Tam Lin: The Elven Knight of Carterhaugh (Scottish Folklore)

[@pentegarn1]

I remember being a kid in Michigan and getting my Time Life: Enchanter Worlds "Fairies and Elves" book in the mail, and reading the story of Tam Lin for my first time. I spent the rest of the year in the forest with a sword strapped to my side and also some riding boots, cape, and a wreath of vines holding back my long black hair. Soon my best friend Mike (who looked like Legolas) did the same and strapped a bow to his back with a similar cape and wreath on his head. One day while running through the forest we seen a deer hunter sitting at the bottom of a tree. We just ran by him not know what else to do...being dressed like we were. I'm sure he's still seeing a psychiatrist...whoever he was? And if you hear stories of Ghillie Dhu in Michigan....You'll know. ;)

[@connorricketts1323]

that was a great experience to hear really enjoy your hearing your experience as a kid thank your for sharing really enjoy it hearing about it

[@ChelleLlewes]

Oh, what I wouldn't give to see a picture of that guy's face! 😄

[@pentegarn1]

@@ChelleLlewes You could see a mixture of confusion and fear in his eyes. We didn't even look at him....just ran by like he wasn't even on the same plane as us. lol

[@b_ks]

😂

[@Man_Raised_By_Puffins]

There was a massive fairy ring on a hill overlooking my primary school in Ireland Us kids were absolutely terrified of it and one day a mass hysteria took hold when we all thought we could hear music coming from it The teachers lost control of us and nearly had a riot on their hands till the headmaster turned up and brought order, he was far scarier than any supernatural entity

[@LiathWolf]

That reminds me of the Glasgow vampire, all the kids in the graveyard, hunting creatures and the police had to call in the local headmaster lol

[@Man_Raised_By_Puffins]

@@LiathWolf those old school headmasters didn't mess around!

[@Photobunce]

I've thought of this story often since my neighbor had a son named Carter Hall.😂

[@lorenstribling6096]

Another lovely tale. It is strange how often the heroines of old tales were reduced to helpless or wicked women in later versions.

[@GenerationX1984]

Christianity is sexist. What else can be said?

[@LiathWolf]

Yeah, definately, that happens so often with this one in particular, I had to add a longer than usual end segment/appendices

[@jackpayne4658]

Another wonderful tale! In many accounts, any man who attracted the Queen of Faerie's favour would enjoy a mixed future. Thomas the Rhymer spent several years as her devoted lover, only to be rewarded with the 'gift' of being unable to ever tell a lie, under any circumstances. In various versions, from Ireland to Japan, what seems like a few years in her enchanted company turns out to be several centuries, by human reckoning. I'm always reminded of Gilgamesh, of Epic fame (circa 2000 BC). Ishtar, the utterly gorgeous goddess of love, invites Gilgamesh to become her lover - he is the original alpha male, after all. But he laughs scornfully - 'Really - after what became of all the others?' He then lists her previous human conquests, and their various tragic fates. My guess is that all these tales express men's fear of women's erotic power - falling in love (or merely lust) offers immense rewards, but also a loss of control which can feel very threatening. Especially if you're expected to be an Alpha Male, wear armour, rule a realm, etc.

[@ellium1147]

Huh.. these old stories are still being re-told because they still hold true, millennia later.

[@Corvin2696]

Problem is, what happens to a man after an (immortal) woman looses interest in him? Even if she doesn't want him anymore, no other woman ought to have him. So she'd rather destroy him. Its not man's fear of female erotic power, its their fear of female relationship patterns.

[@garygraham6020]

I have a book by John Myers Myers titled “Silverlock” one of his stories is of TamLane being freed. Now I know where he got the tale! Thank You for solving this. I read his book time and time again. An excellent book to read.

[@CuteDwarf11]

I don't know where you found these tales, but the fact that you found and shared them here means that they will not be lost in the shadows of time..

[@speurtighearnamacterik8230]

Now that is some good old fae folk fun. Well told there old Scotsman. Thank you ever and always for sharing your time with all of us fortunate enough to find our way to your channel.

[@connorricketts1323]

true love this channel and the stories

[@LiathWolf]

Thank you for listening and giving me your time.

[@Para2normal]

Happy to be a Patron to a true Bard.

[@heatherturner2366]

I remember reading quite a few similar stories

[@heatherstorm2483]

Thanks for explaining the story at the end, that makes it even more interesting. Lovely story.

[@januzzell8631]

One of my favourite ballads - thank you

[@christinewedge8980]

Janet Yolen wrote a wonderful rendition of this story. It is a children's book, so the racier bits are excluded. Yolen's version has Tam Lin as the fairy sacrifice, and Janet rescuing him from that sorry fate. I noticed that you used some illustrations from this beauful book.

[@beckymcdonald9529]

Jane yolen is awesome

[@timelordvictorious]

Think this is my favourite Scottish legend. Also favourite version of the ballad is sung by fairport convention

[@christopherlawley1842]

My favourite version of the ballad sung by Frankie Armstrong: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHiWhoiup8qejtE

[@AScottishOdyssey]

Another amazing video. Thank you for keeping Scotland's mythology and folklore alive.

[@noname-bk7bc]

OMG, there is an AMAZING song about this story by Steeleye Span! It's like 13 minutes long. Thank you so much for keeping this story alive

[@LiathWolf]

Awesome song🤟

[@wanagi006]

Thank you for this. I was always entranced by Fairport Convention's wonderful Sandy Denny singing the haunting song "Tam Lin" .

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

Seduction and defence of her right to choose.

[@robertboyle2573]

I enjoyed seeing the scene from Excalibur!

