Tam Lin
16th Century
Child Ballad 39
O I forbid you, maidens a'
That wear gowd on 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 kilted her green kirtle,
A little aboon her knee;
And she's broded up her yellow hair
A little aboon her bree;
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 had na' pu'd a double rose
A rose but only tway,
Till up then started young Tam-lin,
Says, Lady, thou's pu' nae mae.
Why pu's thou the rose, Janet
And 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.
DayPoems Poem No. 2566
<a href="http://www.daypoems.net/poems/2566.html">Tam Lin by Anonymous</a>
The DayPoems Poetry Collection, www.daypoems.net
Timothy Bovee, editor
Poets Poems