Tam Lin: An Old Ballad

I read a lot of fairy tales, folklore, and mythology, so, while I'm no means an expert on all the world's cultures, I don't come across tales I haven't already heard at least a variation of very often. This was one of those tales.

Based on an old Scottish ballad, this tale sets itself apart in that it's the heroine who rescues the hero, rather than the other way around. Jennet is a strong heroine, determined to have her way, and I just don't see that kind of woman often in these old stories. Other than that, the tale is sweet and romantic. I've heard people call this tale a little more on the mature side - the most mature thing I noticed was a tiny bit of nudity, and I've seen more adult content in the Grimm fairy tales. Jane Yolen does show more a beautiful job painting the story with her words, and Charles Mikolaycak complements the story as well with his gorgeous illustrations. In particular, I like the one representing the stages of Tam's transformations. show less

Tam Lin isn't as often retold as some other stories, but perhaps it should be. It's a wonderful tale and is retold beautifully here, with lovely illustrations. It's on the more adult side, despite the abridging of certain elements of the ballad.All the same, this story is lovely, dramatic, and romantic, which explains its wide appeal.

Michael is right; those of us who love the art of [a:Trina Schart Hyman|6603|Trina Schart Hyman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1372538777p2/6603.jpg] would also enjoy that of Mikolaycak. Yolen tells this old story beautifully, and includes a good author's note.

A charming folk tale that provides some knowledge of Scottish folk lore.