| 1 |
O all you ladies young and gay,
Who are so sweet and fair,
Do not go into Chaster's wood,
For Tomlin will be there. |
| 2 |
Fair Margret sat in her bonny bower,
Sewing her silken seam,
And wished to be in Chaster's wood,
Among the leaves so green. |
| 3 |
She let her seam fall to her foot,
The needle to her toe,
And she has gone to Chaster's wood,
As fast as she could go. |
| 4 |
When she began to pull the flowers,
She pulld both red and green;
Then by did come, and by did go,
Said, Fair maid, let aleene. |
| 5 |
'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?' |
| 6 |
'O I will pull the flowers,' she said,
'Or I will break the tree,
For Chaster's wood it is my own,
I'll no ask leave at thee.' |
| 7 |
He took her by the milk-white hand,
And by the grass green sleeve,
And laid her low down on the flowers,
At her he asked no leave. |
| 8 |
The lady blushed, and sourly frowned,
And she did think great shame;
Says, 'if you are a gentleman,
You will tell me your name.' |
| 9 |
'First they did call me Jack,' he said,
'And then they called me John,
But since I lived in the fairy court
Tomlin has always been my name. |
| 10 |
'So do not pluck that flower, lady,
That has these pimples gray;
They would destroy the bonny babe
That we've got in our play.' |
| 11 |
'O tell me, Tomlin,' she said,
'And tell it to me soon,
Was you ever at good church-door,
Or got you christendoom?' |
| 12 |
'O I have been at good church-door,
And aff her yetts within;
I was the Laird of Foulis's son,
The heir of all this land. |
| 13 |
'But it fell once upon a day,
As hunting I did ride,
As I rode east and west yon hill
There woe did me betide. |
| 14 |
'O drowsy, drowsy as I was!
Dead sleep upon me fell;
The Queen of Fairies she was there,
And took me to hersell. |
| 15 |
'The Elfins is a pretty place,
In which I love to dwell,
But yet at every seven years' end
The last here goes to hell;
And as I am ane o flesh and blood,
I fear the next be mysell. |
| 16 |
'The morn at even is Halloween;
Our fairy court will ride,
Throw England and Scotland both,
Throw al the world wide;
And if ye would me borrow,
At Rides Cross ye may bide. |
| 17 |
'You may go into the Miles Moss,
Between twelve hours and one;
Take holy water in your hand,
And cast a compass round. |
| 18 |
'The first court that comes along,
You'll let them all pass by;
The next court that comes along,
Salute them reverently. |
| 19 |
'The next court that comes along
Is clad in robes of green,
And it's the head court of them all,
For in it rides the queen. |
| 20 |
'And I upon a milk-white steed,
With a gold star in my crown;
Because I am an earthly man
I'm next to the queen in renown. |
| 21 |
'Then seize upon me with a spring,
Then to the ground I'll fa,
And then you'll hear a rueful cry
That Tomlin is awa. |
| 22 |
'Then I'll grow in your arms two
Like to a savage wild;
But hold me fast, let me not go,
I'm father of your child. |
| 23 |
'I'll grow into your arms two
Like an adder or a snake;
But hold me fast, let me not go,
I'll be your earthly maick. |
| 24 |
'I'll grow into your arms two
Like iron in strong fire;
But hold me fast, let me not go,
Then you'll have your desire.' |
| 25 |
She rid down to Miles Cross,
Between twelve hours and one,
Took holy water in her hand,
And cast a compass round. |
| 26 |
The first court that came along,
She let them all pass by;
The next court that came along
Saluted reverently. |
| 27 |
The next court that came along
Were clad in robes of green,
When Tomlin, on a milk-white steed,
She saw ride with the queen. |
| 28 |
She seized him in her arms two,
He to the ground did fa,
And then she heard a ruefull cry
'Tomlin is now awa.' |
| 29 |
He grew into her arms two
Like to a savage wild;
She held him fast, let him not go,
The father of her child. |
| 30 |
He grew into her arms two
Like an adder or a snake;
She held him fast, let him not go,
He was her earthly maick. |
| 31 |
He grew into her arms two
Like iron in hot fire;
She held him fast, let him not go,
He was her heart's desire. |
| 32 |
Then sounded out throw elphin court,
With a loud shout and a cry,
That the pretty maid of Chaster's wood
That day had caught her prey. |
| 33 |
'O stay, Tomlin,' cried Elphin Queen,
'Till I pay you your fee;'
'His father has lands and rents enough,
He wants no fee from thee.' |
| 34 |
'O had I known at early morn
Tomlin would from me gone,
I would have taken out his heart of flesh
Put in a heart of stone.' |
