The Queen of Air & Darkness

By Brian Pearson

(From the album "Tam Lin")

The Queen of Air and Darkness
The Queen of leaf and stone
The fairest Lady of the wood
Must learn to lie alone.

It's dreary goes fair Elfland's Queen
And bitter makes her moan
"Closer to me was young Tam Lin
Then flesh is to the bone."

"O woe betide me, young Tam Lin
That ever you were born
Or ever my eyes saw you there
Asleep beneath the thorn."

As she rode out upon a day
To view the country round
It's there she spied the young Tam Lin
Asleep upon the ground.

She wakened him from out his sleep
And gave him kisses one
And when his eyes he looked on her
She dazzled like the sun.

She wound her hair about him
And gave him kisses three
The light within her glittering eyes
did sparkle like the sea.

She whispered close within his ear
Her voice was like the dove
"O come with me to Elfinland
And be my only love."

"Your hair is raven dark Lady
Your skin soft as the rain
The road that fares to Elfinland
Will not lead back again."

"O hold your tounge, young Tam Lin
And do now as I say
for I'm the Lady of the wood
There's none can say me nay.

For Elfland is a pleasant place
On earth there's none so fair
Between the light of sun and moon
Past starlight shimmering there."

She's taken him all in her arms
And gave him kisses seven
And led him to the land between
The roads to hell and heaven.

She's bound a star upon his brow
And dressed him all in green
Never a finer man than he
On earth was ever seen.

Wonderous fair are Elfland's woods
Where springtime never fails
He's tarried there for seven years
Until his face grew pale.

The pillars of fair Elfland's halls
Are wrought in living gold
He's tarried there for seven years
Until his heart grew cold.

"O why so dreary young Tam Lin
And why so wan go thee?
What better land than Elfland's woods,
What better love than me?"

"Elfland's woods are fine, Lady
And fine thy white body
but I crave one sight of Fair Margaret
More than I crave for thee."

Up and spoke the Elfin Queen
And angry then was she
"That ever a woman's earthly form
Could take this joy from me!

That ever I part from young Tam Lin
I'd nail him to a tree.

If ever I'd part from young Tam Lin
I'd hunt him like a hare
Tear his sweet body with my teeth
And drink his heart's blood rare."

When ever Halloween had passed
And lonely for the day
Fair Margaret went to old Miles Cross
And ransomed him away

And lonely goes fair Elfland's Queen
And Elflands halls are gray.