English and Scottish Ballads
Chapter 38 : "O tell me, tell me, Tam-a-Line, 115 O tell, an' tell me true; Tell me this n

"O tell me, tell me, Tam-a-Line, 115 O tell, an' tell me true; Tell me this nicht, an' mak' nae lee, What way I'll borrow you?"

"The morn is Hallowe'en nicht, The Elfin court will ride, 120 Through England, and thro' a' Scotland, And through the warld wide.

"O they begin at sky sett in, Ride a' the evenin' tide; And she that will her true love borrow, 125 At Miles-cross will him bide.

"Ye'll do ye down to Miles-cross, Between twall hours and ane; And full your hands o' holie water, And cast your compa.s.s roun'. 130

"Then the first ane court that comes you till, Is published king and queen; The neist ane court that comes you till, It is maidens mony ane.

"The neist ane court that comes you till, 135 Is footmen, grooms, and squires; The neist ane court that comes you till, Is knichts; and I'll be there.

"I Tam-a-Line, on milk-white steed, A gowd star on my crown; 140 Because I was an earthly knicht, Got that for a renown.

"And out at my steed's right nostril, He'll breathe a fiery flame; Ye'll loot you low, and sain yoursel, 145 And ye'll be busy then.

"Ye'll tak' my horse then by the head, And lat the bridal fa'; The Queen o' Elfin she'll cry out, 'True Tam-a-Line's awa'.' 150

"Then I'll appear into your arms Like the wolf that ne'er wad tame; Ye'll haud me fast, lat me not gae, Case we ne'er meet again.

"Then I'll appear into your arms 155 Like fire that burns sae bauld; Ye'll haud me fast, lat me not gae, I'll be as iron cauld.

"Then I'll appear into your arms Like the adder an' the snake; 160 Ye'll haud me fast, lat me not gae, I am your warld's maike.

"Then I'll appear into your arms Like to the deer sae wild; Ye'll haud me fast, lat me not gae, 165 And I'll father your child.

"And I'll appear into your arms Like to a silken string; Ye'll haud me fast, lat me not gae, Till ye see the fair mornin'. 170

"And I'll appear into your arms Like to a naked man; Ye'll haud me fast, lat me not gae, And wi' you I'll gae hame."

Then she has done her to Miles-cross, 175 Between twal hours an' ane; And filled her hands o' holie water, And kiest her compa.s.s roun'.

The first ane court that came her till, Was published king and queen; 180 The niest ane court that came her till, Was maidens mony ane.

The niest ane court that came her till, Was footmen, grooms, and squires; The niest ane court that came her till, 185 Was knichts; and he was there!

True Tam-a-Line, on milk-white steed, A gowd star on his crown; Because he was an earthly man, Got that for a renown. 190

And out at the steed's right nostril, He breath'd a fiery flame; She loots her low, an' sains hersel, And she was busy then.

She's taen the horse then by the head, 195 And loot the bridle fa'; The Queen o' Elfin she cried out,-- "True Tam-a-Line's awa'."

"Stay still, true Tam-a-Line," she says, "Till I pay you your fee;" 200 "His father wants not lands nor rents, He'll ask nae fee frae thee."

"Gin I had kent yestreen, yestreen, What I ken weel the day, I shou'd hae taen your fu' fause heart, 205 Gien you a heart o' clay."

Then he appeared into her arms Like the wolf that ne'er wad tame; She held him fast, lat him not gae, Case they ne'er met again. 210

Then he appeared into her arms Like the fire burning bauld; She held him fast, lat him not gae, He was as iron cauld.

And he appeared into her arms 215 Like the adder an' the snake; She held him fast, lat him not gae, He was her warld's maike.

And he appeared into her arms Like to the deer sae wild; 220 She held him fast, lat him not gae, He's father o' her child.

And he appeared into her arms Like to a silken string; She held him fast, lat him not gae, 225 Till she saw fair mornin'.

And he appeared into her arms Like to a naked man; She held him fast, lat him not gae, And wi' her he's gane hame. 230

These news hae reach'd thro' a' Scotland, And far ayont the Tay, That ladye Margaret, our king's dochter, That nicht had gain'd her prey.

She borrowed her love at mirk midnicht, 235 Bare her young son ere day; And though ye'd search the warld wide, Ye'll nae find sic a may.

TOM LINN. (See p. 114.)

This fragment was taken down from the recitation of an old woman.

Maidment's _New Book of Old Ballads_, p. 54.

O all you ladies young and gay, Who are so sweet and fair, Do not go into Chaster's wood, For Tomlinn will be there.

Fair Margaret sat in her bonny bower, 5 Sewing her silken seam, And wished to be in Chaster's wood, Among the leaves so green.

She let the seam fall to her foot, The needle to her toe, 10 And she has gone to Chaster's wood, As fast as she could go.

When she began to pull the flowers; She pull'd both red and green; Then by did come, and by did go, 15 Said, "Fair maid, let abene!

"O why pluck you the flowers, lady, Or why climb you the tree?

Or why come ye to Chaster's wood, Without the leave of me?" 20

"O I will pull the flowers," she said, "Or I will break the tree; For Chaster's wood it is my own, I'll ask no leave at thee."

He took her by the milk-white hand, 25 And by the gra.s.s-green sleeve; And laid her down upon the flowers, At her he ask'd no leave.

The lady blush'd and sourly frown'd, And she did think great shame; 30 Says, "If you are a gentleman, You will tell me your name."

"First they call me Jack," he said, "And then they call'd me John; But since I liv'd in the Fairy court, 35 Tomlinn has always been my name.

"So do not pluck that flower, lady, That has these pimples gray; They would destroy the bonny babe That we've gotten in our play." 40

"O tell to me, Tomlinn," she said, "And tell it to me soon; Was you ever at a good church door, Or got you christendom?"

"O I have been at good church door, 45 And oft her yetts within; I was the Laird of Foulis's son, The heir of all his land.

"But it fell once upon a day, As hunting I did ride, 50 As I rode east and west yon hill, Then woe did me betide.