"Thy sin is pardoned," said his father; "but go thou to the Wise Woman
of Brugeford, and find if aught can free us from this monster."

To the Wise Woman went the Childe, and asked her advice.

"'T is thy fault, O Childe, for which we suffer," she said; "be it thine
to release us."

"I would give my life," said the Childe.

"Mayhap thou wilt do so," said she. "But hear me, and mark me well.
Thou, and thou alone, canst kill the Worm. But, to this end, go thou to
the smithy and have thy armour studded with spear-heads. Then go to the
Worm's Rock in the Wear, and station thyself there. Then, when the Worm
comes to the Rock at dawn of day, try thy prowess on him, and God gi'e
thee a good deliverance."

"This I will do," said Childe Lambton.

"But one thing more," said the Wise Woman, going back to her cell. "If
thou slay the Worm, swear that thou wilt put to death the first thing
that meets thee as thou crossest again the threshold of Lambton Hall.
Do this, and all will be well with thee and thine. Fulfil not thou vow,
and none of the Lambtons, for generations three times three, shall die
in his bed. Swear, and fail not."

The Childe swore as the Wise Woman bid, and went his way to the smithy.
There he had his armour studded with spear-heads all over. Then he
passed his vigils in Brugeford Chapel, and at dawn of day took his post
on the Worm's Rock in the River Wear.

As dawn broke, the Worm uncoiled its snaky twine from around the hill,
and came to its rock in the river. When it perceived the Childe waiting
for it, it lashed the waters in its fury and wound its coils round the
Childe, and then attempted to crush him to death. But the more it
pressed, the deeper dug the spear-heads into its sides. Still it pressed
and pressed, till all the water around was crimsoned with its blood.
Then the Worm unwound itself, and left the Childe free to use his sword.
He raised it, brought it down, and cut the Worm in two. One half fell
into the river, and was carried swiftly away. Once more the head and the
remainder of the body encircled the Childe, but with less force, and the
spear-heads did their work. At last the Worm uncoiled itself, snorted
its last foam of blood and fire, and rolled dying into the river, and
was never seen more.

[Illustration: The Lambton Worm]

The Childe of Lambton swam ashore, and raising his bugle to his lips,
sounded its note thrice. This was the signal to the Hall, where the
servants and the