I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair
To travel to Carterhaugh, for young Tamlyn is there.

Them that go by Carterhaugh, but they leave him a pledge
Either their mantels of green or else their maidenhead.

Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she.

She doth pull the double rose, a rose but only two
And up then came young Tamlyn, says lady pull no more.

And why come you to Carterhaugh without command from me
I'll come and go, young Janet said, and ask no leave of thee.

Janet tied her kirtle green a little bit above her knee
And she's gone to her father as fast as go can she.

Then up spoke her father dear, he spoke so meek and mild
Well 'an alas Janet, he said, I think you go with child.

Well if that be so, Janet said, myself shall bear the blame
There's not a knight in all your halls shall get the baby's name.

For if my love were an earthly knight, as he is an elfin slave
I'll not change my own true love for any knight you have.

Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee
And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she.

Oh tell to me Tamlyn she said, why came you here to dwell?
The Queen of Fairy caught me when from my horse I fell.

And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hell
I so fair and full of flesh am feared it is myself.

But tonight is Halloween and the fairy court rides
Those that would let true love win, at Miles' Cross they must hide.

First let pass the horses black and let pass the brown
Quickly run to the white steed and pull the rider down.

For I ride on the white steed, the nearest to the town
For I was an earthly knight, they give me that renown.

They will turn me in your arms to a newt or a snake
Hold me tight and fear not, I am your baby's father.

And they will turn me in your arms into a lion bold
Hold me tight and fear not and you will love your child.

And they will turn me in your arms into a naked knight
Cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sight.

And in the middle of the night she heard the bridle ring
She heeded what he did say and young Tamlyn did win.

Then up spoke the fairy queen, an angry queen was she
Who betide her ill-farr'd face, an ill death may she die.

Oh had I known Tamlyn, she said, what this night I did see
I'd have looked him in the eye and turned him to a tree.

The Widow of Westmorland's Daughter

There was an old widow in Westmorland
Who had no daughter but one
And she has prayed both night and day
She should keep her maidenhead long
"Ah, don't be daft, mother," she said,
"And say no more to me
For a fine young man in the Grenadier Guards
My maidenhead's taken from me"
"You saucy cat, you impudent cat,
A-cursed may you be
If some idle rogue in the Grenadier Guards
Your maidenhead's taken from thee"

But the girlie's off to the Grenadier Guards
As fast as go can she
Saying "Give me back my maidenhead,
My mother she nags at me"
So he kissed her and undressed her
And he laid her on the bed
And he put her head where her feet were before
And gave back her maidenhead
Then he kissed her and he dressed her
With a rose in either hand
Invited her round to St. Mary's church
To see his fine wedding

Oh, the girlie's off to her mammy's again,
As fast as go can she
"I'm as full a maiden, mammy dear,
As the day you first bore me
He kissed me and undressed me
And he laid me on the bed
Put my head where my feet were before
So he gave back my maidenhead
Then he kissed me and he dressed me,
Put a rose in either hand
And invited me round to St. Mary's church
To see his fine wedding

"Ah, never on foot," her mammy she said,
"In a carriage and pair you'll ride
With four and twenty fine young girls
To go with you beside"
"Ah, who is this?" the bride she said,
"She comes so high to me"
"I see it is the widow's daughter
who ran home and told her mammy"
"How could she do it, how would she do it,
How could she do it for shame?
Eleven long nights I lay with a man
And I never told anyone"

"If eleven long nights you lay with a man,
You never shall lie with me
I'd rather marry the widow's daughter
Who ran home and told her mammy"

Allison Gross

Oh, Allison Gross, that lives in yon tower
The ugliest witch in the north country
Has trysted me one day up in her bower
And many fair speech she made to me

She stroked my head and she combed my hair
And she set me down softly on her knee
Says, "Gin ye will be my leman so true
Sae many braw things as I would ye gi'"

She showed me a mantle of red scarlet
With golden flowers and fringes fine
Says, "Gin ye will be my leman so true
This goodly gift it shall be thine"

"Away, away, you ugly witch
Hold far away and let me be
I never will be your leman so true
And I wish I were out of your company"

She next brought me a sark of the softest silk
Well wrought with pearls about the band
Says, "Gin ye will be my ain true love
This goodly gift you shall command"

She showed me a cup of the good red gold
Well set with jewels so fair to see
Says, "Gin ye will be my leman sae true
This goodly gift I will ye gi'"

"Away, away, you ugly witch
Hold far away and let me be
For I wouldna aince kiss your ugly mouth
For all the gifts that you could gi'"

