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