And a' to kill the bonny babe, That we gat us between?" "O tell me, tell me, Tam Lin," she says, "For's sake that died on tree, If e'er ye was in holy chapel, Or Christendom did see?"-- ["The truth I'll tell to thee, Janet, A word I winna lie; A knight me got, and a lady me bore, As well as they did thee.] "Roxburgh, he was my grandfather, Took me with him to bide, And ance it fell upon a day That wae did me betide. And ance it fell upon a day, A cauld day and a snell, That we were frae the hunting come, That frae my horse I fell -, The Queen of Fairies she caught me, In yon green hill to dwell; "And pleasant is the fairy land, Janet, But, an eerie tale to tell, Aye, at the end of seven years, We pay a teind to hell; And I am sae fair and fu o' flesh, I fear 'twill be mysel'. (_snell_, keen. _teind_, tithe.) "But the night is Hallowe'en, lady, The morn is Hallowday; Then win me, win me, an ye will, For well I wot ye may. "Just at the mirk and midnight hour The fairy folk will ride; And they that wad their true-love win, At Miles Cross they maun bide." "But how shall I thee ken, Tam Lin? Or how my true love knaw, Amang so many unco knights, The like I never saw?" "O first let pass the black, lady, And syne let pass the brown; But quickly run to the milk-white steed, Pu' ye his rider down. "For I'll ride on the milk-white steed, And ay nearest the town; Because I was an earthly knight, They gie me that renown. "My right hand will be gloved, lady, My left hand will be bare; Cocked up shall my bonnet be, And kaimed down shall my hair, And thae's the tokens I gie thee, Nae doubt I will be there. (_unco_, strange.) "They'll turn me in your arms, Janet, Into an esk and adder; But hold me fast, and fear me not, I am your bairn's father. "They'll turn me to a bear sae grim, And then a lion bold; But hold me fast, and fear me not, As ye shall love your child. "Again they'll turn me in your arms, To a red-hot gaud of airn; But haud me fast, and fear me not, I'll do to you nae harm. "And last they'll turn me in your arms Into the burning gleed; Then throw me into will-water, O throw me in wi' speed. "And then I'll be your ain true-love, I'll turn a naked knight; Then cover me wi' your green mantle, And cover me out o' sight." Gloomy, gloomy, was the night, And eerie was the way, As fair Jenny, in her green mantle, To Miles Cross she did gae. (_esk_, newt. _gaud of airn_, bar of iron. _gleed,_coal.) About the midle o' the night, She heard the bridles ring; This lady was as glad at that As any earthly thing. [Illustration: 0274] First she let the black pass by, And syne she let the brown; But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed, And pu'd the rider down.