Three times three did Childe Wynde attempt to land, and three times three the Laidly Worm kept the good ship from the shore. At last Childe Wynde gave the word to put the ship about, and the Witch Queen, who was watching from the Keep, thought he had given up: but he was not to be bested: for he only rounded the next point to Budley sands. And there, jumping into the shoal water, he got safely to land, and drawing his sword of proof, rushed up to fight the awesome Worm. But as he raised his sword to strike he heard a voice, soft as the western wind: "Oh quit thy sword, unbend thy bow, And give me kisses three, For though I seem a Laidly Worm No harm I'll do to thee!" And the voice seemed to him like the voice of his dear sister May Margret. So he stayed his hand. Then once again the Laidly Worm said: "Oh quit thy sword, unbend thy bow, My laidly form forget. Forgive the wrong and kiss me thrice For love of May Margret." Then Childe Wynde, remembering how he had loved his sister, put his arms round the Laidly Worm and kissed it once. And he kissed the loathly thing twice. And he kissed it yet a third time as he stood with the wet sand at his feet. Then with a hiss and a roar the Laidly Worm sank to the sand, and in his arms was May Margret! He wrapped her in his mantle, for she trembled in the cold sea air, and carried her to Bamborough Castle, where the wicked Queen, knowing her hour was come, stood, all deserted by her imps and witch-wives, on the stairs, twisting her hands. Then Childe Wynde looking at her cried: "Woe! Woe to thee, thou wicked Witch! An ill fate shalt thine be! The doom thou dreed on May Margret The same doom shalt thou dree. Henceforth thou'lt be a Laidly Toad That in the clay doth wend, And unspelled thou wilt never be Till this world hath an end." And as he spoke the wicked Queen began to shrivel, and she shrivelled and shrivelled to a horrid wrinkled toad that hopped down the castle steps and disappeared in a crevice. But to this day a loathsome toad is sometimes seen haunting Bamborough Keep; and that Laidly Toad is the wicked Witch Queen! But Childe Wynde and Princess May Margret loved each other as much as ever, and lived happily ever after. [Illustration: Tatty sat down and wept] TITTY MOUSE AND TATTY MOUSE Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse both lived in a house. Titty Mouse went a-gleaning, and Tatty Mouse went a-gleaning. So they both went a-gleaning. Titty Mouse gleaned an ear of corn, and Tatty Mouse gleaned an ear of corn. So they both gleaned an ear of corn. Titty Mouse made a pudding, and Tatty Mouse made a pudding. So they both made a pudding. And Tatty Mouse put her pudding into the pot to boil. But when Titty went to put hers in, the pot tumbled over, and scalded her to death, and Tatty sat down and wept. Then the three-legged stool said, "Tatty, why do you weep?" "Titty's dead," said Tatty, "and so I weep."