The Lambton Worm
Geordie is a regional dialect of English. "The word Geordie refers both to a native of Newcastle upon Tyne and to the speech of the inhabitants of that city." -British Library
"The Lambton Worm is a legend from County Durham in north-east England in the United Kingdom. The story takes place around the River Wear, and is one of the area's most famous pieces of folklore, having been adapted from written and oral tradition into pantomime and song formats.
The story revolves around John Lambton, an heir of the Lambton Estate, County Durham (now in Tyne and Wear), and his battle with a giant worm (dragon) that had been terrorising the local villages. As with most myths, details of the story change with each telling." -Wikipedia
The Lambton Worm
The Lambton Worm
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Geordie Dialect)
(English)
1. One Sunday morning 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'd te carry'd hyem,
So he hoyed it doon a well.
Chorus:
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.
2. Noo Lambton felt inclined te gan
An' fight in 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.
(Chorus)
3. But the worm got fat an' growed and' growed
An' growed to an aaful size;
He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob,
An' greet big googly eyes.
An' when at neets he craaled aboot
Te pick up bits o' news,
If he felt dry upon the road,
And sucked a dozen coos.
(Chorus)
4. 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' wrapped his tail
Seven times roond Pensher Hill.
(Chorus)
5. The news of this most 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 three haalves,
An' that seun stopped he's eatin' bairns,
An' sheep an' lambs and caalves.
(Chorus)
6. 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)
7. 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.
1. One Sunday morning Lambton went
A-fishing' in the Wear;
And caught a fish upon his hook
He thought looked very queer.
But what a kind of fish it was
Young Lambton couldn't tell.
He wouldn't have bothered to carry home,
So he threw it down a well.
(Chorus)
Listen! Lads, hold your mouths,
And I'll tell you all an awful story
Listen! Lads, hold your mouths,
And I'll tell you about the worm.
2. Now Lambton felt inclined to go
And fight in foreign wars.
He joined a troop of Knights that cared
For neither wounds nor scars,
And off he went to Palestine
Where queer things him befell,
And very soon forgot about
The queer worm in the well.
(Chorus)
3. But the worm got fat and grew and grew
And grew to an awful size;
He'd great big teeth, a great big mouth,
And great big googly eyes.
And when at nights he crawled about
To pick up bits of news,
If he felt dry upon the road,
And sucked a dozen cows.
(Chorus)
4. This fearful worm would often feed
On calves and lambs and sheep,
And swallow little young children alive
When they laid down to sleep.
And when he'd eaten all he could
And he had had his fill,
He crawled away and wrapped his tail
Seven times around Pensher Hill.
(Chorus)
6. The news of this most awful worm
And his queer goings on
Soon crossed the seas, got to the ears
Of brave and bold Sir John.
So home he came and catched the beast
And cut him in three halves,
And that soon stopped his eating young children,
And sheep and lambs and calves.
(Chorus)
7. So now you know how all the folks
On both sides of the Wear
Lost lots of sheep ana lots of sleep
And left in mortal fear.
So let's have one for brave Sir John
That kept the young children from harm,
Saved cows and calves by making halves
Of the famous Lambton Worm.
(Final Chorus)
8. Now lads, I'll hold my mouth,
That's all I know about the story
Of Sir John's cleaver job
With the awful Lambton Worm.
Notes
*The Wear is a river in England.
Comments
Lambton is an area of Washington, Tyne and Wear in England.
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Thanks to Ellen Murphy-Clarke for sharing this song, with the translation, video and recording!
Ellen Murphy-Clarke wrote, "I am a Northumbrian born lass living in Newcastle upon Tyne (Geordieland) and have been a primary school teacher here for 30 years. Passionate about music and a singer, choral conductor and multi instrumentalist. Find me on Facebook as Geordie Ginger Singer!"
Illustration by John Dickson Batten from "More English Fairy Tales."