Janet and Tam Lin

Illustrated By: Tristan Liu

LIKE ALL OTHER MAIDENS AND LADS in her Scottish town, Janet knew that she must never enter the woods of Carterhaugh. The reason was that Fairies were known to dwell in the forest and would visit all kinds of strange and evil mischief to visitors. But Janet's father, the earl, owned the land where the forest stood. "And why shouldn't I go there if I want?" Janet thought to herself.

So one day Janet wrapped her green mantle about her, left her castle and headed to the Carterhaugh woods. As she stepped into the trees, she caught a scent of roses and followed it to a clearing surrounded by rose bushes. Plucking a single large red rose, she drew the bloom to her face and its powerful scent nearly made her faint. Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of her.

"So you like roses," said a tall elf. "Roses that do not belong to you."

Startled, Janet said, "Who are you?" Gathering her senses, she drew up her chin and said, "My family owns the land of Carterhaugh, and some day I will be a countess."

"My name is Tam Lin," said he. "I guard the forest for the Fairy Queen. This is not a safe place for a maiden like you."

"I can take care of myself," said Janet.  Then eyeing the elf, she added, "Though if you know so much about the forest, why not show me around?"

"I can take care of myself," said Janet.

Somewhat startled, he said, "Why not?"

So Tam Lin showed Janet the wonders inside the birch and pine forests - orange poppies as wide as one's hand, bluebells that covered the forest floor like a carpet. The next day, Janet returned to Carterhaugh to the same spot and Tam Lin was there to meet her.  The two of them spent the day in pleasant conversation and forest discoveries.  And so it became, day after day.

One day, the elf was quiet and pale.

"What troubles you?" said Janet, who was already more than fond of the elf man. "Are you worried that you're an elf and I'm human? For know this - I care not a whit about that!"

"My lady, I know you would say that. If only that was all there was to it."

"What else is there?" said she, concerned.

"It's time you knew the truth."  Tam Lin sat on a rock and motioned for Janet to do the same. "The truth is, I was born a human like you.  In fact, when I was not much older than a boy I became a knight. I was hunting in these very woods when a drowsy wind overcame me, and I fell off my horse.

"It's time you knew the truth."

"The Queen of Fairies was waiting for me," Tam Lin went on, "and she took me to be her servant. Since then, every day I've had to guard the woods of Carterhaugh and return to her fairy kingdom at night. But even a life trapped in a cursed enchantment would be better than what I found out this morning."

"What?" said Janet, now alarmed.

"That every seven years on Samhain Eve, the fairies hold a ritual to keep their powers strong for the next seven years. They parade in a procession through the woods that ends up at Miles Cross.  There, they sacrifice a mortal to the spirits and my lady, I am to be the next sacrifice!" 

"On Samhain Eve? But today is October 31st," said Janet. "And that means Samhain Eve is tonight!"

"Samhain Eve? But today is October 31st," said Janet.

"Aye, and it is the seventh year," said Tam Lin. "I am afraid we must say our goodbyes now."

"No, this cannot be!" Janet jumped up. "There must be a way to break the spell!"

He paused. "There is one way.  But it is so hard and fraught with peril, I dare say no more about it."

"But you must! You must tell me everything!"

He paused.  "There is one way."

Tam Lin sighed. "Very well. There is one chance, and it happens only when the procession approaches the circle of stones at Miles Cross where the sacrifice takes place. Only then, for a brief time, are the powers of the Fairy Queen weakened. To save my life, you must hide behind a tree at Miles Cross tonight and wait for the procession to come by.

"Let the first steed pass - that will be a black horse ridden by the Fairy Queen - and then let pass a brown mare. But run to the next horse, a milk-white steed, and pull the rider down. I will be the rider.  When I fall, you must hold me fast.  No matter what terrors happen next, your grip on me must last."

"No matter what terrors happen next, your grip on me must last."

"I will not let go," said Janet, her eyes steely.

"I'm afraid that will be terribly hard, dear Janet," said Tam Lin, "because to break your grip the Fairy Queen is likely to turn me into beast after horrible beast in your arms. Yet if you can hold tight and not let go, then no harm will come to you and I'll be mortal again forever. If you can do this, once the spell is broken, wrap me with your green mantle and cover me out of sight." He held his breath for a moment. "My lady, that's the only way."

Anxiously, they parted. That night, in a gloomy and dark eerie stillness in the air, Janet made her way to Miles Cross and there she hid behind a large oak tree. Just before midnight, she heard the tinkling of bridles and knew the fairies were on the move. From behind the tree, she watched the first black steed pass, a horse ridden by the proud Fairy Queen.

Next a brown mare passed, followed by a milk-white steed.  Quickly Janet ran to the milk-white horse and pulled the rider down.

Thunder rolled across the sky and the stars flashed as bright as day. Confusion reigned amongst the fairies. The Fairy Queen threw her outstretched finger to the fallen rider.  She called out loudly: "Tam Lin, the curse is upon you!"

In Janet's arms, Tam Lin turned into a monstrous bear snarling at her and frothing at the mouth. The maiden turned her head from its hot, angry breath but held on tight with all her might. A moment later the bear became a scaly lizard, slippery and venomous, its red tongue flicking about her face. What seemed like a lifetime later, the lizard became an ice-cold snake dripping with slime. Green slime oozed down Janet's hair and back while the snake coiled around her, tightening its grip and choking her. Then the snake became a red-hot cinder. Janet's arms and hands were on fire but somehow she still held on.

Janet's arms and hands were on fire but somehow she still held on.

Then... it was over. In her arms was Tam Lin himself, fully human and grinning. Giddy with relief and joy, Janet remembered to wrap him in her green mantle. The Queen of Fairies rose to her full height, and what an angry woman was she. "An ill death may she die!" cried the Queen, pointing to Janet, "for she's taken away the bonniest knight in all my company. Had I known what I would see this night, I'd have taken out his eyes and put in pegs to block his sight!"

But neither Janet nor Tam Lin was afraid anymore of the Fairy Queen. The two of them knew they were safe from her power.

Janet and Tam Lin returned to her home at the castle where they were soon married in a grand ceremony, and the two of them lived happily ever after.