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The Ballad of Tam Lin
I forbid you maidens all
who wear gold in your hair
to travel to Carterhaugh
for young Tam Lin is there
Scotland, 1323
When 18-year-old Janet Douglas is given Carterhaugh Forest and its surrounding property as a gift from her father, she is thrilled to become the guardian of such an ancient and sacred place. But Janet soon finds that she has an otherworldly rival for her role as protector of Carterhaugh. An elfin knight by the strange name of Tam Lin haunts her forest, and extracts a heavy price from any unwary maiden who might wander there and cut the legendary roses. After her best friend returns from a terrifying encounter with Tam Lin, brave Janet sets out to confront the mysterious and malevolent knight. She cuts the sacred roses to goad him into appearing, but soon finds herself ensnared by the laws of the fairy kingdom. Her transgression is such that Tam Lin demands the ultimate penalty from a noble maiden: her virginity.
As Janet prepares for her fate, she discovers that there is a darker force behind Tam Lin’s actions: he is in service to the ruthless and omnipotent Fairy Queen, who demands a severe price of her own. It is told that every seven years she is required to pay a tithe to Hell, a human sacrifice, and the seventh year anniversary is rapidly approaching. In order to save everything she holds dear, Janet will have to go to battle with the spellbinding and terrifying queen on Halloween night. Tam Lin prepares her for the ordeal – but can he be trusted?
The trials Janet endures at the hands of the Fairy Queen are rich in symbolism and steeped in the wisdom of the Celts. For this is no mere fairy tale, no simplistic story of dark and light, wicked queen and maiden fair. This is a complex and sensual exploration of feminine power in all of its aspects, with some unexpected twists.
The Ballad of Tam Lin is a novella based on an ancient folksong from the Scottish Borders. It is the first in Kathleen McGowan’s series, Legends of the Divine Feminine. A non-fiction analysis of the ballad, its origins, and its exquisite preservation of ancient wisdom teachings follows the fiction along with the author’s notes on her years of research into the story and locations.
The Ballad of Tam Lin is a profound spiritual and esoteric fable, an illustration of the power of the divine feminine in its multiple guises unlike any other.
who wear gold in your hair
to travel to Carterhaugh
for young Tam Lin is there
Scotland, 1323
When 18-year-old Janet Douglas is given Carterhaugh Forest and its surrounding property as a gift from her father, she is thrilled to become the guardian of such an ancient and sacred place. But Janet soon finds that she has an otherworldly rival for her role as protector of Carterhaugh. An elfin knight by the strange name of Tam Lin haunts her forest, and extracts a heavy price from any unwary maiden who might wander there and cut the legendary roses. After her best friend returns from a terrifying encounter with Tam Lin, brave Janet sets out to confront the mysterious and malevolent knight. She cuts the sacred roses to goad him into appearing, but soon finds herself ensnared by the laws of the fairy kingdom. Her transgression is such that Tam Lin demands the ultimate penalty from a noble maiden: her virginity.
As Janet prepares for her fate, she discovers that there is a darker force behind Tam Lin’s actions: he is in service to the ruthless and omnipotent Fairy Queen, who demands a severe price of her own. It is told that every seven years she is required to pay a tithe to Hell, a human sacrifice, and the seventh year anniversary is rapidly approaching. In order to save everything she holds dear, Janet will have to go to battle with the spellbinding and terrifying queen on Halloween night. Tam Lin prepares her for the ordeal – but can he be trusted?
The trials Janet endures at the hands of the Fairy Queen are rich in symbolism and steeped in the wisdom of the Celts. For this is no mere fairy tale, no simplistic story of dark and light, wicked queen and maiden fair. This is a complex and sensual exploration of feminine power in all of its aspects, with some unexpected twists.
The Ballad of Tam Lin is a novella based on an ancient folksong from the Scottish Borders. It is the first in Kathleen McGowan’s series, Legends of the Divine Feminine. A non-fiction analysis of the ballad, its origins, and its exquisite preservation of ancient wisdom teachings follows the fiction along with the author’s notes on her years of research into the story and locations.
The Ballad of Tam Lin is a profound spiritual and esoteric fable, an illustration of the power of the divine feminine in its multiple guises unlike any other.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2012
About the author
Kathleen McGowan
23 books617 followersKathleen McGowan is an internationally published writer whose work has appeared on five continents and in at least fifteen languages. She is notable for her claim to be the descendant of Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 24, 2026
This ebook has two parts, the first part is the story about Tam Lin and the second is about the author's research into the Tam Lin legend.
December 13, 2021
An interesting albeit too short (to my taste) retelling of the legend of Tam Lin in a historical setting whilst still keeping the magical elements, mostly related to the Queen of the Fairies, whom McGowan aims to redeem from the bad reputation the ballad ascribes to her.
