P. 307 f. Caspar Decurtius, Marchen aus dem Bündner
Oberlande, nach dem Räto-Romanischen erzählt, Jecklin,
Volksthümliches aus Graubünden, Zürich, 1874, p.
126, has a tale of a Schlangenjungfrau who is a maid by day and a
serpent by night, and is disenchanted by three kisses. G.L.K.
311. The Rev. Robert Lambe sent Percy, under date
of January 29, 1768, " the best copy of 'The Laidley
Worm' that he could procure from many incorrect, imperfect, and nonsensical ones." There are differences
between this and the copy printed in Hutchinson,[foot-note] but
one is about as good as the other. In this earlier copy
2 follows 3 and 37 is wanting. 6 and 7 read:
Along with this earlier copy of Lambe's is found an other,
undescribed, which shows both agreements and variations: 2
follows 3, and 6, 7 and the final stanza are the same. 1 7 and 22
are wanting, and there are, therefore, no witches and no
rowan-tree. Instead of 21-23, we have this very bad stanza:
In the same parcel there is a copy of 'The Laidley Worm' which
is somewhat more in the popular tone than the one already
printed. It was sent in an undated letter [1775?] to J. Bulman,
Esq., of Sheepwash, Morpeth, by E.G., that is, Captain E. Grow.
"The above," says E.G., "is the Haggworm as I collected it from
an old woman. I wrote to the Revrd Mr. Lamb for his ballad, and
directed him to send to you. ... I think the inclosed more
original then his, for Mr. Lamb, tho a good antiquarian, is but a
bad poet, and above the one half is his own composing." Mr. J.
Bulman appears to have transmitted this version to Percy, to
whom, upon another occasion, May 25, 1775, he sends "a bold
imitation of the song, now lost, of the Laidler Worm (written by
Duncan Frazier, the monk on Cheviot, in 1270), by a lady, Miss
Graham of Gloriorum, in Northumberland;" of which nothing need be
said.
'The Hagg Worm,' obtained from an old woman by Captain E.
Grow.
| 1 |
Bambrough Castle 's a bonny place,
Built on a marble stone,
But long, long did the lady look
Eer her father came home. |
| 2 |
She knotted the keys upon a string,
And with her she has them taen;
She cast them oer her left shoulder,
And to the gates she is gaen. |
| 3 |
It fell out on a day the king
Brought his new lady home,
And all the lordlingfs] in his realm
To welcome them did come. |
| 4 |
'You'r welcome, father,' the lady cries,
'To your halls and your towers,
And so are you, good queen,' said she,
'For all that 's here is yours.' |
| 5 |
'O who is this,' said the queen,
'That welcomes me so high?'
Up then spake a greyhaird man,
An ill dead may he dee!
'T is the kinges aie daughter,
The flower of the North Country. |
| 6 |
'O woe betyde the[e], greyhaired man,
An ill dead may thou dee!
Had she been fairer then she is,
You might have excepted me. |
| 7 |
'I'll liken her to a laidley worm,
That warps about the stone,
And not till Child of Wynd comes back
Shall she again be wonne.' |
| 8 |
The lady stood at her bower-door,
A loud laughter took she:
'I hope your prayers will have no pith;
You took not God with ye.' |
| 9 |
She calld on her waiting-maid
They calld her Dorothy
'The coffer that my gold lies in,
I leave to thee the key. |
| 10 |
'Her hellish spells seize on my heart,
And quick will alter me;
For eer the seting sun is down
A laidler worm I'll be.' |
| 11 |
Word 's gone east, and word 's gone west,
And word 's gone oer the sea,
There 's a laidler worm in Spindlestone Heughs
Will destroy the North Countree. |
| 12 |
For seven miles east and seven miles west,
And seven miles north and south,
Nea blade of grass or corn will grow,
For the venom of her mouth. |
| 13 |
To this day may be seen the cave
This monsterous worm embowered,
And the stone trough where seven cows' milk
She every day devoured. |
| 14 |
Word 's gone east and word 's gone west,
Word oer the sea did go;
The Child of Wynd got wit of it,
Which filld his heart with woe. |
| 15 |
'I have no sister but barely one,
I fear fair Margery!
