hwæt the hell, sure

proud as she should be

Peter Nevins, "Tam Lin"

LOVE STRONGER THAN FEAR Tam Lin is an epic old english folk ballad that tells of a girl (Janet) who must hold onto her lover (Tam Lin) while he is transformed into many fearsome things by a spell he's under. Her love must prove stronger than her fear, if she is to win her lover back from this spell. This was created in collaboration with Anaïs Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer for their BBC FOLK award-winning album Child Ballads, which has 7 of the 300 or so songs collected in the 1890's by one Francis James Child. “And then I’ll change all in your arms Into a lion bold But hold me tight and fear me not And you will love your child.” It felt really good to illustrate the songs using this technique, which hasn’t changed much since the songs themselves were written. The hand-carved, hand-printed look lends itself to the look of “dark epic tapestry,” as Anaïs called it. Big thanks to Anaïs, Jefferson, and Anaïs’ manager Liz Riches, who helped me hone the ideas.

I forbid you maidens all that wear gold in your hair To travel to Carterhaugh for young Tam Lin is there

None that go by Carterhaugh but they leave him a pledge Either their mantles of green or else their maidenhead

Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee And she's gone to Carterhaugh as fast as go can she

She'd not pulled a double rose, a rose but only two When up then came young Tam Lin, says "Lady, pull no more"

"And why come you to Carterhaugh without command from me?" "I'll come and go", young Janet said, "and ask no leave of thee"

Janet tied her kirtle green a bit above her knee And she's gone to her father as fast as go can she