It has lengthy authorial notes, perhaps a bit too long for such a short novella, but you can see the passion that drives the author to be so thorough and invested in the story. She includes maps and pictures alongside historical and academic discussion of the ballad, which means those not that knowledgeable about its historical background will learn a fair deal, too.
It has lengthy authorial notes, perhaps a bit too long for such a short novella, but you can see the passion that drives the author to be so thorough and invested in the story. She includes maps and pictures alongside historical and academic discussion of the ballad, which means those not that knowledgeable about its historical background will learn a fair deal, too.
December 31, 2024
I have run into versions of Tam Lin in urban fantasies before and wanted to read an original version of the story. This is a combination of several versions with some modifications by the writer as her right as an author. There is also an analysis of story and discussion of themes present in the ballad.
One particular thing the author mention is she thought the idea of the fae sacrificing someone to Hell as an inclusion at a later date to the story, most likely a Christian addition, because the fae would not have believed in Hell and such evil doings seemed contrary to the good portrayal of the fae. I agree about the idea of a tithe to Hell seems at odds with the rest of the story. But I can see a sacrifice being needed to the land or realm every 7 years of another amount of time. It seems that in some pre-Christian societies fertility of the land was tied to the right to rule. Sometimes it was necessary to have a ruler sacrifice themselves (or be sacrificed) if the fertility failed. Versions of this as being something that has to be sacrificed to ensure fertility happens in lots of religions including Egyptian religion where sacred bulls were sacrificed. They have found mummified bulls that have been sacrificed as evidence of this. So sacrificing a human may not be completely against ideas of fae.
I'm not so sure about the portrayal of fae because not all fae are helpful and rainbows. In fact, many in stories seem to have a trickster side that can be deceitful, dangerous if not deadly. Perhaps a better description is amoral because they do not have the same morals as we do.
So, while I don't necessary agree with all the interpretations she puts forward this book has much more than just the story I was interested in. That makes it all the more fascinating to read. The story is good as well.
One particular thing the author mention is she thought the idea of the fae sacrificing someone to Hell as an inclusion at a later date to the story, most likely a Christian addition, because the fae would not have believed in Hell and such evil doings seemed contrary to the good portrayal of the fae. I agree about the idea of a tithe to Hell seems at odds with the rest of the story. But I can see a sacrifice being needed to the land or realm every 7 years of another amount of time. It seems that in some pre-Christian societies fertility of the land was tied to the right to rule. Sometimes it was necessary to have a ruler sacrifice themselves (or be sacrificed) if the fertility failed. Versions of this as being something that has to be sacrificed to ensure fertility happens in lots of religions including Egyptian religion where sacred bulls were sacrificed. They have found mummified bulls that have been sacrificed as evidence of this. So sacrificing a human may not be completely against ideas of fae.
I'm not so sure about the portrayal of fae because not all fae are helpful and rainbows. In fact, many in stories seem to have a trickster side that can be deceitful, dangerous if not deadly. Perhaps a better description is amoral because they do not have the same morals as we do.
So, while I don't necessary agree with all the interpretations she puts forward this book has much more than just the story I was interested in. That makes it all the more fascinating to read. The story is good as well.
March 4, 2019
Loved this story, and the perspective. Will read again .
Read
July 29, 2021Used this for research so I won't rate, but appreciated the feminist take on the story of Tam Lin!
November 14, 2015
Kathleen McGowan’s “The Ballad of Tam Lin” is a retelling of a classic Scottish fairy tale. Thanks to the author’s diligent research and colorful language, I found “Tam Lin” a fascinating love story set in 14th century Scotland.
McGowan is skilled at painting vivid word pictures. Early in the book, for example, she describes a Scottish conquest of an English stronghold with this graphic language: “Upon capturing the castle, Sir James Douglas ordered that each remaining English soldier would lose his head. He then stacked the heads in a grotesque pile in the wine casks in the food cellars, where he poured whiskey on them and set them ablaze.” Ouch! I was immediately drawn into the story with such imagery and wanted to read more.
The essence of Tam Lin is a love story. McGowan describes the heroine Janet as “an action hero – not a damsel in distress waiting for anyone to rescue her.” Janet has a childhood crush on young Scotsman Thomas Gray. At age 11 Thomas ventures out on a hunting expedition with the elder males of his family. Soon Thomas is separated from the hunting party and disappears. In subsequent days no trace of Thomas can be found. He is assumed dead.
Janet does not give up hope, however. Aided by an elderly prophetess named Millie she senses that Thomas is still alive. It turns out he is – he has been rescued by the mysterious Fairy Queen Elphamae. Thomas remains missing to family and friends for years, raised by Elphamae and her elves he is given a new name – Tam Lin. The crux of the story is how Janet wins back Thomas/Tam Lin from his elfin world through a series of adventures and tests.
