no harm. - And last they have changed him all in her arms
‘Twas into a naked man.
And she threw her mantle over him,
Crying, “Oh, my love I’ve won, I’ve won,”
Crying, “Oh, my love I’ve won.” - And up and then spoke the Queen of Elfin Land
From the bush wherein she stood,
Saying, “I should have taken out your eyes, Tam Lin,
And put in two eyes of wood, of wood,
And put in two eyes of wood.”
Music Transcription
Fairport Convention: Tam Lin
Transcription by Dino Agate.
This song is based on two parts: a little instrumental bridge (in 3/4 time, usually two measures long) and a verse (whose eight measures are 3/4 3/4 4/4 3/4 and again the same time progression); this “pattern” (bridge+verse) is repeated throughout the song (except for three instrumental solos).
Bridges’ chords are Em and D, while guitar’s lines, although very alike, are almost all different, so I wrote the tablature for each. All these “bridges” could be useful to some bands; a single guitar player would probably repeat the first or second bridge or play the following to join chords and melody:
E --0--------!------------- B --0--3--0--!-----0--2---- G --0--------!--2---------- D --2--------!--0---------- A --2--------!------------- E --0--------!-------------
The verse’s chord progression is very simple, but the guitar strummings are very peculiar. There are three kinds of guitar strummings and the main one is the following (related to the movement’s measures of the verse):
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Em D G Em D
The second strumming has the same accents as the first, but each chord is doubled (each strum is a quaver of the same movement) and it is played in verses 5 and 14:
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Em/ D/ G/ Em/ D/
Last strumming is played only in verse 18:
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Em D D G Em Em D D 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Em Em D D G/ Em/ D/
If the song is played with a guitar only, it will of course sound better if some more strumming is added to these main accents. In verses 12 and 13, a guitar plays a melody instead of playing chords (tablatures are under those verses).
Three guitars are played on this song (as far as I can hear): a clean electric guitar on the left channel (the violin is on the left channel too, starting from the 6thverse), a distorted and an acoustic guitar on the right.
The clean guitar (left) plays the following bridge (except where otherwise indicated):
E ------------!------------- B ------------!------------- G ------------!------------- D ---2--0-----!------------- A ---------2--!--0---------- E ------------!-----3--2----
All right channel guitar’s bridges are shown after each verse.
Besides this, the guitars play “sharp” or “loose” (I mean the strings are stopped soon after they’ve been strum or they vibrate until the other chord is played) or “stopped” (only the lower strings are strum, almost muted). As each guitar plays differently, I indicated the “mood” that mainly stands out in each verse.
No panic, please. All you need to know to play this song is written above; the other details I wrote about are in the following lines.
It is interesting to notice how arrangements turns delicate or hard according to the meaning of the verse’s words. H and P in the tablature are for hammer on and pull off.
Intro (repeat twice)
E--------------!------------- B--------------!------------- G--------------!------------- D---2--2P0-----!----------0-- A-----------2--!--0--0H2----- E--------------!-------------
1. “I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair
To travel to Carterhaugh for young Tam Lin is there.
RHYTHM GUITAR SHARP
Bridge as Intro
2. None that go by Carterhaugh but they leave him a pledge
Either their mantles of green or else their maidenhead.”
SHARP
E------------!------------- B---5--3-----!----------3-- G---------4--!--2--2P4----- D------------!------------- A------------!------------- E------------!-------------
3. Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she.
LOOSE
E------------!------------- B------------!------------- G---------0--!--2--2P0----- D---2--4-----!----------4-- A------------!------------- E------------!-------------
4. She’d not pulled a double rose, a rose but only two
When up then came young Tam Lin says “Lady pull no more”
STOPPED
(muted notes): Left guitar bridge: E-----------------!---------------- E-----------!----------- B-----------------!---------------- B-----------!--------3-- G-----------------!---------------- G-----------!--2--4----- D-----------------!---------------- D--2--4--5--!----------- A-----------------!---------------- A-----------!----------- E--0-0--0-0--0-0--!--0-0--0-0--0-0- E-----------!-----------
5. “And why come you to Carterhaugh without command from me?”
“I’ll come and go,” young Janet said “And ask no leave of thee”.
