Tam Lin Beautiful Janet was the daughter of a count from the Lowlands who lived in a gray castle surrounded by green fields. One day, tired of embroidering and playing chess with the other ladies of the castle, she decided to explore the woods of Carterhaugh: she donned a green cloak, gathered her blonde hair, and set off.
She wandered through quiet grassy clearings filled with shadows, where wild roses grew lushly and the bells with green stamens formed a soft carpet. At one point, Janet reached out to pick a white rose to pin to her waist, but as soon as she detached the flower, a young man appeared before her on the path.
“How dare you pick the roses of Carterhaugh and wander through this forest without my permission?” he asked Janet. “I meant no harm,” replied the girl. “I am the guardian of these woods and I must ensure that no one disturbs their tranquility,” explained the young man.
Then he slowly smiled, as if he had not done so in a long time, and picked a red rose growing beside the white rose. “Yet I would give you all the roses of Carterhaugh for you are so beautiful,” he said. Taking the rose, Janet asked him, “Who are you that speaks so sweetly?” “My name is Tam Lin,” the young man replied. “I have heard of you!” cried Janet in horror. “You are a knight of the Fairies!” and frightened, she pulled the rose away from herself. “You need not fear, sweet Janet,” said Tam Lin, “for although everyone thinks I am a knight of the Fairies, I am, in fact, a human being just like you.” And while Janet listened in wonder, he told his story.
“My parents died when I was a child and my grandfather, the Earl of Roxburg, took me to live with him. One day while we were hunting in the deep woods, a strange cold wind from the north began to blow, shaking every leaf.
A deep torpor enveloped me and I fell from my horse. When I awoke, I found myself in the land of the Fairies; the queen of the Elves had kidnapped me while I slept.” Then he was silent for a moment, reminiscing about that enchanted green land. “Since that day, I have been a prisoner of the queen of the Elves’ spell. During the day I guard the woods of Carterhaugh, and at night I return to the fairy forest. Oh Janet, I long for mortal life; I would give anything to free myself from the spell that weighs upon me!” His words sounded so sorrowful that Janet said, “Is there no way to free you?”
Tam Lin took Janet's hand in his and said, “Tonight, Janet, it is Halloween, and every year on this night, it is possible to bring me back to mortal life. On Halloween night, the fairy creatures ride beyond the borders of their realm, and I go with them.”
“Tell me what I can do to help you,” said Janet. “With the strength of my heart, I will bring you back among men.”
Tam Lin said, “At midnight, you must go to the crossroads and wait for the fairy procession to pass on horseback. Remain still and
