The Real Lambton Worm

The Real Story Of The Lambton Worm

The Lambton Worm is a traditional myth from Sunderland, North-East England. It starts off on the banks of the river Wear. I'm going to tell you what happened...

Joanne Lambton (yes Joanne. She was a girl) was skipping church one Sunday to go fishing. After near an hour of waiting, she was about to pack up and go home, but something tugged on her rod. It seemed a small something. Pulling the fishing rod from the waters, a small, unknown creature hung on to the bait for dear life. Partly pitying the creature (and partly not knowing if it was safe to eat), Joanne threw it down a nearby well on her way home.

Then the crusades came. Joanne wanted to fight, but in those days, women weren't allowed so, disguising herself in her father's clothes and calling herself John, she set out with the rest of the troops.

During her time fighting, the creature (which turned out to be some kind of worm) grew to an awful size by firstly feeding on leaves and insects, but then moving on to bigger things like cows and sheep and even small children! It grew so big, in fact, it could wrap itself SEVEN times around Penshaw Hill. The people of Sunderland were in great distress, hoping the worm wouldn't take their daughter next or even move onto adults! With no hope left, they called the crusaders from Sunderland back to fight the worm.

"The man," said the Mayor, "who can slay the beast, will receive a great reward of a million pounds!"There was great murmur through the crowd and many people ran off to get their best armor and sword, except Joanne. She ran in the other direction to an old witch she knew who could her her.After a few minutes of explaining the tragedy, the witch told Joanne that she must wear spiked armor and fight the worm in the river. Obeying the witch, Joanne paid a blacksmith to attach knives to her crusade armor.

Finally, Joanne made her way to the banks of the river and sat beside the well and waited for the worm to appear. She didn't have to wait long though, as the ugly head of the worm slithered out into the daylight. Joanne ran up to the worm and slashed at his skin, making a massive cut - which then healed immediately. She now knew what the knives were for. Standing statue-still, Joanne let the worm coil around her. It did so, chopping itself into pieces which then, like a magnet, formed back into the worm. Because it was so outraged, it chased Joanne into the river. She stood still on a rock and it coiled around her again, this time the pieces being washed away by the current.From her pocket, she pulled a whistle which she then sounded. Her father was supposed to release a wolf for her to kill, but he came running to the waters edge. When making the deal with the witch, Joanne had promised to kill the first living thing she saw after slaying the beast, or a curse would be set upon seven generations of her family. Not being able to kill her own father, a horrible disease struck her family.

The witch stayed in her hut, until vines starting growing across the door, trapping her in (serves her right!). Now, on worm hill (named for being able to see the Lambton Worm from there) there is a bush in the middle where the witches hut was.

THE END