Hello one and all!
Today's story is of the Lambton Wyrm. This is a legend from County Durham in North East England, and is so famous that it has been adapted into pantomime, songs and various other media. Clearly this tale has gripped the imagination of everyone that encounters it.
Lambton Wyrm
Once upon a time there was a young squire named John Lambton, who was heir to the Lambton estate. He was very rebellious by nature, and one Sunday he decided to miss the church service so that he could fish in the River Wear. While he he set up his equipment by the side of the river an old man walked by and warned John that nothing good comes from missing church. The squire took no heed of the stranger and continued with his fishing.
Just as the church service finished John caught a black eel. The old man, who was on his way back from church, saw the catch and said, "This vile creature will only cause trouble. You must deal with it!"
The young man threw the eel into a nearby well, quite pleased with how he dealt with that dilemma.
John grew up, and to make amends for his rebellious youth, he joined the Crusades. While he was away the eel grew into a terrible wyrm inside the well. Sooner than later, the farmers in the area began to notice livestock vanish without a trace. The villagers became went to the well to inspect, but they found a fully-grown wyrm, was so gigantic that it coiled itself three times around a local hill. Only through regular tributes to the monster were they able to placate it, but after years of this the village became impoverished.
After seven years abroad, John returned, now as a fully fledged knight. He was horrified to find the land had been laid to waste and his family estate in ruins. So he resolved to seek out the local wise woman and ask for her guidance in the matter. After she had scolded him for his foolishness, the woman told the knight to commission a suit of amour with spikes, then to go to the river where he had caught it years ago. She added a caveat: John had to kill the first living thing he sees after he dispatched the monster, otherwise his descendants will be cursed to suffer violent deaths for nine generations.
John made arrangements with his father to to take the special condition into consideration. They agreed when he slew the beast, he would sound a horn three times and his father would release his favourite hound, then the knight would kill the dog and avoid the curse. John went down to the river, encased in his new armour. The huge reptile appeared, and soon wrapped its coils around the knight and tried to crush him, but it cut itself on the spikes. Piece of the wyrm fell into the river, it continued to pierce its own hide more quickly than it could heal. Finally, after a great struggle. its strength gave way and the monster died.
John sounded the horn three times, just as planned. His father was so full of joy, though, that he rushed out to congratulate his son. The knight could not bring himself to kill his father. Nine generations of Lambtons became cursed, never to die peacefully in their beds.
Hope you enjoyed the tale! Thank you for reading!
Today's story is of the Lambton Wyrm. This is a legend from County Durham in North East England, and is so famous that it has been adapted into pantomime, songs and various other media. Clearly this tale has gripped the imagination of everyone that encounters it.
Lambton Wyrm
Once upon a time there was a young squire named John Lambton, who was heir to the Lambton estate. He was very rebellious by nature, and one Sunday he decided to miss the church service so that he could fish in the River Wear. While he he set up his equipment by the side of the river an old man walked by and warned John that nothing good comes from missing church. The squire took no heed of the stranger and continued with his fishing.
Just as the church service finished John caught a black eel. The old man, who was on his way back from church, saw the catch and said, "This vile creature will only cause trouble. You must deal with it!"
The young man threw the eel into a nearby well, quite pleased with how he dealt with that dilemma.
John grew up, and to make amends for his rebellious youth, he joined the Crusades. While he was away the eel grew into a terrible wyrm inside the well. Sooner than later, the farmers in the area began to notice livestock vanish without a trace. The villagers became went to the well to inspect, but they found a fully-grown wyrm, was so gigantic that it coiled itself three times around a local hill. Only through regular tributes to the monster were they able to placate it, but after years of this the village became impoverished.
After seven years abroad, John returned, now as a fully fledged knight. He was horrified to find the land had been laid to waste and his family estate in ruins. So he resolved to seek out the local wise woman and ask for her guidance in the matter. After she had scolded him for his foolishness, the woman told the knight to commission a suit of amour with spikes, then to go to the river where he had caught it years ago. She added a caveat: John had to kill the first living thing he sees after he dispatched the monster, otherwise his descendants will be cursed to suffer violent deaths for nine generations.
John made arrangements with his father to to take the special condition into consideration. They agreed when he slew the beast, he would sound a horn three times and his father would release his favourite hound, then the knight would kill the dog and avoid the curse. John went down to the river, encased in his new armour. The huge reptile appeared, and soon wrapped its coils around the knight and tried to crush him, but it cut itself on the spikes. Piece of the wyrm fell into the river, it continued to pierce its own hide more quickly than it could heal. Finally, after a great struggle. its strength gave way and the monster died.
John sounded the horn three times, just as planned. His father was so full of joy, though, that he rushed out to congratulate his son. The knight could not bring himself to kill his father. Nine generations of Lambtons became cursed, never to die peacefully in their beds.
Hope you enjoyed the tale! Thank you for reading!
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