I liked how McGowan takes this classic Scottish tale and adds her own elements to produce an intriguing story. In a lengthy “author’s notes” and “history” section at the back of the book McGowan explains how she found several versions of the Tam Lin tale. In some Janet and Thomas do not know each other as children, in others they do. McGowan tells us how she includes the childhood interaction between the two to create a better love story later on. The author also adds her own touches, such as the old prophetess Millie (not present in any of the classic tales of the story) to serve as a mentor for the heroine Janet.
The story is rich with metaphorical meanings. We find out that the “evil” Queen Elphamae is not so evil once we learn of her motivations (in an encounter with Janet at the end). And isn’t that the way it is in real life – where we can prematurely demonize people without understanding their histories.
McGowan concludes her book with her own Fairy Encounters – actual experiences she had with the fairy realm in Ireland. Could the mythical tale of Tam Lin point to something real? The reader can decide whether McGowan’s encounters are true. I thought they sounded credible.
If you have read my previous book reviews you’ll notice that this is the first “fiction” book I have reviewed. I’m more of a “non-fiction” guy. But I’m glad I read Tam Lin. It reminded me once again of the value of reading books of different genres. I look forward to the next book McGowan has planned in this series, The North Berwick Witches, in 2013.
McGowan is skilled at painting vivid word pictures. Early in the book, for example, she describes a Scottish conquest of an English stronghold with this graphic language: “Upon capturing the castle, Sir James Douglas ordered that each remaining English soldier would lose his head. He then stacked the heads in a grotesque pile in the wine casks in the food cellars, where he poured whiskey on them and set them ablaze.” Ouch! I was immediately drawn into the story with such imagery and wanted to read more.
The essence of Tam Lin is a love story. McGowan describes the heroine Janet as “an action hero – not a damsel in distress waiting for anyone to rescue her.” Janet has a childhood crush on young Scotsman Thomas Gray. At age 11 Thomas ventures out on a hunting expedition with the elder males of his family. Soon Thomas is separated from the hunting party and disappears. In subsequent days no trace of Thomas can be found. He is assumed dead.
Janet does not give up hope, however. Aided by an elderly prophetess named Millie she senses that Thomas is still alive. It turns out he is – he has been rescued by the mysterious Fairy Queen Elphamae. Thomas remains missing to family and friends for years, raised by Elphamae and her elves he is given a new name – Tam Lin. The crux of the story is how Janet wins back Thomas/Tam Lin from his elfin world through a series of adventures and tests.
I liked how McGowan takes this classic Scottish tale and adds her own elements to produce an intriguing story. In a lengthy “author’s notes” and “history” section at the back of the book McGowan explains how she found several versions of the Tam Lin tale. In some Janet and Thomas do not know each other as children, in others they do. McGowan tells us how she includes the childhood interaction between the two to create a better love story later on. The author also adds her own touches, such as the old prophetess Millie (not present in any of the classic tales of the story) to serve as a mentor for the heroine Janet.
The story is rich with metaphorical meanings. We find out that the “evil” Queen Elphamae is not so evil once we learn of her motivations (in an encounter with Janet at the end). And isn’t that the way it is in real life – where we can prematurely demonize people without understanding their histories.
McGowan concludes her book with her own Fairy Encounters – actual experiences she had with the fairy realm in Ireland. Could the mythical tale of Tam Lin point to something real? The reader can decide whether McGowan’s encounters are true. I thought they sounded credible.
If you have read my previous book reviews you’ll notice that this is the first “fiction” book I have reviewed. I’m more of a “non-fiction” guy. But I’m glad I read Tam Lin. It reminded me once again of the value of reading books of different genres. I look forward to the next book McGowan has planned in this series, The North Berwick Witches, in 2013.
February 14, 2013
It's so hard to describe this mesmerizing story. It is an expanded tale of the Ballad of Tam Lin, an old Scottish poem. It's not long but leaves a lasting impression. I am happy to say that I have found another book which has given me a hangover. This one will take awhile to get over. The setting is breathtaking, the characters are captivating and the story is hauntingly beautiful. It's a story of love and heroism set against the backdrop of the Scotland known by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. If you didn't already believe is mystical magical occurrences like curses, faries and spell, you might think again.
March 10, 2015
I noticed this book because of the title. i play Traditional Irish music, and one of the tunes I really like is called Tam Lin. What I really like about this book is the story in combination with the discussion of the mythology, history, and Fairy folk of Scotland that make up a good portion of the whole story. It has made me want to read more of the author's series on strong female characters in history and myth.
July 9, 2013
The auther took several versions of an ancient ballad and wove together a nice little story. It was cute and an easy read. At the end of the story, she detailed her research, the differences between the versions and why she chose the elements she did for her story.
September 8, 2013
I loved the version of Tam Lin, which was only the first half. I did not, however, enjoy the rest of the book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews