Long Lankin (thing)

Many old British folk songs are about sex, witches, magicians and pagan entities, ghosts/demons, revenge or bloody and grisly deeds. This one (Child Ballad №93), is said to the the tale of revenge by a mason who'd worked for a Northern English or Scottish lord, and hadn't been paid. When I first heard the song [by Steeleye Span i'd wondered if it was the story of a serial killer/madman living out on the moors, or a ghoul looking for a victim to eat. Long Lankin is known to the lord, clearly, so he either knows it's the mason (whose name in some tellings is Lamkin) or a being known to haunt the moors, notorious for creeping into people's houses to commit ritual murder. it's chilling to consider that the nurse is certainly in on the whole evil deed. Choose your own villain, i guess.

The song originates in the North of England or Scottish borders, given the use of moss and gorse, hence a journey one way would likely have taken up to two weeks. Martin Carthy claimed the song as being from around Alnwick in Norhumberland, and it would certainly fit the geography. If the lord was travelling with a retinue, or any goods, add another ten days maybe, for a total absence of a month at least. Either way the lord should have paid for someone to guard his hall rather than just leave his household for several days to ride south to London, which i reckon makes him the bloody villain.

Said the lord unto his lady as he rode over the moss
"Beware of Long Lankin that lives amongst the gorse;
Beware the moss, beware the moor, beware of Long Lankin
Make sure the doors are bolted well
Lest Lankin should creep in."

Said the lord unto his lady as he rode away,
"Beware of Long Lankin that lives amongst the hay;
Beware the moss, beware the moor, beware of Long Lankin
Make sure the doors are bolted well
Lest Lankin should creep in."

"Where's the master of the house?" says Long Lankin.
"He's away to London," says the nurse to him.
"Where's the lady of the house?" says Long Lankin.
"She's up in her chamber," says the nurse to him.
"Where's the baby of the house?" says Long Lankin.
"He's asleep in the cradle," says the nurse to him.

"We will pinch him, we will prick him,
we will stab him with a pin,
And the nurse shall hold the basin
for the blood all to run in."
So they pinched him and they pricked him,
then they stabbed him with a pin,
And the false nurse held the basin
for the blood all to run in.

"Lady, come down the stairs," says Long Lankin.
"How can I see in the dark?" she says unto him.
"You have silver mantles," says Long Lankin.
"Lady, come down the stairs by the light of them."
Down the stairs the lady came, thinking no harm
Lankin he stood ready to catch her in his arms.

There was blood all in the kitchen
There was blood all in the hall
There was blood all in the parlour
Where my lady she did fall

Now Long Lankin shall be hangèd
from the gallows oh so high,
And the false nurse shall be burnèd
in the fire close by.

Said the lord unto his lady as he rode over the moss
"Beware of Long Lankin that lives amongst the gorse;
Beware the moss, beware the moor, beware of Long Lankin
Make sure the doors are bolted well
Lest Lankin should creep in."

Find the song on youtube, you'll soon be cheerfully singing along to all the tellings of bloodshed, just as i am now.

For In the Absence of Light, Darkness Prevails: The 2025 Halloween Horrorquest