Tam Lin
Denny Sandy Lyrics

I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair
Listen closely, young ladies who adorn your hair with gold, I have a warning for you

To travel to Carterhaugh, for young Tam Lin is there
Stay away from Carterhaugh as Tam Lin, a man of interest, resides there

None that go by Carterhaugh but they leave him a pledge
Anyone who passes through Carterhaugh must offer something to Tam Lin in exchange for safe passage

Either their mantles of green or else their maidenhead
They must give up either their green cloak or their virginity to Tam Lin before leaving Carterhaugh

Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
Janet wore a modest dress that she tied above her knee for easier movement

And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she
Janet made haste to reach Carterhaugh as soon as possible

She'd not pulled a double rose, a rose but only two
Janet picked only two roses, not doubling them up as she usually does

When up then came young Tam Lin, says,"Lady, pull no more"
Tam Lin approached Janet and advised her to stop picking roses

"And why come you to Carterhaugh without command from me?"
Tam Lin questioned Janet's presence in Carterhaugh without his permission

"I'll come and go," young Janet said, "and ask no leave of thee"
Janet asserted her independence and refusal to seek Tam Lin's permission to enter Carterhaugh

Well, up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild
Janet's father spoke gently and with caution

"Oh, and alas, Janet," he said, "I think you go with child"
Janet's father expressed his suspicion that she was pregnant

"Well, if that be so," Janet said, "myself shall bear the blame
Janet claimed responsibility for her pregnancy

There's not a knight in all your hall shall get the baby's name
She promised that none of the knights in her father's hall would be her child's father or have a claim to the child's name

For if my love were an earthly knight, as he is an elfin grey
Janet compared Tam Lin, her love, to an elf rather than a mortal knight

I'd not change my own true love for any knight you have
She would not give up her love for any mortal knight, regardless of their status or reputation

"Oh, tell to me, Tam Lin," she said, "why came you here to dwell?"
Janet asked Tam Lin why he chose to reside in Carterhaugh

"The Queen of Fairies caught me when from my horse I fell
Tam Lin explained that he was captured by the Fairy Queen after falling off his horse

And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hell
The Fairy Queen must give up something every seven years to the underworld

But tonight is Halloween and the fairy folk ride
Tam Lin revealed that Halloween is the night when the fairy folk ride

Those that would let true love win at Mile's Cross they must bide
Only those who have true love in their hearts can pass Mile's Cross and defeat the fairy queen's hold on Tam Lin

So first let pass the horses black and then let pass the brown
Tam Lin gave Janet instructions on how to defeat the fairy queen and rescue him

Quickly run to the white steed and pull the rider down
Janet must take the white horse and pull off its rider

For I'll ride on the white steed, the nearest to the town
Tam Lin will be riding the white steed closest to the town

For I was an earthly knight, they give me that renown
Tam Lin reveals that he used to be a mortal knight

Oh, they will turn me in your arms to a newt or a snake
The fairy queen will transform Tam Lin into an animal in Janet's arms

But hold me tight and fear not, I am your baby's father
Tam Lin reassures Janet that despite the possible transformations, he is still the father of her child

And they will turn me in your arms into a lion bold
Tam Lin warns Janet of another possible fairy queen transformation: a lion

But hold me tight and fear not and you will love your child
Tam Lin promises that if Janet holds him tight and remains unafraid, she will love their child regardless of the transformation

And they will turn me in your arms into a naked knight
Tam Lin warns Janet of another possible transformation: a naked knight

But cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sight"
Tam Lin instructs Janet to clothe him with her cloak so he won't be exposed as a naked knight

In the middle of the night she heard the bridle ring
Janet heard the sound of a bridle in the middle of the night

She heeded what he did say and young Tam Lin did win
Janet did as she was told and was able to rescue Tam Lin

Then up spoke the Fairy Queen, an angry queen was she
The fairy queen was not happy with Tam Lin's rescue

Woe betide her ill-far'd face, an ill death may she die
The fairy queen cursed Janet with bad luck and wished ill upon her

"Oh, had I known, Tam Lin," she said, "what this night I did see
The fairy queen expressed regret for not foreseeing the loss of Tam Lin

I'd have looked him in the eyes and turned him to a tree"
The fairy queen wishes she had turned Tam Lin into a tree to prevent his escape