THE YOUNG TAMLANE

“O I forbidye, maidens a’,That wear gowd on your hair,To come or gae by Carterhaugh,For young Tamlane is there.”But up then spake her, fair Janet,The fairest o’ a’ her kin;“I’ll cum and gang to Carterhaugh,And ask nae leave o’ him.”Janet has kilted her green kirtle,A little abune her knee;And she has braided her yellow hair,A little abune her bree.And when she came to Carterhaugh,She gaed beside the well;And there she fand his steed standing,But awa was himsell.She hadna pu’d a red red rose,A rose but barely three;Till up and starts a wee wee man,At lady Janet’s knee.Says—“Why pu’ ye the rose, Janet?What gars ye break the tree?Or why come ye to Carterhaugh,Withouten leave o’ me?”—Says—“Carterhaugh it is mine ain;My daddie gave it me:I’ll come and gang to Carterhaugh,And ask nae leave o’ thee.“The truth ye’ll tell to me, Tamlane:A word ye mauna lie;Gin e’er ye was in haly chapel,Or sained in Christentie?”—“The truth I’ll tell to thee, Janet,A word I winna lee:My father’s a knight, a lady me bore,As well as they did thee.“Randolph, earl Murray, was my sire,Dunbar, earl March, is thine;We loved when we were children small,Which yet you well may mind.“When I was a boy just turn’d of nine,My uncle sent for me,To hunt, and hawk, and ride with him,And keep him cumpanie.“There came a wind out of the north,A sharp wind and a snell;And a dead sleep came over me,And frae my horse I fell.“The Queen of Fairies keppit meIn yon green hill to dwell;And I’m a fairy, lyth and limb;Fair ladye, view me well.“But we, that live in Fairy-land,No sickness know nor pain,I quit my body when I will,And take to it again.“I quit my body when I please,Or unto it repair;We can inhabit at our ease,In either earth or air.“Our shapes and size we can convertTo either large or small;An old nut-shell’s the same to usAs is the lofty hall.“We sleep in rose-buds soft and sweet,We revel in the stream;We wanton lightly on the wind,Or glide on a sunbeam.“And all our wants are well suppliedFrom every rich man’s store,Who thankless sins the gifts he gets,And vainly grasps for more.“Then I would never tire, Janet,In Elfish land to dwell;But aye, at every seven years,They pay the teind to hell;And I am sae fat and fair of flesh,I fear’t will be mysell.“This night is Hallowe’en, Janet,The morn is Hallowday;And, gin ye dare your true love win,Ye na hae time to stay.“The night it is good Hallowe’en,When fairy folk will ride;And they that wad their true love winAt Miles Cross they maun bide.”—“But how shall I thee ken, Tamlane?Or how shall I thee knaw,Amang so many unearthly knights,The like I never saw?”—“The first company that passes by,Say na, and let them gae;The next company that passes by,Say na, and do right sae;The third company that passes by,Then I’ll be ane o’ thae.“First let pass the black, Janet,And syne let pass the brown;But grip ye to the milk-white steed,And pu’ the rider down.“For I ride on the milk-white steed,And aye nearest the town;Because I was a christen’d knight,They gave me that renown.“My right hand will be gloved, Janet,My left hand will be bare;And these the tokens I gie thee,Nae doubt I will be there.“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and a snake;But haud me fast, let me not pass,Gin ye wad be my maik.“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and an ask;They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,A bale that burns fast.“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,A red-hot gad o’ airn;But haud me fast, let me not pass,For I’ll do you no harm.“And, next, they’ll shape me in your arms,A tod, but and an eel;But haud me fast, nor let me gang,As you do love me weel.“They’ll shape me in your arms, Janet,A dove, but and a swan;And, last, they’ll shape me in your armsA mother-naked man:Cast your green mantle over me—I’ll be myself again.”—

“O I forbidye, maidens a’,That wear gowd on your hair,To come or gae by Carterhaugh,For young Tamlane is there.”

“O I forbidye, maidens a’,

That wear gowd on your hair,

To come or gae by Carterhaugh,

For young Tamlane is there.”

But up then spake her, fair Janet,The fairest o’ a’ her kin;“I’ll cum and gang to Carterhaugh,And ask nae leave o’ him.”

But up then spake her, fair Janet,

The fairest o’ a’ her kin;

“I’ll cum and gang to Carterhaugh,

And ask nae leave o’ him.”

Janet has kilted her green kirtle,A little abune her knee;And she has braided her yellow hair,A little abune her bree.

Janet has kilted her green kirtle,

A little abune her knee;

And she has braided her yellow hair,

A little abune her bree.

And when she came to Carterhaugh,She gaed beside the well;And there she fand his steed standing,But awa was himsell.

