[Illustration: Headpiece--The Laidly Worm] THE LAIDLY WORM In Bamborough Castle there once lived a King who had two children, a son named Childe Wynde, and a daughter who was called May Margret. Their mother, a fair woman, was dead, and the King mourned her long and faithfully. But, after his son Childe Wynde went to seek his fortune, the King, hunting in the forest, came across a lady of such great beauty that he fell in love with her at once and determined to marry her. Now Princess May Margret was not over-pleased to think that her mother's place should be taken by a strange woman, nor was she pleased to think that she would have to give up keeping house for her father the King. For she had always taken a pride in her work. But she said nothing, though she stood long on the castle walls looking out across the sea wishing for her dear brother's return; for, see you, they had mothered each other. Still no news came of Childe Wynde; so on the day when the old King was to bring the new Queen home, May Margret counted over the keys of the castle chambers, knotted them on a string, and after casting them over her left shoulder for luck--more for her father's sake than for the new Queen's regard--she stood at the castle gate ready to hand over the keys to her stepmother. Now as the bridal procession approached with all the lords of the north countrie, and some of the Scots lords in attendance, she looked so fair and so sweet, that the lords whispered to one another of her beauty. And when, after saying in a voice like a mavis-- "Oh welcome, welcome, father, Unto your halls and towers! And welcome too, my stepmother, For all that's here is yours!" she turned upon the step and tripped into the yard, the Scots lords said aloud: "Forsooth! May Margret's grace Surpasses all that we have met, she has so fair a face!" Now the new Queen overheard this, and she stamped her foot and her face flushed with anger as she turned her about and called: "You might have excepted me, But I will bring May Margret to a Laidly Worm's degree; I'll bring her low as a Laidly Worm That warps about a stone, And not till the Childe of Wynde come back Will the witching be undone." Well! hearing this May Margret laughed, not knowing that her new stepmother, for all her beauty, was a witch; and the laugh made the wicked woman still more angry. So that same night she left her royal bed, and, returning to the lonely cave where she had ever done her magic, she cast Princess May Margret under a spell with charms three times three, and passes nine times nine. And this was her spell: "I weird ye to a Laidly Worm, And such sail ye ever be Until Childe Wynde the King's dear son Comes home across the sea. Until the world comes to an end Unspelled ye'll never be, Unless Childe Wynde of his own free will Sail give you kisses three!"