The Lambton Worm

One Sunday morn young Lambton Went a-fishin’ in the Wear; An’ catched a fish upon his heuk, He thowt leuk’t varry queer,

But whatt’n a kind of fish it was Young Lambton couldn’t tell. He waddn’t fash to carry it hyem, So he hoyed it doon a well.

(Chorus) ''Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs,'' Aa’ll tell ye aall an aaful story, ''Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs,'' An aa’ll tell ye aboot the worm.

Noo Lambton felt inclined to gan An’ fight in foreign wars. He joined a troop o’ Knights That cared for neither wounds nor scars,

An’ off he went to Palestine Where queer things him befel, An’ varry seun forgot aboot The queer worm in the well.

(Chorus)

But the worm got fat an’ growed an’ growed, An’ growed an aaful size; With greet big teeth, and greet big gob, An’ greet big goggley eyes.

An’ when at neets he craaled aboot To pick up bits o’ news, If he felt dry upon the road, He milked a dozen coos.

(Chorus)

This feorful worm wad often feed On calves an’ lambs an’ sheep An’ swally little bairns alive When they laid doon to sleep.

An’ when he’d eaten aall he cud An’ he had had his fill, He craaled away an’ lapped his tail Seven times roond Penshaw Hill.

(Chorus)

The news of this most aaful worm An’ his queer gannins on, Seun crossed the seas, gat to the ears Of brave an’ bowld Sir John.

So hyem he cam an’ catched the beast An’ cut ‘im in three halves, An’ that seun stopped him eatin’ bairns An’ sheep an’ lambs and calves.

(Chorus)

So noo ye knaa hoo aall the folks On byeth sides of the Wear Lost lots o’ sheep an’ lots o’ sleep An’ lived in mortal feor.

So let’s hev one to brave Sir John That kept the bairns frae harm, Saved coos an’ calves by myekin’ halves O’ the famis Lambton Worm.

(Chorus)

Noo lads, Aa’ll haad me gob, That’s aall Aa knaa aboot the story Of Sir John’s clivvor job Wi’ the aaful Lambton Worm.