JOHN H REIS wrote:
>
> I was wondering if anyone has any insights into this ballad.
> jh
> <P>THE LEGEND OF THE LAIDLEY WORM</P>
> <P><A href="http://www.escape.ca/~jps/Farnesan.htm">Back to top of
> page.</A></P>
> <P>Bamburgh is the setting for one of the curious `worm' legends,
> which seem to
> be a regular feature of North Eastern folklore. The story is that in
> ancient
> times the jealous step mother of a Bamburgh princess turned the young
> maiden
> into a laidley (or loathsome) `worm', who began to terrorise the
> neighbourhood
> of Bamburgh and Budle Bay.</P>
> <P align=center>" For seven miles east and seven miles west,</P>
> <P align=center>And seven miles north and south,</P>
> <P align=center>No blade of grass or corn would grow,</P>
> <P align=center>So deadly was her mouth.</P>
> <P align=center>The milk of seven streakit cows,</P>
> <P align=center>It was their cost to keep;</P>
> <P align=center>They brought her daily which she drank</P>
> <P align=center>Before she went to sleep.</P>
> <P align=center>At this day might be seen the cave</P>
> <P align=center>Where she lay faulded up,</P>
> <P align=center>And the trough o' stone the very same</P>
> <P align=center>Out of which she supped. "</P>
> <P>The princess's brother hearing of the activities of this terrible
> beast,
> returned to England from business abroad (in the expected tradition)
> to deal
> with the serpent. The creature greeted the prince's ship at Budle Bay
> near
> Bamburgh with the following well chosen verses.</P>
> <P align=center>"O' quit thy sword, unbend thy brow,</P>
> <P align=center>And give me kisses three;</P>
> <P align=center>For though I am a poisonous worm,</P>
> <P align=center>No hurt I'll do to thee.</P>
> <P align=center>O' quit thy sword, unbend thy brow,</P>
> <P align=center>And give me kisses three;</P>
> <P align=center>If I'm not won here the sun goes down,</P>
> <P align=center>Won shall I never be.</P>
> <P align=center>So,</P>
> <P align=center>He quitted his sword and smoothed his brow,</P>
> <P align=center>And gave her kisses three;</P>
> <P align=center>She crept into the hole a worm,</P>
> <P align=center>And came out a fayre lady."</P>
> <P>When the prince confronted the stepmother, to whose magic powers he
> was
> immune, she desperately pleaded for his forgiveness. Showing no mercy
> the prince
> responded with revengeful anger and turned his stepmother into a
> loathsome toad.
> The ballad concludes;</P>
> <P align=center>" And on the land's near Ida's towers,</P>
> <P align=center>A loathsome toad she crawls;</P>
> <P align=center>And venom spits on everything</P>
> <P align=center>which cometh to the walls.</P>
> <P>The Ballad of the `Laidley Worm' has similarities with the <A
> href="http://www.escape.ca/~jps/LEGENDS__SONGS_AND_POEMS.htm">Lambton
> and
> Sockburn Worm legends</A> of County Durham, but is probably not of
> their
> antiquity. It is said to have been written by a Cheviot mountain bard
> in the
> thirteenth century, but evidence suggests that the true author was a
> vicar of
> Norham on Tweed, many centuries later.</P>
> <P>&nbsp;</P>

Child likened it somewhat to "Kemp Owyne", #34,  and comments on and
gives the text of it, which he took to be by the Rev. Mr. Lamb of
Norham. See Child's ballads, I, p. 308ff (more commentary on p.311, text
p. 312-3).

Bruce Olson




--
Old English, Irish and, Scots: popular songs, tunes, broadside
ballads at my website (no advs-spam, etc)- www.erols.com/olsonw
or click below  <A href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw"> Click </a>