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O I Forbid you, maidens a' That wear gowd o[n] your hair, To come or gae by Carterhaugh, For young Tam Lin is there. There's nane that gaes by Carterhaugh But they leave him a wad; Either their rings, or green mantles, Or elſe their maidenhead. Janet has belted her green kirtle, A little aboon her knee, And ſhe has broded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree; And ſhe's awa to Carterhaugh, As faſt as ſhe can hie, When ſhe came to Carterhaugh Tom-Lin was at the well, And there ſhe fand his ſteed ſtanding, But away was himſel. She had na pu'd a double roſe, A roſe but only twa, Till up then ſtarted young Tam-Lin, Says, Lady, thou's pu' nae mae. Why pu's thou the roſe, Janet, And why breaks thou the wand! Or why comes thou to Carterhaugh Withoutten my command? Carterhaugh it is my ain, My daddie gave it me; I'll come and gang by Carterhaugh, And aſk nae leave at thee. Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And ſhe has ſnooded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And ſhe is to her father's ha, As faſt as ſhe can hie. Four and twenty ladies fair Were playing at the ba, And out then cam the fair Janet, Ance the flower amang them a'. Four and twenty ladies fair, Were playing at the cheſs, And out then cam the fair Janet, As green as onie glaſs. Out then ſpak an auld grey knight, Lay o'er the caſtle wa', And ſays, Alas, fair Janet, for thee But we'll be blamed a'. Haud your tongue, ye auld fac'd knight, Some ill death may ye die, Father my bairn on whom I will, I'll father nane on thee. Out then ſpak her father dear, And he ſpak meek and mild, And ever alas, ſweet Janet, he says, I think thou gaes wi' child. If that I gae wi' child, father, Myſel maun bear the blame; There's neer a laird about your ha, Shall get the bairn's name. If my love were an earthly knight, As he's an elfin grey; I wad na gie my ain true-love For nae lord that ye hae. The ſteed that my true-love rides on, Is lighter than the wind; Wi' siller he is ſhod before, Wi' burning gowd behind. Jenet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee; And ſhe has ſnooded her yellow hair A little aboon her brie; And ſhe's awa to Carterhaugh, As faſt as ſhe can hie When ſhe cam to Carterhaugh, Tam-Lin was at the well; And there ſhe fand his ſteed ſtanding, But away was himſel. She has na pu'd a double roſe, A roſe but only twa, Till up then ſtarted young Tam-Lin, Says Lady, thou pu's nae mae. Why pu's thou the roſe, Janet, Amang the groves ſae green, And a' to kill the bonie babe That we gat us between. O tell me, tell me, Tam-Lin ſhe ſays, For's ſake that died on tree, If e'er ye was in holy chapel, Or chriſtendom did see. Roxbrugh he was my grandfather, Took me with him to bide And ance it fell upon a day That wae did me betide. And ance it fell upon a day, A cauld day and a ſnell. When we were frae the hunting come, That frae my horſe I fell. The queen o' Fairies ſhe caught me, In yon green hill to dwell, And pleaſant is the fairy land; But, an eerie tale to tell! Ay at the end of ſeven years We pay a tiend to hell. I am ſae fair and fu' o' fleſh I'm fear'd it be myſel. But the night is Halloween, lady, The morn is Hallowday; Then win me, win me, an ye will, For weel I wat ye may. Juſt at the mirk and midnight hour The fairy folk will ride; And they that wad their truelove win, At Mileſcroſs they maun bide. But how ſhall I thee ken Tam-Lin, Or how my true love know. Amang ſae mony unco knights, The like I never ſaw. O firſt let paſs the black lady, And ſyne let paſs the brown; But quickly run to the milk white-ſteed, Pu ye his rider down. For I'll ride on the milk-white ſteed, And ay neareſt the town. Becauſe I was an earthly knight They gie me that renown. My right hand will be glov'd lady, My left hand will be bare Cockt up ſhall my bonnet be, And kaim'd down ſhall my hair, And thae's the takens I gie thee, Nae doubt I will be there. They'll turn me in your arms lady, Into an eſk and adder, But hald me faſt and fear me not, I am your bairn's father. They'll turn me to a bear ſae grim, And then a lion bold, But hold me faſt and fear me not, As ye ſhall love your child. Again they'll turn me in your arms To a red het gaud of airn; But hold me faſt and fear me not, I'll do to you nae harm. And laſt they'll turn me in your arms Into the burning lead; Then throw me into well water, O throw me in wi' ſpeed. And then I'll be your ain true-love, I'll turn a naked knight. Then cover me wi' your green mantle, And cover me out o' ſight. Gloomy, gloomy was the night, And eerie was the way, As fair Jenny in her green mantle To Mileſcroſs ſhe did gae. About the middle o' the night, She heard the bridles ring; This lady was as glad at that As any earthly thing. First ſhe let the black paſs by, And ſyne ſhe let the brown; But quickly ſhe ran to the milk white-ſteed, And pu'd the rider down. Sae weel ſhe minded whae he did say And young Tam Lin did win; Syne cover'd him wi' her green mantle As blythe's a bird in ſpring. Out then ſpak the queen o' fairies, Out of a buſh o broom; Them that has gotten young Tam Lin, Has gotten a ſtately groom. Out then ſpak the queen o' fairies, And an angry queen was ſhe; Shame betide her ill-far'd face, And an ill death may ſhe die, For ſhe's taen awa the boniest knight In a' my companie, But had I kend, Tam Lin, ſhe ſays, What now this night I ſee. I wad hae taen out thy twa grey een, And put in twa een o' tree. |
