And as soon as he had touched the ground she let go the
bridle and seized him in her arms.
"He's won, he's won amongst us all," shrieked out the eldritch crew, and
all came around her and tried their spells on young Tamlane.
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.
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