She's turned her right and round about
And thrice she blew on a grass-green horn
And she swore by the moon and the stars abeen
That she would gar me rue the day I was born

Then out she has taken a silver wand
And she's turned her three times round and round
She's muttered such words till my strength it failed
And I fell down senseless upon the ground

She's turned me into an ugly worm
And gard me toddle around the tree
And aye, on ilka Saturday night
My sister Maisry came to me

With silver basin and silver comb
To comb my head upon her knee
Before I had kissed her ugly mouth
I'd rather have toddled about the tree

But as it fell out on last Halloween
When the seely court was riding by
The queen lighted down on a rowan bank
Not far frae the tree where I wont to lie

She took me up in her milk white hand
And she's stroked me three times on her knee
She changed me again to my ain proper shape
And I nae more maun toddle about the tree

Queen of Argyll

Gentle men it is my duty
To inform you of one beauty
Though I'd ask you of a favor,
Not to seek her for a while
Though I own she is a creature
Of character and feature
No words can paint the picture
of the Queen of all Argyll.

And if you could have seen her there,
Boys if you had just been there
The swan was in her movement,
And the morning in her smile.
All the roses in the garden,
They bow and ask her pardon
For not one could match the beauty
Of the queen of all Argyll.

On that evening that I mention,
I passed with light intention
Through a part of our dear country
Known for beauty and for style
Being a place of noble thinkers,
Of scholars and great drinkers
But above them all for splendour
Shone the Queen of all Argyll

And if you could have seen her there,
Boys if you had just been there
The swan was in her movement,
And the morning in her smile.
All the roses in the garden,
They bow and ask her pardon
For not one could match the beauty
Of the queen of all Argyll.

So my lads my needs must leave you,
My intention's not to grieve you
Nor indeed would I decieve you,
Oh I'll see you in a while
I must find some way to gain her,
To court her and to tame her
I fear my heart's in danger
From the Queen of all Argyll

And if you could have seen her there,
Boys if you had just been there
The swan was in her movement,
And the morning in her smile.
All the roses in the garden,
They bow and ask her pardon
For not one could match the beauty
Of the queen of all Argyll.

The Lonely Willow Tree

There was a youth, a cruel youth
Who dwelt beside the sea,
Six pretty maidens he murdered there
By the lonely willow tree.

One day he walked with Sally Brown,
One day they walked by the sea;
When an evil thought came into his mind
By the lonely willow tree.

"Take off your clothes, sweet Sally Brown.
Take off your clothes," said he,
For though I am going to murder you
I would not spoil your finery.

"Turn 'round, turn 'round, you false young man
"Turn 'round, turn 'round," said she,
"For 'tis not fit for a man such as you
A naked woman to see."

So 'round about he turned himself,
'Round about turned he.
She quickly grasped him in both of her arms,
And cast him into the sea.

"Lie there, lie there, you false young man
Lie there, lie there ," said she
"Six pretty maidens you've murdered here
Now keep them company."

So down he sank, that false young man,
Down he sank in the sea.
And there was none to mourn him, save
That lonely willow tree.

The Cat Came Back

Freddie Wilson had a cat that he didn't want to keep,
He offered it for sale, but no-one would buy it cheap.
He called upon the preacher to ask for his advice,
The preacher said just leave him here, for it would be so nice --

But the cat came back, he wouldn't stay away,
He was sitting on the porch on the very next day;
The cat came back, he didn't want to roam,
The very next day he was home sweet home.

Freddie put the cat on board a ship was headed for Ceylon,
The ship was overloaded, about forty thousand ton;
Not many miles from shore that gallant ship went down
There wasn't any doubt about it, everybody drowned --

But the cat came back, he wouldn't stay away,
He was sitting on the porch on the very next day;
The cat came back, he didn't want to roam,
The very next day he was home sweet home.

Freddie Wilson took his bow and he hid around the lake,
and for his bow, a Githar's arrow did he make.
He aimed it at the spot where the cat would appear;
The next day all they found was Freddie Wilson's ear --

But the cat came back, he wouldn't stay away,
He was sitting on the porch on the very next day;
The cat came back, he didn't want to roam,
The very next day he was home sweet home.

Now the cat sat on the porch and he ate a piece of cheese,
An Irishman came by, he was feeling well at ease.
The cat he was a-smiling, for he was fully fed;
The Irishman sang "Britannia!" and the cat fell dead --

But his ghost came back, he wouldn't stay away,
He was sitting on the porch on the very next day.
His ghost came back, he didn't want to roam,
He haunted Freddie's house and his home sweet home.

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