Tam Lin

Oh, I forbid you maidens all

That wear gold in your hair

To come or go by Carter Hall

For young Tam Lin is there

If you go by Carter Hall

You must leave him a wad

Either your rings or green mantle

Or else your maidenhead

She's away on gravel green

And oh the gravel brown

She's away to Carter Hall

To flour 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 Carter Hall

Without the leave of me?

Well may I pull the rose, she said

Well may I break the tree

For Carter Hall it my father's

I'll ask no leave of thee

Oh, in Carter Hall, in Carter Hall

Oh, in Carter Hall, in Carter Hall

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 pulled me 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 Carter Hall, in Carter Hall

Oh, in Carter Hall, in Carter Hall

At the end of every seven years

They pay a tithe to Hell

And I'm so fair and full of flesh

I'm feared 'twill be myself

Tonight it is good Halloween

The fairy court will ride

And if you would your true love win

At Miles Cross, you must bide

Oh, in Carter Hall, in Carter Hall

Oh, in Carter Hall, in Carter Hall

Gloomy was the night

And eerie was the way

This lady in her green mantle

To Miles 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 mound

First came by the black steed

And then came by the brown

Then Tam Lin on the 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 Fairy she cried out

Young Tam Lin is away

They've shaped him in her arms

Into an roaring snake

She's held him fast and feared him not

To be her lovely mate

They've shaped him in her arms again

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 beast 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 away

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 into a rowan 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