SHARP (double chords)
Guitar solo – 16 measures in 3/4 time (rhythm guitar Em7 – EM6):
E-------------!---------------!--------!---------------!---------------! B-------------!---------------!--------!---------------!---------------! G-------------!---------------!--------!--4--4P2--0H2--!--2P0----------! D--2--2P0-----!----------0H2--!--2--2--!---------------!-------4--0H2--! A----------2--!--0--0H2-------!--------!---------------!---------------! E-------------!---------------!--------!---------------!---------------! E---------!----0------------2P0--!--------------------!--------------------! B------3-3P2------3P2P0--2-------!--3--2H3P2P0--2-----!--------------------! G---------!----------------------!-----------------2--!--2--0--------------! D--2------!----------------------!--------------------!--------4--0--2--4--! A---------!----------------------!--------------------!--------------------! E---------!----------------------!--------------------!--------------------! E-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------! B-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------! G-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------! D-----------!-----------------!--------------------!-----------! A--2--2--0--!-----------------!-----0--2--0-----0--!--2--2--0--! E-----------!--3--0--0--0--2--!--3-----------3-----!-----------! E--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------! B--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------! G--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------! D-----------------0--!-------------!--0H2--2H4--2H4--!--2--0--0H2--! A--2--4--0--2--4-----!--2--0--0H2--!-----------------!-------------! E--------------------!-------------!-----------------!-------------! E-----------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------! B-----------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------! G-------2P0-------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------! D--2H4-------2H4--!--2--2P0-----!----------0--!--0H2--0-----!----------0--! A-----------------!----------2--!--0--0H2-----!----------2--!--0--0H2-----! E-----------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!-------------!
6. Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to her father as fast as go can she.
SHARP
Bridge as Intro
7. Well up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild
“Oh and alas Janet” he said “I think you go with child.”
SHARP
E------------!------------- B---5--3-----!------------- G---------4--!--4P2--0----- D------------!----------4-- A------------!------------- E------------!-------------
8. “Well if that be so” Janet said “Myself shall bear the blame
There’s not a knight in all your hall shall get the baby’s name.
SHARP
Bridge as Intro
9. For if my love were an earthly knight as he is an elfin grey
I’d not change my own true love for any knight you have.”
LOOSE
E--------------!------------- B--------------!------------- G------4--4P2--!--2P0-------- D---2----------!-------4--0-- A--------------!------------- E--------------!-------------
(Violin solo – 12 measures in 3/4 time)
E--------------!---------------!-------------!---------- B--------------!---------------!-------------!---------- G--------------!---------------!-------------!---------- D---2--2P0-----!------------0--!--2--2P0-----!---------- A-----------2--!--2H0--0H2-----!----------2--!--0------- E--------------!---------------!-------------!-----3--2-
Left guitar bridge:
E------------!-----------!-----------!------------ B------------!-----------!-----------!--------3--- G------------!-----------!-----------!--2--4------ D---2--0-----!--------0--!--2--4--5--!------------ A---------2--!--0--2-----!-----------!------------ E------------!-----------!-----------!------------
10. So Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she’s gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she.
LOOSE
Bridge as 4-5. (Left guitar bridge: standard)
11. “Oh tell to me Tam Lin” she said “Why came you here to dwell?”
“The Queen of Fairies caught me when from my horse I fell
STOPPED
E-------------!---------------! B-------------!---------------! G-------------!---------------! D--2--2P0-----!----------0H2--! A----------2--!--0--0H2-------! E-------------!---------------!
12. And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hell
I so fair and full of flesh and feared it be myself
SHARP
Right guitar plays the following twice:
E-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------! B-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------! G-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------! D-----!-------------!-----------------!-------0--2H4--! A--2--!--4H5--4--0--!--0H2--0H2--0H2--!--0H2----------! E-----!-------------!-----------------!---------------!
Bridge as the last one
13. But tonight is Halloween and the fairy folk ride,
Those that would their true love win at Mile’s Cross they must bide.
LOOSE
Right guitar plays the same melody as last verse.
Bridge as Intro
14. First let pass the horses black and then let pass the brown
Quickly run to the white steed and pull the rider down,
SHARP (double chords)
E------------------!----------------- B------------------!----------------- G------------------!----------------- D---2-2--2-2--2-2--!--2-2--2-2--2-2-- A------------------!----------------- E------------------!-----------------
15. For I’ll ride on the white steed, the nearest to the town
For I was an earthly knight, they give me that renown.
SHARP
E--------------!----------------- B--------------!----------------- G---4--4P2--0--!-----2P0--------- D--------------!--4-------4P2P0-- A--------------!----------------- E--------------!-----------------
16. Oh they will turn me in your arms to a newt or a snake
But hold me tight and fear not, I am your baby’s father.
