Last Update: 14 October 2002
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Laidley Worm and Childe Wynde
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Region: England
Time Period: Unknown
References in Literature:
Sources: Wyrm, WaterDragon

See Also: Loathsome Dragon on Ms. Feldman's Page

A young princess named Margaret argued with her evil stepmother and her stepmother turned her into a serpent named the Laidly Worm, and banished her from the castle to the Heugh of Spindleton or Bamburgh countryside where she terrorized the people and livestock. The local king, Childe Wynde, the son of a Northumbrian King, set out to destroy this dragon and save his kingdom, but when he got near the Worm, it spoke and he recognized the voice of his sister. He kissed her 3 times, the spell was broken, and all was made right. When the spell broke, the evil stepmother was turned into a toad.

Lengthier versions of the story can be found at Colba and Illiana.

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