55 replies to this topic

[Flibbertigibbet]

The story of the Lambton Worm is told in the following traditional song. The most recent sighting was apparently in 1987.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Lambton_Worm

The Lambton Worm

One Sunday morn young Lambton went
A-fishing' in the Wear;
An' catched a fish upon he's heuk,
He thowt leuk't varry queer.
But whatt'n a kind of fish it was
Young Lambton cuddent tell.
He waddn't fash te carry'd hyem,
So he hoyed it doon a well.

cho: Whisht! Lads, haad yor gobs,
     An Aa'll tell ye's aall an aaful story
     Whisht! Lads, haad yor gobs,
     An' Aa'll tell ye  'boot the worm.

Noo Lambton felt inclined te gan
An' fight i' foreign wars.
he joined a troop o' Knights that cared
For nowther woonds nor scars,
An' off he went te Palestine
Where queer things him befel,
An' varry seun forgat aboot
The queer worm i' the well.

But the worm got fat an' growed and' growed
An' growed an aaful size;
He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob,
An' greet big goggle eyes.
An' when at neets he craaled aboot
Te pick up bits o' news,
If he felt dry upon the road,
He milked a dozen coos.

This feorful worm wad often feed
On caalves an' lambs an' sheep,
An' swally little barins alive
When they laid doon te sleep.
An' when he'd eaten aall he cud
An' he had had he's fill,
He craaled away an' lapped he's tail
Seven times roond Pensher Hill.

The news of this myest aaful worm
An' his queer gannins on
Seun crossed the seas, gat te the ears
Ov brave and' bowld Sor John.
So hyem he cam an' catched the beast
An' cut 'im in twe haalves,
An' that seun stopped he's eatin' bairns,
An' sheep an' lambs and caalves.

So noo ye knaa hoo aall the foaks
On byeth sides ov the Wear
Lost lots o' sheep an' lots o' sleep
An' leeved i' mortal feor.
So let's hev one te brave Sor John
That kept the bairns frae harm,
Saved coos an' caalves by myekin' haalves
O' the famis Lambton Worm.

             Final Chorus

Noo lads, Aa'll haad me gob,
That's aall Aa knaa aboot the story
Ov Sor John's clivvor job
Wi' the aaful Lambton Worm.

[Rafterman]

Interesting legend.  Sounds similar to countless other "if you don't go to church" legends that were told to young boys.  My Great Grandmother used to tell me that I'd catch the devil if I skipped church and went fishing on Sunday.

[Eldorado]

Doh!.... always thought the Lambton Worm was an ailment.

[Goodnite]

Is the song written in Olde English? I didn't know some of the words.

[Flibbertigibbet]

Goodnite, on 26 April 2012 - 02:38 PM, said:

Is the song written in Olde English? I didn't know some of the words.

It's written in Geordie dialect.

[spud the mackem]

Flibbertigibbet, on 26 April 2012 - 03:21 PM, said:

It's written in Geordie dialect.

Hiya,where did you pick this up ? ha ha ,I used to go to Penshaw Hill which has a 1st world war monument on the top,and believe it or not you can see where the worm wrapped its self roond the hill.Its essentially a Mackem song and not Geordie (spit),Their song  is the "Blaydon Races"..and never the twain shall meet.I actually sang it thru when I was reading it as I understand Mackem and Geordie having been born near Sunderland..Carry on the good work Bonny Lass,cheers

[ealdwita]

Not the best version I've heard, but the best I can find on Youtube

[Flibbertigibbet]

spud the mackem, on 26 April 2012 - 03:46 PM, said:

Hiya,where did you pick this up ? ha ha ,I used to go to Penshaw Hill which has a 1st world war monument on the top,and believe it or not you can see where the worm wrapped its self roond the hill.Its essentially a Mackem song and not Geordie (spit),Their song  is the "Blaydon Races"..and never the twain shall meet.I actually sang it thru when I was reading it as I understand Mackem and Geordie having been born near Sunderland..Carry on the good work Bonny Lass,cheers

Lol ok I stand corrected. They're quite similar though.

[spud the mackem]

Flibbertigibbet, on 26 April 2012 - 03:48 PM, said:

Lol ok I stand corrected. They're quite similar though.

No apology needed its just that Mackems and, Magpies or Barcodes (Geordies)as we call them are a different species,its much like oil and water,they dont mix..But divvent fash yersell its awreet (dont worry its alright) ha ha bye 4 now

[Flibbertigibbet]

Here's some pics.

[Leonardo]

According to this site, the Lambton Worm tale may be a mangled re-telling of the "Dragon of Rhodes" story. It seems plausible as it seems Sir John Lambton was a member of the Knights of Rhodes and quite possibly knew/heard the story.

[Flibbertigibbet]

Leonardo, on 26 April 2012 - 04:47 PM, said:

According to this site, the Lambton Worm tale may be a mangled re-telling of the "Dragon of Rhodes" story. It seems plausible as it seems Sir John Lambton was a member of the Knights of Rhodes and quite possibly knew/heard the story.

That's interesting, I hadn't heard of the Dragon of Rhodes.

[ealdwita]

See? That's what happens when you don't worm your dog regularly!

[Flibbertigibbet]

I feel sorry for worms. In ancient times they were huge scary beasts, dragon-type creatures and fire-breathing serpents. Now they just wriggle around in the dirt.

[BorisIWantToKnow]

Could be interpreted as some kind of metaphor for some kind of "evil". Because St.George fought a dragon, the dragon symbolizing paganism. Do you know was there some kind of a threat or something at that time there