Lyrics Tam Lin - Steeleye Span

Tam Lin

Oh, I forbid you maidens all
That wear gold in your hair
To come or go by Carterhaugh
For young Tam Lin is there
If you go by Carterhaugh
You must leave him a wad
Either your rings or green mantle
Or else your maidenhead
She’s away o’er gravel green
And o’er the gravel brown
She’s away to Carterhaugh
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 Haugh it my father’s
I’ll ask no leave of thee
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
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 Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
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 Hallowe’en
The fairy court will ride
And if you would your true love win
At Miles Cross, you must bide
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
Oh, in Carterhaugh, in Carterhaugh
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