Back to the Celtic roots, Tam Lin and Rhiannon

Song for Saturday; back to our Celtic roots,
Tam Lin and Rhiannon

Tam Lin, Fairport Convention from the album liege and leaf 1969

Tam (or Tamas) Lin (also called Tamlane, Tamlin, Tomlin, Tam Lien, Tam-a-Line, Tam Lyn, or Tam Lane) is the hero of a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. The story revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies. While this ballad is specific to Scotland, the motif of capturing a person by holding him through all forms of transformation is found throughout Europe in folktales.[1]

The story has been adapted into various stories, songs and films.

More info 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tam_Lin


FAIRPORT CONVENTION - TAM LIN LYRICS


I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair To travel to Carterhaugh for young Tam Lin is there None that go by Carterhaugh but they leave him a pledge Either their mantles 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'd not pulled a double rose, a rose but only two When up there came young Tam Lin, 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 bit above her knee And she's gone to her father as fast as go can she Well, up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild "Oh, and 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 hall shall get the baby's name For if my love were an earthly knight as he is an elfin grey I'd 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 [ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/tam-lin-lyrics-fairport-convention.html ] "Oh, tell to me, Tam Lin," she said, "why came you here to dwell?" "The Queen of Faeries 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 and feared it be myself But tonight is Hallowe'en and the faerie folk ride Those that would their true love win at Miles Cross they must bide First let past the horses black and then let past the brown Quickly run to the white steed and pull the rider down For I'll ride on the white steed, the nearest to the town For I was an earthly knight, they give me that renown Oh, they will turn me in your arms to a newt or a snake But hold me tight and fear not, I am your baby's father And they will turn me in your arms into a lion bold But hold me tight and fear not and you will love your child And they will turn me in your arms into a naked knight But cloak me in your mantle and keep me out of sight"
In the middle of the night she heard the bridle ring She heeded what he did say and young Tam Lin did win Then up spoke the Faerie Queen, an angry queen was she Woe betide her ill-fard face, an ill death may she die "Oh, had I known, Tam Lin," she said, "what this night I did see I'd have looked him in the eyes and turned him to atree?



Rhiannon
From Wikipedia,

Rhiannon is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology, mother to the Demetian hero Pryderi and wife to Pwyll (and later Manawydan fab Llyr). She is probably a reflex of the Celtic Great Queen goddess Rigantona and may also be associated with the horse goddess Epona. She appears in both the first and third branches of the Mabinogi and is further mentioned in the early Arthurian prose tale Culhwch and Olwen.


Read more here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhiannon

lyrics

Songwriters: NICKS, STEVIE
Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night
And wouldn't you love to love her?
Takes to the sky like a bird in flight
And who will be her lover?

All your life you've never seen a woman
Taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?

She is like a cat in the dark
And then she is the darkness
She rules her life like a fine skylark
And when the sky is starless

All your life you've never seen a woman
Taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?
Will you ever win?

Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon

She rings like a bell through the night
And wouldn't you love to love her?
She rules her life like a bird in flight
And who will be her lover?

All your life you've never seen a woman
Taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win? (2)

Rhiannon (3)

Taken by
Taken by the sky
Taken by
Taken by the sky
Taken by
Taken by the sky

Dreams unwind
Love's a state of mind
Dreams unwind
Love's a state of mind
Lyrics from: http://www.lyric



Another example of songs with Celtic roots.
The Hunting Song by Pentangle

As I did travel all on a journey
Over the wayside and under a dark moon
Hanging above a mountain

I spied a young man riding a fine horse
Chasing a white hart and all through the woodland
There go the hunting and cries

And there followed after ten kings and queens
Laughing and joking, the white hart they'd seen
Bloodied running into the bushes

I plume to his helmet, a quiver and a bow
There's nowhere to run now, there's no place to go
The hunter is fast and ready

Still farther I journeyed through the hills and the valleys
Until upon the verge of despair I sat and rested
And there did pass a princely knight poursuite by a lady
And this she did say: "Oh may I ask you kind sir where you are going?
And pray tell unto me sir why you do hurry
Strange that I should meet you here, come sit by me.
"I have here a magic horn to deliver
And one drop from this silver and gold horn I hold, sir
Shall prove all to be false, lovers beware!"
"The gift that you bear for your brother the king
I gladly would carry to the banquet this even'
What fair sport this would be for the maidens at court."

Wearily I crossed the stream to the castle
Where I found shelter from the cold wintry wind
And food did I have and plenty
But the Lord and Lady seemed so sad
For these words they did say unto each other:
"My good lord, all off to war in thy armor
Leaving me here alone to weep and to worry
Take care lest misadventure
Shall overcome thy kindly heart
My good lord, all off to war in thy armor."
"My lady, you have no need for to worry
I'll return victorious and true unto thee
Take care, lest misadventure
Shall stain your heart and lead to woe
My fair lady you have no need for to worry."

While underneath the spreading oak a knight with white device
Upon a shield of black, and deep in grief and sorrow sings
His unrequited love "Young noblewoman riding by, pray tell me have you seen
Queen Azelda the fairest maid, in company she rides For I swear to have revenge."

A thousand days have come and passed, the Lord returns this night
The victor from the bloody wars proven his fearsome might
As ever he would claim
But fate has played its wanton game, the circle come full turn
The magic horn has done its work, cried "Falseness is found out!"
The sorrowed quest is over.