I wish I was at Spindlestone Heughs,
This laidler worm to see.' |
| 16 |
Up then spoke his eldest brother,
An angry man was he:
O thou art young, far over young,
To sail the stormy sea. |
| 17 |
Peace, brother,' said the Child of Wynd,
'Dear brother, let me be;
For when we come to danger dire,
I must fight when you will flee. |
| 18 |
'O let us build a bonny ship,
And set her in the sea;
The sails shall be of silken twine,
The masts of rowon-tree.' |
| 19 |
They built a ship, the wind and tyde
Drave them along the deep;
At last they saw a stately tower,
On the rock high and steep. |
| 20 |
The sea was smooth, the sky was clear;
As they approached nigher,
King Ida's castle well they knew,
And the banks of Balmburghshire. |
| 21 |
The queen lookd thro her bower-window,
To see what she coud see,
And she espied a gallant ship
Come sailing along the sea. |
| 22 |
She calld on her witch-women
To sink them in the main;
They hoisted up their silken sails,
And to Warren bridge they gane. |
| 23 |
The worm lept up, the worm lept down,
She plaited round the stane,
And as the ship came to the land
She banged them off again. |
| 24 |
The Child leapd in the shallow water
That flows oer Budle sand,
And when he drew his berry-brown sword
She suffered them to land. |
| 25 |
When they came to Bamburg castle
They tirled at the ring;
'Who's that,' said the proud porter,
'That woud so fain be in?' |
| 26 |
''T is the king's son and Child of Wynd,
Who have long been oer the sea;
We come to see our sister dear,
The peirless Margery.' |
| 27 |
'Heigh a ween, and Oh a ween!
A ween, a woe-ses me!
She 's a laidler worm at Spindlestone Heughs,
These seven years and three.' |
| 28 |
They highed them stright to Spindleston Heughs
Grief added to their speed
Where out she came a laidler worm,
And strack their hearts with dread. |
| 29 |
The Child drew out his berry-brown sword,
And waved it oer her head,
And cried, If thou ...
... |
| 30 |
'O quit thy sword, and bend thy bow,
And give me kisses three;
For if I am not wonne eer the sun goes down,
Wonne will I never be.' |
| 31 |
He quit his sword, he bent his bow,
He gave her kisses three;
She threw out her fireballs,
And fiercely made them flee. |
| 32 |
In she went, and out she came,
A laidley ask was she:
'Oh, tho I am a laidley ask,
No harm I'll do to thee. |
| 33 |
'Oh quit thy sword, and bend thy bow,
And give me kisses three;
For if I am not wonne eer the sun goes down,
Wonne will I never be.' |
| 34 |
He quit his sword, he bent his bow,
And gave her kisses three;
But she threw out her fireballs,
And fiercely made them flee. |
| 35 |
In she went, and out she came,
A laidley adder was she;
['Oh, tho I am a laidley adder,
No harm I'll do to thee.] |
| 36 |
'Oh quit thy sword, and bend thy bow,
And give me kisses three;
[For if I am not wonne eer the sun goes down,
Wonne will I never be.'] |
| 37 |
He quit his sword, he bent his bow,
He gave her kisses three;
She crept into the cave a snake,
But slept out a lady. |
| 38 |
'O quit thy sword, unbend thy bow,
And give me kisses three;
For tho I am a lady fair,
I am ... to modesty.' |
| 39 |
He took his mantle from his back,
And wrapd his sister in,
And thei 'r away to Hamburg Castle,
As fast as they coud winne. |
| 40 |
His absence and her reptile form
The king had long deplored,
But now rejoiced to see them both
Again to him restored. |
| 41 |
The queen he sought, who when he found
All quailed and sore affraid,
Because she knew her power must yield
To Child of Wynd, who said: |
| 42 |
'O woe be to the[e], wicked woman,
An ill deed may thou dee!
As thou my sister likened,
So likened thou shalt be. |
| 43 |
'I change thy body to a toad,
That on the earth doth wend,
And wonne, wonne shalt thou never be
Untill the world doth end!' |
| 44 |
Now on the ground, near Ida's tower,
She crawls a loathsome toad,
And venom spits on every maid
She meets upon the road. |
35. In she went, and-out she came,
A laidley adder was she:
'Oh quit thy sword, and bend thy bow,
And give me kisses three.'