And when she came to Carterhaugh,

She gaed beside the well;

And there she fand his steed standing,

But awa was himsell.

She hadna pu’d a red red rose,A rose but barely three;Till up and starts a wee wee man,At lady Janet’s knee.

She hadna pu’d a red red rose,

A rose but barely three;

Till up and starts a wee wee man,

At lady Janet’s knee.

Says—“Why pu’ ye the rose, Janet?What gars ye break the tree?Or why come ye to Carterhaugh,Withouten leave o’ me?”—

Says—“Why pu’ ye the rose, Janet?

What gars ye break the tree?

Or why come ye to Carterhaugh,

Withouten leave o’ me?”—

Says—“Carterhaugh it is mine ain;My daddie gave it me:I’ll come and gang to Carterhaugh,And ask nae leave o’ thee.

Says—“Carterhaugh it is mine ain;

My daddie gave it me:

I’ll come and gang to Carterhaugh,

And ask nae leave o’ thee.

“The truth ye’ll tell to me, Tamlane:A word ye mauna lie;Gin e’er ye was in haly chapel,Or sained in Christentie?”—

“The truth ye’ll tell to me, Tamlane:

A word ye mauna lie;

Gin e’er ye was in haly chapel,

Or sained in Christentie?”—

“The truth I’ll tell to thee, Janet,A word I winna lee:My father’s a knight, a lady me bore,As well as they did thee.

“The truth I’ll tell to thee, Janet,

A word I winna lee:

My father’s a knight, a lady me bore,

As well as they did thee.

“Randolph, earl Murray, was my sire,Dunbar, earl March, is thine;We loved when we were children small,Which yet you well may mind.

“Randolph, earl Murray, was my sire,

Dunbar, earl March, is thine;

We loved when we were children small,

Which yet you well may mind.

“When I was a boy just turn’d of nine,My uncle sent for me,To hunt, and hawk, and ride with him,And keep him cumpanie.

“When I was a boy just turn’d of nine,

My uncle sent for me,

To hunt, and hawk, and ride with him,

And keep him cumpanie.

“There came a wind out of the north,A sharp wind and a snell;And a dead sleep came over me,And frae my horse I fell.

“There came a wind out of the north,

A sharp wind and a snell;

And a dead sleep came over me,

And frae my horse I fell.

“The Queen of Fairies keppit meIn yon green hill to dwell;And I’m a fairy, lyth and limb;Fair ladye, view me well.

“The Queen of Fairies keppit me

In yon green hill to dwell;

And I’m a fairy, lyth and limb;

Fair ladye, view me well.

“But we, that live in Fairy-land,No sickness know nor pain,I quit my body when I will,And take to it again.

“But we, that live in Fairy-land,

No sickness know nor pain,

I quit my body when I will,

And take to it again.

“I quit my body when I please,Or unto it repair;We can inhabit at our ease,In either earth or air.

“I quit my body when I please,

Or unto it repair;

We can inhabit at our ease,

In either earth or air.

“Our shapes and size we can convertTo either large or small;An old nut-shell’s the same to usAs is the lofty hall.

“Our shapes and size we can convert

To either large or small;

An old nut-shell’s the same to us

As is the lofty hall.

“We sleep in rose-buds soft and sweet,We revel in the stream;We wanton lightly on the wind,Or glide on a sunbeam.

“We sleep in rose-buds soft and sweet,

We revel in the stream;

We wanton lightly on the wind,

Or glide on a sunbeam.

“And all our wants are well suppliedFrom every rich man’s store,Who thankless sins the gifts he gets,And vainly grasps for more.

“And all our wants are well supplied

From every rich man’s store,

Who thankless sins the gifts he gets,

And vainly grasps for more.

“Then I would never tire, Janet,In Elfish land to dwell;But aye, at every seven years,They pay the teind to hell;And I am sae fat and fair of flesh,I fear’t will be mysell.

“Then I would never tire, Janet,

In Elfish land to dwell;

But aye, at every seven years,

They pay the teind to hell;

And I am sae fat and fair of flesh,

I fear’t will be mysell.

“This night is Hallowe’en, Janet,The morn is Hallowday;And, gin ye dare your true love win,Ye na hae time to stay.

“This night is Hallowe’en, Janet,

The morn is Hallowday;

And, gin ye dare your true love win,

Ye na hae time to stay.

“The night it is good Hallowe’en,When fairy folk will ride;And they that wad their true love winAt Miles Cross they maun bide.”—

“The night it is good Hallowe’en,

When fairy folk will ride;

And they that wad their true love win

At Miles Cross they maun bide.”—

“But how shall I thee ken, Tamlane?Or how shall I thee knaw,Amang so many unearthly knights,The like I never saw?”—

“But how shall I thee ken, Tamlane?

