Introduction
This tale from County Durham is one of the best-known local legends. A ‘worm’ is an Old English word for a dragon, in this case something strangling and slimy rather than fire-breathing. The hero (if that is the right word) is John Lambton, a much-travelled Knight of Rhodes whose father died in 1431 and left him the Lambton estates.
ONE Sunday morning, John, the young heir of Lambton Hall, skipped Mass and went fishing in the Wear. No good could come of that, and no good did.
That morning, he hooked only an ugly-looking worm, tossed it with disgust down a well, and promptly forgot about it.
Those were the days of war, and soon the young man left home in search of adventure. While he was gone, the worm grew to an awful size. It slithered out of its narrow well, and wound itself three times* round Penshaw hill. Heroes came to do battle with the worm, but if they cut off its head, the worm joined itself together again.
At last, John Lambton himself returned to find the worm gorging on milk and sheep, and his own father worrying himself into an early grave. As so many brave knights had been powerless against the worm, he went instead to a sibyl,* and begged for advice.
Or seven, according to a popular song written by local man C. M. Leumane for a Pantomime at Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle, in 1867.
* A sibyl is an oracle, a pagan sorceress supposedly in communication with a god or goddess.
Précis
Young John Lambton fished an ugly-looking worm out of the Wear, which he dropped down a well. While he was away soldiering, it grew to a prodigious size, and terrorised the neighbourhood. On his return, he knew he must kill it; but since so many had tried and failed, he went to a sybil for advice. (56 / 60 words)
Young John Lambton fished an ugly-looking worm out of the Wear, which he dropped down a well. While he was away soldiering, it grew to a prodigious size, and terrorised the neighbourhood. On his return, he knew he must kill it; but since so many had tried and failed, he went to a sybil for advice.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, despite, not, ought, unless, whereas, whether.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Email Support.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
