Sandy Denny - Tam Lin Lyrics
The words are different from the original (child) version but this is a very close approximation of the song as performed by sandy denny.i forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hairTo travel to carterhaugh, for young tam lin is thereNone that go by carterhaugh but they leave him a pledgeEither their mantles of green or else their maidenheadJanet tied her kirtle green a bit above her kneeAnd shes gone to carterhaugh as fast as go can sheShed not pulled a double rose, a rose but only twoWhen up then came young tam lin, says,lady, pull no moreand why come you to carterhaugh without command from me?Ill come and go, young janet said, and ask no leave of theeJanet tied her kirtle green a bit above her kneeAnd shes gone to her father as fast as go can sheWell, up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild``oh, and alas, janet, he said, i think you go with child``well, if that be so, janet said, myself shall bear the blameTheres not a knight in all your hall shall get the babys nameFor if my love were an earthly knight, as he is an elfin greyId not change my own true love for any knight you haveSo janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her kneeAnd shes gone to carterhaugh as fast as go can she``oh, tell to me, tam lin, she said, why came you here to dwell?``the queen of fairies caught me when from my horse I fellAnd at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hellI so fair and full of flesh and fear it be myselfBut tonight is halloween and the fairy folk rideThose that would let true love win at miles cross they must bideSo first let pass the horses black and then let pass the brownQuickly run to the white steed and pull the rider downFor Ill ride on the white steed, the nearest to the townFor I was an earthly knight, they give me that renownOh, they will turn me in your arms to a newt or a snakeBut hold me tight and fear not, I am your babys fatherAnd they will turn me in your arms into a lion boldBut hold me tight and fear not and you will love your childAnd they will turn me in your arms into a ***** knightBut cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sightIn the middle of the night she heard the bridle ringShe heeded what he did say and young tam lin did winThen up spoke the fairy queen, an angry queen was sheWoe betide her ill-fard face, an ill death may she dieoh, had I known, tam lin, she said, what this night I did seeId have looked him in the eyes and turned him to a tree