LOOSE
Right guitar doesn’t play this bridge
17. And they will turn me in your arms into a lion bold
But hold me tight and fear not and you will love your child,
SHARP
E---------------!---------------------- B------3--------!--3--3P0-------------- G---4-----4--4--!----------2P0--------- D---------------!---------------4P2P0-- A---------------!---------------------- E---------------!----------------------
18. And they will turn me in your arms into a naked knight
But cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sight”.
STOPPED (other strumming)
Bridge as 2-3
(Guitar-violin solo – 16 measures in 3/4 time)
Bridge as before verse 10
Left guitar bridge:
E------------!-----------!-----------!---------- B------------!-----------!-----------!---------- G------------!-----------!-----------!---------- D---2--0-----!--------0--!--2--0-----!---------- A---------2--!--0--2-----!--------2--!--0------- E------------!-----------!-----------!-----3--2-
19. In the middle of the night she heard the bridle ring
She heeded what he did say and young Tam Lin did win.
SHARP
Bridge: guitar strums on Em.
Left guitar bridge:
E------------!----------- B------------!----------- G------------!-----0--2-- D---2--0-----!--4-------- A---------2--!----------- E------------!-----------
20. Then up spoke the Fairy Queen, an angry Queen was she
“Woe betide her ill-fared face, an ill death may she die
SHARP
Bridge as Intro
21. Oh had I known, Tam Lin” she said “What this night I did see
I’d have looked him in the eyes and turned him to a tree.”
LOOSE
Ending
E--------------!-------------!-----------!-------------! B--------------!-------------!-----------!-------------! G--------------!-------------!--------0--!--2--2P0-----! D---2--2P0-----!----------0--!--2--4-----!----------4--! A-----------2--!--0--0H2-----!-----------!-------------! E--------------!-------------!-----------!-------------! E----------------------!----------------------! B---3--3P0-------------!----------------------! G-----------2--0--2P0--!-----0-----------2P0--! D----------------------!--4-----0--2--4-------! A----------------------!----------------------! E----------------------!----------------------! E------------!----------------------!-----------!-----------!--0- B------------!----------------------!-----------!-----------!--0- G------------!----------------0--2--!-----------!-----------!--0- D---2--0-----!-------0--2--4--------!--2--0-----!--------0--!--2- A---------2--!--0P2-----------------!--------2--!--0--2-----!--2- E------------!----------------------!-----------!-----------!--0-
Acknowledgements and Links
Garry Gillard thanks Jesse Kirchner for the Mike Waterson transcription. Tamlyn’s name is spelt differently on this page in an attempt to represent the different ways Mike Waterson sings it on his recording, not out of carelessness (I hope).
See also the Mudcat Café thread Tam Lyn: any ‘source singer’ recordings?.
Performances, Workshops,
Resources & Recordings
The American Folk Experience is dedicated to collecting and curating the most enduring songs from our musical heritage. Every performance and workshop is a celebration and exploration of the timeless songs and stories that have shaped and formed the musical history of America. John Fitzsimmons has been singing and performing these gems of the past for the past forty years, and he brings a folksy warmth, humor and massive repertoire of songs to any occasion.
Festivals & Celebrations
Coffeehouses
School Assemblies
Library Presentations
Songwriting Workshops
Artist in Residence
House Concerts
Pub Singing
Irish & Celtic Performances
Poetry Readings
Campfires
Music Lessons
Senior Centers
Voiceovers & Recording
““Beneath the friendly charisma is the heart of a purist gently leading us from the songs of our lives to the timeless traditional songs he knows so well…”
Join Fitz
at The Colonial Inn
“The Nobel Laureate of New England Pub Music…”
On the Green, in Concord, MA
Every Thursday Night
for over thirty years…
“A Song Singing, Word Slinging, Story Swapping,
Ballad Mongering, Folksinger, Teacher, & Poet…”
Fitz’s Recordings
& Writings
Songs, poems, essays, reflections and ramblings of a folksinger, traveler, teacher, poet and thinker…
Download for free from the iTunes Bookstore
“A Master of Folk…”
Fitz’s now classic recording of original songs and poetry…
Download from the iTunes Music Store
“A Masterful weaver of song whose deep, resonant voice rivals the best of his genre…”
“2003: Best Children’s Music Recording of the Year…”
Fitz & The Salty Dawgs
Amazing music, good times and good friends…
TheCraftedWord.org
Writing help
when you need it…
“When the eyes rest on the soul…that’s Fitzy…”
0 Comments