Tam Lin
TAM LIN (as sung by Ewan MacColl)
1 I forbid ye, maidens a'
That wear gowd in your hair,
Tae come or gang by Carterhaugh
For young Tam Lin is there.
2 There's nane that gaes tae Carterhaugh
But pays to him their fee,
Either their rings or green mantles
Or else their maidenheid.
3 Janet has kilted her green kirtle (gown)
A little abune her knee (above)
And she has gane to Carterhaugh
As fast as she could hie.
4 She hadnae pu'd a double rose (pulled)
A rose but and a brier
When oot and started young Tam Lin Says,
Lady, ye'll pu' nae mair.
5 Why pu ye the rose, lady,
And why break ye the wand?
And why come ye tae Carterhaugh
Withooten my command?
6 Carterhaugh is mine, she said,
My daddy gied tae me;
And I will come tae Carterhaugh
Withoot the lief o' thee. (leave)
7 He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand
And by the grass-green sleeve
And laid her doon upon a bank
And didnae ask her leave.
8 Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little abune her knee,
And she has gane tae her daddy's hoose
As fast as she could hie.
9 There were fowre-and-twenty ladies fair
A-playin' at the ba',
And Janet gaed like ony queen,
A flooer amang them a'.
10 There were fowre-and-twenty ladies fair
A-playin' at the chess,
And Janet gaed amang them a'
As green as ony grass.
11 Oot spak then an auld grey knicht
Stood ower the castle wa',
And said: Alas, dear Janet
But I fear ye've gotten a fa',
Your petticoat is gey shorter (very much)
And we'll be blamed a'.
12 O, haud your tongue, ye auld grey knicht,
And an ill deith may ye dee,
Faither my bairn on wha I will
I'll faither nane on thee.
13 Then oot spak her auld faither
Says: Janet, you're beguiled;
Your petticoat is gey shorter
I fear ye gang wi' child.
14 O, if I gang wi' bairn, faither,
It's I will tak' the blame;
There's no' a knicht aboot your ha'
Shall bear my bairnie's name.
15 Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little abune her knee,
And she has gane tae Carterhaugh
As fast as she could hie.
16 She hadnae pu'd a double rose
A rose but and a brier,
When oot and started young Tam Lin,
Says, Janet, ye'll pu' nae mair.
17 Why pu' ye the rose, Janet,
Amang the leaves sae green?
A' for to kill the bonnie babe
That we gat us between.
18 Tell me noo, Tam Lin, she said,
For 's sake wha died on tree,
Gin ever ye were in holy kirk (if, church)
Or else in Christendee.
19 Roxburgh was my grandfather
And wi' him I did ride,
And it fell oot upon a day
That wae did me betide.
20 Ay, it fell oot upon a day,
A cauld day and a snell, (sharp)
When we were from the hunting come
Then from my horse I fell.
21 The Queen o' Elfinland passed by
Took me wi' her to dwell,
E'en whaur there is a pleasant place
For them that in it dwell,
Though at the end o' seiven year
They pay their soul to Hell.
22 The nicht it is auld Hallow E'en
When elfin folk do ride,
And them that would their true-loves win
At Miles Cross they maun bide. (must)
23 But tell me noo, Tam Lin, she said,
When you're amang the thrang,
Hoo should I ken my ain true-love (know, own)
Amang that unco' band? (unknown)
24 Some will ride the black, the black,
And some will ride the broon,
But I'll be on the milk-white horse
Shod wi' the siller shoon. (silver shoes)
25 The ae hand will be gloved, Janet, (one)
The other will be bare,
And by these tokens I'll gie ye
Ye'll ken that I am there.
26 The first company that passes by,
Say na and let them gae,
The second company that passes by
Then let them gang their way,
But the third company that passes by
Then I'll be yin o' they. (one)
27 Ye'll hie ye tae my milk-white steed
And pu' me quickly doon,
Throw your green kirtle over me
To keep me fae the rain.
28 They'll turn me in your airms, lady,
Tae an adder and a snake.
But haud me fast unto your breist
To be your worldly make. (equal, mate)
29 They'll turn me in your airms, lady,
A spotted toad to be,
But haud me fast unto your breist
T' enjoy your fair body.
30 They'll turn me in your airms, lady,
Tae a mither-naked man,
Cast your green kirtle ower me
To keep me fae the rain.
31 First put me in a stand o' milk,
Syne in a stand o' water, (Then)
And haud me fast unto your breist,
I am your bairn's faither.
32 Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little abune her knee,
And she had gane tae Miles Cross
As fast as she could hie.
33 The first company that passed her by
She said na and let them gae
The second company that passed her by
She let them gang their way
But the third company that passed her by
Then he was yin o' they.
34 She's hied her to his milk-white steed
And pu'd him quickly doon,
Cast her green kirtle ower him
To keep him fae the rain.
35 They've turned him in his lady's airms
Tae an adder and a snake,
She held him fast unto her breist,
He was her worldly make.
36 They've turned him in his lady's airms
A spotted toad to be,
She held him fast unto her breist
T' enjoy her fair body.
37 They've turned him in his lady's airms
Tae a mither-naked man,
She's cast her green kirtle over him
To keep him fae the rain.
38 She's put him in a stand o' milk,
Syne in a stand o' water,
She held him fast unto her breist
He was her bairn's faither.
39 Oot spak the Queen o' Elfinland
Oot o' a bush o' broom,
O, wha has gotten young Tam Lin
Has gotten a stately groom.
40 Oot spak the Queen o' Elfinland
Oot o' a thorny tree,
O, wha has gotten young Tam Lin
Has ta'en my love fae me.
41 Gin I had /cent, Tam Lin, she said, (known)
A lady would borrow thee,
I would hae torn oot thy twa grey e'en (eyes)
Put in twa e'en o' a tree.
42 Gin I had kent, Tam Lin, she said,
When first we cam' fae harne,
I would hae torn oot that hairt o' flesh,
Put in a hairt o' stane.