Or how shall I thee knaw,

Amang so many unearthly knights,

The like I never saw?”—

“The first company that passes by,Say na, and let them gae;The next company that passes by,Say na, and do right sae;The third company that passes by,Then I’ll be ane o’ thae.

“The first company that passes by,

Say na, and let them gae;

The next company that passes by,

Say na, and do right sae;

The third company that passes by,

Then I’ll be ane o’ thae.

“First let pass the black, Janet,And syne let pass the brown;But grip ye to the milk-white steed,And pu’ the rider down.

“First let pass the black, Janet,

And syne let pass the brown;

But grip ye to the milk-white steed,

And pu’ the rider down.

“For I ride on the milk-white steed,And aye nearest the town;Because I was a christen’d knight,They gave me that renown.

“For I ride on the milk-white steed,

And aye nearest the town;

Because I was a christen’d knight,

They gave me that renown.

“My right hand will be gloved, Janet,My left hand will be bare;And these the tokens I gie thee,Nae doubt I will be there.

“My right hand will be gloved, Janet,

My left hand will be bare;

And these the tokens I gie thee,

Nae doubt I will be there.

“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and a snake;But haud me fast, let me not pass,Gin ye wad be my maik.

“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,

An adder and a snake;

But haud me fast, let me not pass,

Gin ye wad be my maik.

“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,An adder and an ask;They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,A bale that burns fast.

“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,

An adder and an ask;

They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,

A bale that burns fast.

“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,A red-hot gad o’ airn;But haud me fast, let me not pass,For I’ll do you no harm.

“They’ll turn me in your arms, Janet,

A red-hot gad o’ airn;

But haud me fast, let me not pass,

For I’ll do you no harm.

“And, next, they’ll shape me in your arms,A tod, but and an eel;But haud me fast, nor let me gang,As you do love me weel.

“And, next, they’ll shape me in your arms,

A tod, but and an eel;

But haud me fast, nor let me gang,

As you do love me weel.

“They’ll shape me in your arms, Janet,A dove, but and a swan;And, last, they’ll shape me in your armsA mother-naked man:Cast your green mantle over me—I’ll be myself again.”—

“They’ll shape me in your arms, Janet,

A dove, but and a swan;

And, last, they’ll shape me in your arms

A mother-naked man:

Cast your green mantle over me—

I’ll be myself again.”—

Gloomy, gloomy, was the night,And eiry was the way,As fair Janet in her green mantle,To Miles Cross she did gae.The heavens were black, the night was dark,And dreary was the place;But Janet stood, with eager wish,Her lover to embrace.Betwixt the hours of twelve and one,A north wind tore the bent;And straight she heard strange elritch sounds,Upon that wind which went.About the dead hour o’ the night,She heard the bridles ring;And Janet was as glad o’ thatAs any earthly thing.Their oaten pipes blew wondrous shrill.The hemlock small blew clear;And louder notes from hemlock large,And bog-reed, struck the ear;But solemn sounds, or sober thoughts,The Fairies cannot bear.They sing, inspired with love and joy,Like skylarks in the air;Of solid sense, or thought that’s grave,You’ll find no traces there.Fair Janet stood, with mind unmoved,The dreary heath upon;And louder, louder wax’d the sound,As they came riding on.Will o’ Wisp before them went,Sent forth a twinkling light;And soon she saw the fairy bandsAll riding in her sight.And first gaed by the black, black steed,And then gaed by the brown;But fast she gript the milk-white steed,And pu’d the rider down.She pu’d him frae the milk-white steed,And loot the bridle fa’;And up there raise an erlish cry—“He’s won amang us a’!”—They shaped him in fair Janet’s arms,A tod, but and an eel;She held him fast in every shape—As she did love him weel.They shaped him in her arms at last,A mother-naked man;She wrapt him in her green mantle,And sae her true love wan!Up then spake the queen o’ fairies,Out o’ a bush o’ broom—“She that has borrow’d young Tamlane,Has gotten a stately groom.”—Up then spake the queen o’ Fairies,Out o’ a bush o’ rye—“She’s ta’en awa the bonniest knightIn a’ my cumpanie.“But had I kenn’d, Tamlane,” she says,“A ladye wad borrow’d thee—I wad ta’en out thy twa grey een,Put in twa een o’ tree.“Had I but kenn’d, Tamlane,” she says,“Before ye came frae hame—I wad ta’en out your heart o’ flesh,Put in a heart o’ stane.”“Had I but had the wit yestreenThat I hae coft the day—I’d paid my kane seven times to hellEre you’d been won away!”

