The Music and Words on this page are owned by Laura J. Sullivan
A.K.A.  Cara ni Cheallaigh
Enjoy!!

The Song of Tam Lin
(Also known as "My Fair and Blue-eyed Darling")

Words and Music by Laura J. Sullivan a.k.a. Cara ni Cheallaigh


I will tell a tale that you may well know
Of Tam Lin and his lady,
And the Summer days when their love did grow
All in the forests shady,
And of Janet's courage none could shake
For a wild heart can't be broken;
And of the promise she did make,
To her fair and blue-eyed darling:

(Chorus:)

I will fight for you
I will wait for you
I will storm through Hell's black gate for you!
Night and day, I'll not turn away,
My fair and blue-eyed darling!


"Oh the Faery Queen has me in her thrall,
'Twas four years past she found me.
Such a maid was she that a magic wall
I let her build around me;
Now she rides this way two nights of the year,
On Beltane and on Samhain,
And still she hopes to keep me here--
Her fair and blue-eyed darling."

"Let the night come then!  Let the Gentry ride!
Let the Moon rise red as wine!
I will face an army to be at your side,
I will free you or die trying!
Oh the Faery Queen may have found you first,
Of that there's no mistaking,
But I'll be the one who wins you last
My fair and blue-eyed darling."

(Chorus.)

'Twas an Autumn night, with a chill red Moon
When the Faery Host came riding.
Tam Lin's white horse came on the place
Where Janet she lay hiding;
And she reached for him and she pulled him down,
As he'd told her that same morning,
And she wrapped her arms and held them around
Her fair and blue-eyed darling.

Oh the Queen knew at once that he was away
And she spurred her horse around!
You could hear the wings of an owl, some say,
As she stared young Janet down;
"You release that man and I'll let you live,
I think it a fair bargain...
For no way in Hell am I going to give
My fair and blue-eyed darling!"

(Optional Chorus.)

And the fire flashed in the Sidhe-Queen's eyes
And a spell rang from her lips;
And the Magick crackled, blue as ice
From her fearsome fingertips;
And at once Tam Lin was a lion bold
With fur and claws all flying,
(But) Janet still would not release her hold
On her fair and blue-eyed darling.

He was then transformed to a winding snake
With slippery coils and scales;
Then a porcupine, with piercing spines,
Still she held him without fail
Then a red-hot iron, searing her hands,
Into the well she held him...
And from the well came a mortal man:
Her fair and blue-eyed darling.

(Chorus.)

And at last the Queen said in her despair,
"This power it is above me;
I could make you a boar, I could make you a bear,
But I cannot make you love me.
I can keep you not, had I only known
That her heart was so unfailing,
I'd have given you a heart of stone!
Farewell my blue-eyed darling!"

And the reason why I will sing this song
I will tell an ancient story,
(Is) to remind you all that to fight for love
Is sure our greatest glory.
May you never fear!  May you charge in free
Of helplessness and longing;
And I dedicate my song to thee,
My fair and blue-eyed darling.

(Chorus)

Please...click on the link below to see more of Cara's work!