• The Lambton Worm

    the lambton worm has long been part of folklore in Durham, England. The 'worm' began wreaking havoc in the middle ages, when a young member of the Lambton family caught an eel-like creature while fishing on a Sunday. He threw it down a well, where it grew to an enormous size. When the youth went off to on a crusade, the worm escaped the well and devoured anything that came near. It is said that the worm was long enough to wrap itself around the hill, now called "worm hill", completely three times, and it slept wound around the hill in this manner. The young man managed to kill the worm upon his return from the crusades -- cutting the worm in three pieces -- but only with the help of a witch. His promise to her was that he would kill the first creature he met after his victory. Unfortunately, the first creature he met happened to be his father. Unable to murder his father, the young crusader reneged on his promise to the witch and condemned his family to a curse of untimely deaths that continued for nine generations.

    Hush now, shut your mouths.
    I'll tell you all an awful story.
    Hush now, quite please
    I'll tell you about the worm!

    One morning John Lambton went fishing
    In the River Wear.
    He caught a fish upon his hook
    He thought looked very queer.
    Just what kind of fish it was
    Young Lambton could not tell
    He couldn't be bothered to carry it home
    So he threw it down a well.

    Now Lambton thought he would like to be
    A soldier, and fight in wars.
    He joined a group of knights so tough
    They didn't mind wounds or scars.
    They traveled far and had adventures
    Lots of stories he could tell.
    Very soon he forgot about
    The strange thing in the well.

    But the worm got fat and grew and grew
    And grew an awful size.
    It had great big teeth, a great big mouth,
    And great big goggly eyes.
    And when at night it crawled about
    Having a little browse
    If it felt thirsty on the way
    It milked a dozen cows.

    This scary worm would often feed
    On calves and lambs and sheep.
    And swallow little kids alive
    When they were fast asleep.
    And when it had eaten all it could
    And it had had its fill
    It crawled away and wrapped itself
    Ten times round Penshaw Hill

    The news of this awful worm
    And its strange goings on
    Soon crossed the seas, and got to the ears
    Of brave and bold Sir John.
    So home he came and caught the beast
    And cut it in two halves
    And that soon stopped it eating kids
    And sheep and lambs and calves.

    So now you know how everyone
    On both sides of the Wear
    Lost lots of sheep and lots of sleep
    And lived in mortal fear.
    So let's say thanks to brave Sir John
    Who kept the kids from harm
    Saved cows and calves by making halves
    Of the famous Lambton Worm.