Gloomy, gloomy, was the night,And eiry was the way,As fair Janet in her green mantle,To Miles Cross she did gae.

Gloomy, gloomy, was the night,

And eiry was the way,

As fair Janet in her green mantle,

To Miles Cross she did gae.

The heavens were black, the night was dark,And dreary was the place;But Janet stood, with eager wish,Her lover to embrace.

The heavens were black, the night was dark,

And dreary was the place;

But Janet stood, with eager wish,

Her lover to embrace.

Betwixt the hours of twelve and one,A north wind tore the bent;And straight she heard strange elritch sounds,Upon that wind which went.

Betwixt the hours of twelve and one,

A north wind tore the bent;

And straight she heard strange elritch sounds,

Upon that wind which went.

About the dead hour o’ the night,She heard the bridles ring;And Janet was as glad o’ thatAs any earthly thing.

About the dead hour o’ the night,

She heard the bridles ring;

And Janet was as glad o’ that

As any earthly thing.

Their oaten pipes blew wondrous shrill.The hemlock small blew clear;And louder notes from hemlock large,And bog-reed, struck the ear;But solemn sounds, or sober thoughts,The Fairies cannot bear.

Their oaten pipes blew wondrous shrill.

The hemlock small blew clear;

And louder notes from hemlock large,

And bog-reed, struck the ear;

But solemn sounds, or sober thoughts,

The Fairies cannot bear.

They sing, inspired with love and joy,Like skylarks in the air;Of solid sense, or thought that’s grave,You’ll find no traces there.

They sing, inspired with love and joy,

Like skylarks in the air;

Of solid sense, or thought that’s grave,

You’ll find no traces there.

Fair Janet stood, with mind unmoved,The dreary heath upon;And louder, louder wax’d the sound,As they came riding on.

Fair Janet stood, with mind unmoved,

The dreary heath upon;

And louder, louder wax’d the sound,

As they came riding on.

Will o’ Wisp before them went,Sent forth a twinkling light;And soon she saw the fairy bandsAll riding in her sight.

Will o’ Wisp before them went,

Sent forth a twinkling light;

And soon she saw the fairy bands

All riding in her sight.

And first gaed by the black, black steed,And then gaed by the brown;But fast she gript the milk-white steed,And pu’d the rider down.

And first gaed by the black, black steed,

And then gaed by the brown;

But fast she gript the milk-white steed,

And pu’d the rider down.

She pu’d him frae the milk-white steed,And loot the bridle fa’;And up there raise an erlish cry—“He’s won amang us a’!”—

She pu’d him frae the milk-white steed,

And loot the bridle fa’;

And up there raise an erlish cry—

“He’s won amang us a’!”—

They shaped him in fair Janet’s arms,A tod, but and an eel;She held him fast in every shape—As she did love him weel.

They shaped him in fair Janet’s arms,

A tod, but and an eel;

She held him fast in every shape—

As she did love him weel.

They shaped him in her arms at last,A mother-naked man;She wrapt him in her green mantle,And sae her true love wan!

They shaped him in her arms at last,

A mother-naked man;

She wrapt him in her green mantle,

And sae her true love wan!

Up then spake the queen o’ fairies,Out o’ a bush o’ broom—“She that has borrow’d young Tamlane,Has gotten a stately groom.”—

Up then spake the queen o’ fairies,

Out o’ a bush o’ broom—

“She that has borrow’d young Tamlane,

Has gotten a stately groom.”—

Up then spake the queen o’ Fairies,Out o’ a bush o’ rye—“She’s ta’en awa the bonniest knightIn a’ my cumpanie.

Up then spake the queen o’ Fairies,

Out o’ a bush o’ rye—

“She’s ta’en awa the bonniest knight

In a’ my cumpanie.

“But had I kenn’d, Tamlane,” she says,“A ladye wad borrow’d thee—I wad ta’en out thy twa grey een,Put in twa een o’ tree.

“But had I kenn’d, Tamlane,” she says,

“A ladye wad borrow’d thee—

I wad ta’en out thy twa grey een,

Put in twa een o’ tree.

“Had I but kenn’d, Tamlane,” she says,“Before ye came frae hame—I wad ta’en out your heart o’ flesh,Put in a heart o’ stane.”

“Had I but kenn’d, Tamlane,” she says,

“Before ye came frae hame—

I wad ta’en out your heart o’ flesh,

Put in a heart o’ stane.”

“Had I but had the wit yestreenThat I hae coft the day—I’d paid my kane seven times to hellEre you’d been won away!”

“Had I but had the wit yestreen

That I hae coft the day—

I’d paid my kane seven times to hell

Ere you’d been won away!”

(Condensed)

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