[@LiathWolf]

🤣

[@ArmyVet82ndAbn]

Thanks for the video! 💚

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

I’ve always loved this tale❤️🐝🤗

[@userunknownx]

Thank you for once again, for whisking us away to these enchanted realms where our hearts can dance, rejoice and fear all at once.

[@Taschara-lp6xy]

I have been kind of wanting to write a book based on Scottish and Irish myths and folklore.

[@heatherturner2366]

Love these stories

[@Alasdair37448]

Thanks!

[@LiathWolf]

Thank you so much for he support 😊

[@connorricketts1323]

thank you for a great tale as always love the stories and this channel and thank your keeping the stories alive its really important we dont forget about important and good stories and tales

[@sapphirejade5029]

Being part Scots-Irish from my mom's side of the family, I'm always fascinated to learn about the stories and legends I never knew until curiosity hitting me hard in the head. My first time hearing this tale was from a song known as Tamlin, sung by a band known as Faun. Such a strong tale of courage and love.👏👏👏

[@martagaines7272]

This is one of my favorite stories. Heard it over 40 years ago ❤

[@GenerationX1984]

Since this story ends on Halloween, I'm watching on Halloween.

[@Davlavi]

Great story. Love fairy lore thanks.

[@o-dog120]

Perfect timing! Thanks as always!

[@Andrea.S.Alvey12]

The mention of fallen angels is interesting. Decades ago, before they started writing all kinds of new versions of the bible, I remember reading in the old testament that angels who had fallen with Lucifer mated with women; the outcome of such ratings resulted in leprechauns. As to quarters of the calendar including Samhain does not work for me. I think quarters would have included the two solstices and the two equinox(es?). I think Samhain and Beltaine. The other two ''spokes'' on the wheel of the year would have been Lughnasadh in August (harvest days) and Imbolic (February). We still celebrate some of these pagan days. Imbolic has mostly been replaced by Ground Hog's day-USA. And possibly Labor day- beginning of September. But it could also have been swallowed up by our 4th of July? Wouldreful tales. ❤

[@MoonBratStudio]

I'm so glad to hear about the original version and ideas of this story. It really makes a difference when you're a girl (woman? haha). Thank you for your video and research. 🌻

[@tunguskalumberjack9987]

I am a bit embarrassed to say that, only ever hearing the song and never seeing the lyrics in print, that I thought that it was “Carter Hall”, like the home of the Carter family. My favorite performance of the song is by Anaïs Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer- it’s exceptionally beautiful. Thank you for sharing this, and for choosing such appropriate artwork for it. 🩶

[@TheProxyan]

This is my favourite piece of Scottish folklore, especially because it reverses the usual "damsel in distress rescued by knight" motiv, and the young maiden rescues her knight because she coose to be with him. It always seemed to be to be a surviving piece from times where the womens role in society was not yet that of no agency and gives me hope that we can return to such times fully.

[@ellium1147]

I've always loved this story. Thanks for sharing! Also, thank you for all the research and analysis that you put into your work.

[@davis0730]

There's a movie based on this tale it came out in the late 60's

[@LiathWolf]

That is a really weird film haha, I was inundated with it while reserching this tale, so i decided to watch it haha.

[@lizziejoyjoy]

Thank you for this lovely bedtime story ❤

[@lizziejoyjoy]

And thank you for the history afterward, and your perspective ❤

[@baronghede2365]

Thanks for the information, knowledge and wisdom, Blessed Be.

[@Alasdair37448]

Once again amazing work such beautiful art and storytelling. The mixture of Pictish, Gaelic,and Norse found in Scotland is so wonderful and unique.

[@wintersking4290]

There are several very fun folk song covers of the old ballad version of this tale. I'm quite fond of the tale. The two lovers besting the Fae Queen, it's so sweet. The three best song versions I have found are: Tam Lin by Tricky Pixie Tamlin of the Elves by Drake Oranwood And Tam Lin by Anais Mitchell All of which are pretty good.

[@earlyburg]

Fairport Convention - Tam Lin from the Liege and Leif Album, circa 1969

[@tinahale9252]

Had me enthralled.

[@umwha]

This channel is fire! I love that you’re telling these d Scottish stories .

[@bernadettecrawford3656]

❤

[@sophiejones3554]

In my experience, the changes in stories anywhere can't usually be attributed to any single teller. It's usually more a shift in what multiple tale tellers choose to include in the story: in this case, leaving out Janet's stubborn response perhaps. Or perhaps just changing the tone of delivery for that dialog, and then cutting directly to "when she returned she was a maiden no more". Your theory about the atmosphere of the witch hunts having an effect on multiple stories simultaneously is more in line with what the data tells us. No single person decides the story would be better with or without a certain element, it's more a case of people unconsciously inserting their biases as they are telling the story.

[@KerreeKendallAuthor]

Absolutely beautiful story 🖤😊 Well... The version you choose to tell. 😅

[@umwha]

It’s so curious that so many of these tales involve the creation of human fairy hybrids .

[@wintersking4290]

Isabel and the elven knight next for the literal opposite of this story?

[@sgr1888]

Clan Riddell! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@zvikomboreromukamba3389]

What a wonderful story of this is the character S. J Maas based her stories on... It missed the mark😂

[@umwha]

18:28 I do wonder if the idea that fey are fallen angels or Nephilim is entirely a Christian imposition. All mythologies are interlinked. Take Greek mythology for instance. We see the roots of European fairies on Greek mythology - so many examples to list, Dionysus and maenads, nymphs, Persephone , Artemis, etc and within Greek mythology we do have a big storyline about a certain lineage of gods going rogue - the titanomachy , and then the gigantomachy, resulting in a great flood. That seems to be a thoroughly pagan version of ‘rogue gods being related to fey’

[@heatherturner2366]

I remember reading quite a few similar stories

[@heatherturner2366]

I remember reading quite a few similar stories