I forbid ye maidens all,
Who let fly your lovely hair.
To go down to Carterhaugh for young Tam Lin is there.
Janet’s tied a girdle green,
Above her knee and not below,
And she’s away to Carterhaugh,
Just as fast as she can go,
She’s come for the roses growing wild,
She pulls a single one,
When a wild young man appears and cries “Ohh… Lady let alone!”
“How dare you pull my roses out?”
“How dare you break my tree?”
“How dare you run in these green woods,”
“Without asking leave of me?”
Says Janet fair “This wood’s mine own,”
“My father gave it me,”
“And I shall pluck myself a rose,”
“Without asking leave of thee.”
Bold as brass he takes her hand,
Color rises to her skin,
She looks the young man in the eye,
And knows him now for young Tam Lin.
I forbid ye maidens all,
Who let fly your lovely hair,
To go down to Carterhaugh, for young Tam Lin is there.
