First they turned him in Janet’s arms like frozen ice, then into a huge flame of roaring fire.  Then, again, the fire vanished and an adder was skipping through her arms, but still she held on; and then they turned him into a snake that reared up as if to bite her, and yet she held on.  Then suddenly a dove was struggling in her arms, and almost flew away.  Then they turned him into a swan, but all was in vain, till at last he was turned into a red-hot glaive, and this she cast into a well of water and then he turned back into a mother-naked man.  She quickly cast her green mantle over him, and young Tamlane was Burd Janet’s for ever.

Then sang the Queen of Elfland as the court turned away and began to resume its march: 

     “She that has borrowed young Tamlane
       Has gotten a stately groom,
     She’s taken away my bonniest knight,
       Left nothing in his room.

     “But had I known, Tamlane, Tamlane,
       A lady would borrow thee,
     I’d hae ta’en out thy two grey eyne,
       Put in two eyne of tree.

     “Had I but known, Tamlane, Tamlane,
       Before we came from home,
     I’d hae ta’en out thy heart o’ flesh,
       Put in a heart of stone.

     “Had I but had the wit yestreen
       That I have got to-day,
     I’d paid the Fiend seven times his teind
       Ere you’d been won away.”

And then the Elfin court rode away, and Burd Janet and young Tamlane went their way homewards and were soon after married after young Tamlane had again been sained by the holy water and made Christian once more.

The Stars in the Sky

Once on a time and twice on a time, and all times together as ever I heard tell of, there was a tiny lassie who would weep all day to have the stars in the sky to play with; she wouldn’t have this, and she wouldn’t have that, but it was always the stars she would have.  So one fine day off she went to find them.  And she walked and she walked and she walked, till by-and-by she came to a mill-dam.

“Goode’en to ye,” says she, “I’m seeking the stars in the sky to play with.  Have you seen any?”

“Oh, yes, my bonnie lassie,” said the mill-dam.  “They shine in my own face o’ nights till I can’t sleep for them.  Jump in and perhaps you’ll find one.”

So she jumped in, and swam about and swam about and swam about, but ne’er a one could she see.  So she went on till she came to a brooklet.

“Goode’en to ye, Brooklet, Brooklet,” says she; “I’m seeking the stars in the sky to play with.  Have you seen any?”

“Yes, indeed, my bonny lassie,” said the Brooklet.  “They glint on my banks at night.  Paddle about, and maybe you’ll find one.”

So she paddled and she paddled and she paddled, but ne’er a one did she find.  So on she went till she came to the Good Folk.

“Goode’en to ye, Good Folk,” says she; “I’m looking for the stars in the sky to play with.  Have ye seen e’er a one?”