The autumn wind blew sharp and shrill around the turrets of a grey
stone castle. But indoors the fire crackled merrily in my lady’s
bower where an old nurse was telling a tale of Elfland to Janet, the
fairest of Scotch maidens.
When the story was finished, Janet’s merry laugh echoed through the
halls. The old nurse nodded her head earnestly and said, “’Tis well
known, my lassie, that the people of Elfland revel in the hills and
hollows of Scotland. Come close, and I’ll tell you a secret.”
Janet leaned forward, and the old woman whispered, “An Elfin Knight,
named Tam Lin, haunts the moorland on the border of your father’s
estate. No maiden dares venture near the enchanted place, for if she
should fall under the spell of this Elfin Knight she would be obliged
to give him a precious jewel for a ransom.”
“One glimpse of the Elfin Knight would be worth the rarest gem I
have,” laughed Janet. “How I wish I could see him!”
“Hush-sh!” said her nurse tremblingly. “Nay, nay, my lady! Mortals
should have nothing to do with the people of Elfland. By all
means shun the moorland at this time of the year, for to-morrow is
Hallowe’en--the night when the fairies ride abroad.”
But the next morning Janet bound her golden braids about her head,
kilted up her green kirtle, and tripped lightly to the enchanted
moorland. When she came near she saw lovely flowers blooming as gaily
as if it were mid-summer time. She stooped to gather some of the
roses when suddenly she heard the faintest silvery music. She glanced
around, and there, riding toward her, was the handsomest knight she
had ever seen. His milk-white steed, which sped along lighter than
the wind, was shod in silver shoes, and from the bridle hung tiny
silver bells.
When the knight came near, he sprang lightly from his horse and said,
“Fair Janet, tell me why you pluck roses in Elfland?”
The maiden’s heart beat very fast, and the flowers dropped from her
hands, but she answered proudly, “I came to see Tam Lin, the Elfin
Knight.”
“He stands before you,” said the knight. “Have you come to free him
from Elfland?”
At these words Janet’s courage failed, for she feared he might cast
a spell over her. But when the knight saw how she trembled, he said,
“Have no fear, Lady Janet, and you shall hear my story. I am the son
of noble parents. One day, when I was a lad of nine years, I went
hunting with my father. Now it chanced that we became separated from
each other, and ill-luck attended me. My good horse stumbled, and
threw me to the ground where I lay stunned by the fall. There the
Fairy Queen found me, and carried me off to yonder green hill. And
while it is pleasant enough in fairyland, yet I long to live among
mortals again.”
“Then why do you not ride away to your home?” asked Janet.
“Ah, that I can not do unless some fair maiden is brave enough to
help me. In three ways she must prove her courage. First she must
will to meet me here in the enchanted moorland. That you have done,”
declared the knight. Then he stopped, and looked pleadingly at Janet.
All her fear vanished, and she asked, “In what other ways must the
maiden show her courage?”
“She must banish all fear of him. That, too, you have done,” said the
knight.
“Tell me the third way, Tam Lin, for I believe I am the maid to free
you.”
“Only my true love can prove her courage in the third way, fair
Janet.”
And the maiden answered, “I am thy true love, Tam Lin.”
“Then heed what I say, brave lady. To-night is Hallowe’en. At the
midnight hour, the Fairy Queen and all her knights will ride abroad.
If you dare win your true love, you must wait at Milescross until the
Fairy Queen and her Elfin Knights pass. I shall be in her train.”
“But how shall I know you among so many knights, Tam Lin?” then asked
Lady Janet.
“I shall ride in the third group of followers. Let the first and
second companies of the Fairy Queen pass, and look for me in the
third. There will be only three knights in this last company; one
will ride on a black horse, one on a brown, and the third on a
milk-white steed,” said the knight, pointing to his horse. “My right
hand will be gloved, Janet,” he continued, “but my left hand will
hang bare at my side. By these signs you will know me.”
“I shall know you without fail,” nodded Janet.
“Wait, calmly, until I am near you, then spring forward and seize me.
When the fairies see you holding me they will change my form into
many shapes. Do not fear, but hold me fast in your arms. At last I
shall take my human form. If you have courage enough to do this, you
will free your true love from the power of the fairies.”
“I have courage enough to do all that you say,” declared Janet. Then
they sealed this promise with a kiss, and parted.
Gloomy was the night, and eerie was the way to Milescross. But Janet
threw her green mantle about her shoulders, and sped to the enchanted
moorland. All the way she said to herself over and over, “On this
Hallowe’en at midnight I shall free my true love, Tam Lin, from
Elfland.”
At Milescross she hid herself and waited. How the wind from the sea
moaned across the moorland! Presently she heard a merry tinkling
sound of far-off music, and in the distance she saw a twinkling light
dancing forward. Janet could hear her heart beat, but there she
stood, undaunted. The Fairy Queen and her train were riding forth. In
the lead of her first merry company of knights and maids of honour
rode the beautiful queen, whose jeweled girdle and crown flashed in
the darkness. The second group passed quickly, and now came three
knights in a third group. One rode on a black horse, one on a brown,
and there came the milk-white steed last of all. Janet could see that
one hand of the rider was gloved, and one hung bare at his side. Then
up leaped the maiden. Quickly she seized the bridle of the milk-white
steed, pulled the rider from his horse, and threw her green mantle
around him. There was a clamour among the Elfin Knights, and the
Fairy Queen cried out, “Tam Lin! Tam Lin! Some mortal has hold of Tam
Lin, the bonniest knight in my company!”
Then the strangest things happened. Instead of Tam Lin, Janet held in
her arms a bearded lion, which struggled mightily to get away. But
she remembered the knight’s warning. “Hold me fast, and fear me not.”
The next moment she held a fire-breathing dragon, which almost
slipped from her, but she tightened her grasp, and thought of Tam
Lin’s words. The dragon changed to a burning bush, and the flames
leaped up on all sides, but Janet stood still and felt no harm. Then
in her arms she held a branching tree, filled with blossoms. And at
last Tam Lin, her own true love, stood there.
When the Fairy Queen saw that none of her enchantments could
frighten Janet, she cried out angrily, “The maiden has won a stately
bridegroom who was my bonniest knight. Alas! Tam Lin is lost to
Elfland.”
On into the darkness rode the fairy train. Tam Lin and Lady Janet
hastened back to the grey stone castle. There, in a short time, a
wedding feast was prepared, and Tam Lin, who was really a Scottish
Earl, and Lady Janet, the bravest maid in Scotland, were married.
--_Old Ballad Retold._