TAMLIN



Oh, I forbid you maidens all

That wear gold in your hair

To come or go by Cartershay

For young Tamlin is there, my love

For young Tamlin is there



There's none that go by Cartershay

But they leave him a wad

Either their rings or their green mantles

Or else their maidenheads



May Margery sat in her castle tower

Sewing her silken seam

She looked from out her high window

And she saw the leaves growing green



She's let the seams drop to her foot

The needle to her toe

And she's away to Cartershay

As fast as she can go



She had not pulled a red, red rose

A rose but barely three

When up there started young Tamlin

Says, Let the roses be



Why pulls thou the rose, Margaret?

And why breakest thou the wand?

And why comes thou to Cartershay

Withouten my command?



Cartershay it is my own;

My father gave it me

And I will go to Cartershay

And ask no leave of thee



He's taken her by the milk-white hand

Among the leaves so green

And what they did I cannot say

The green leaves were between



Now since you've had your will of me

Come tell to me your name

But she nothing heard and nothing saw

And all the woods grew dim



May Margery's kilted her green, green skirt

A little above her knee

And she is to her father's hall

As fast as she can hie



Four and twenty ladies fair

Were playing at the ball

And out it's come Lady Margaret

Who was once the flower of all



Four and twenty ladies fair

Were playing at the chess

And out it's come Lady Margaret

As green as any glass



Out then spoke her old waiting maid

And she spoke meek and mild

And ever alas, sweet Margaret, she says

I think thou goes with child



Out then spoke an old grey knight

Lay over the castle wall

And ever alas, fair Margaret, for thee

But we'll be blamed for all



Oh hold your tongue, you ill-faced knight

Some ill death may you die

Father my child on whom I will

I'll father none on thee



Out then spoke her old father dear

And he spoke meek and mild

And ever alas, fair Margaret, he says

I think thou goes with child



If that I go with child, Father,

Myself must bear the blame

There's ne'er a lord about your hall

Shall get the baby's name



If my true love were an earthly knight

As he's an elfin grey

I would not give my own true love

For any lord here today



The horse that my true love rides on

Is lighter than the wind

With silver he is shod before

With burning gold behind



Out then spoke her mother dear

And ever alas, said she

I know an herb in the merry green wood

That will scathe thy babe from thee



May Margery's braided her yellow hair

A little above her breast

And she's away to Cartershay

Without a moment's rest



She had not pulled at Cartershay

An herb but barely one

'Till up there started young Tamlin

Says, Leave the herbs alone



Why pulls thou that bitter herb

Among the leaves so green?

And all to kill the bonnie babe

That we got us between



Now tell to me the truth, Tamlin

A truth - we will not lie-

If ever you were a mortal man

And christened the same as me?



Oh, I will tell the truth, Margaret

A truth - I will not lie -

It's truth I've been in holy chapel

And christened as well as thee



But once it fell upon a day

As hunting I did ride

As I rode East and I rode West

Strange chance did me betide



There blew a drowsy, drowsy wind

And sleep upon me fell

The Queen of Fairies she was there

And she took me to herself



And never would I tire, Margaret

In fairyland to dwell

And pleasant is the fairyland

But an eerie tale to tell



For aye, at every seven years

They pay a tithe to Hell

And I'm so fair and full of flesh

I'm feared 'twill be myself



The night is Halloween, Margaret

The morn is Hallowday

The win me, win me, and ye will

For all I know ye may



Just at the mirk and midnight hour

The elfin folk will ride

And they that would their true love win

At Miles Cross, they must bide



But how shall I thee ken, Tamlin

And how shall I thee know?

Among so many unearthly knights

The like I never saw?



Oh, first let by the black, black steed

And then let by the brown

But haste ye to the milk white steed

And pull the rider down



For I'll be on the milk white steed

With a gold star in my crown

Because I was an earthly knight

They gave me that renown



And they will turn me in your arms

Into a beast so wild

But hold me fast and fear me not

I'm the father of your child



And they'll change me in your arms

Into the red hot iron

But hold me fast and fear me not

I'll do you no harm



They'll turn me in your arms, my love

Into an awful snake

But hold me fast and fear me not

For I'm to be your mate



At last they'll turn me in your arms

Into the melting lead

Then throw me into clear well water

And throw me in with speed



And then I'll be your own true love

I'll turn a naked knight

Cover me with your green mantle

And cover me out of sight



My right hand will be gloved, Margaret

My left hand will be bare

Cocked up shall my helmet be

No doubt I shall be there



Gloomy, gloomy was the night

And eerie was the way

When Margaret in her green mantle

To Miles Cross she did gae



About the middle of the night

She heard the bridles ring

Margaret was as glad of that

As any mortal thing



First went by the black, black steed

And then went by the brown

But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed

And pulled the rider down



And thunder rolled across the sky

And the stars they burned like day

And out then spoke the Queen of the Fairies

Crying young Tamlin's away



They turned him to a bear so bold

Then to a lion wild

She held him fast and feared him not

He was the father of her child



And then they turned him in her arms

Into iron like hot fire

She held him fast and feared him not

He was her heart's desire



They turned him, changed him in her arms

Into a hissing snake

She held him fast and feared him not

He was to be her mate



At last they turned him in her arms

Into the molten lead

She threw him into clear well water

And threw him in with speed



And then he turned a naked knight

She young Tamlin did win

She covered him with her green mantle

As blithe's a bird in spring



Out then spoke the Queen of the Fairies

Out of a bush of broom

She that has gotten young Tamlin

Has gotten a stately groom



Out then spoke the Queen of the Fairies

And angry queen was she

Shame betide her ill-starred face

And an ill death may she die



Out then spoke the Queen of Fairies

Out of a bush of rye

She has gotten the fairest knight

In all my company



If what I'd see this night, Tamlin

Last night I'd understood

I'd have torn out thy two grey eyes

And put in two of wood



If what I see this night, Tamlin

Last night I'd only known

I'd have taken out your heart of flesh

Put in a heart of stone



If I'd but half the wit yestereen

That I have bought today

I'd have paid my tithe seven times to Hell

E'er you'd been won away



___________

verses compiled by Michael Cooney from various sources. Sung by

Michael Cooney, Frankie Armstrong ("Here's a health to man and

maid"), Ann Briggs, etc.

Child #39

@ballad @myth @magic @plant @animal @love @seasonal

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