One Sunday morning Lambton went a-fishin' in the Wear;
An' catched a fish upon his huek he thowt leuk't varry queer,
But whatt'n a kind a fish it was young Lambton couldn't tell.
He waddn't fash to carry it hyem, so he hoyed it doon a well.
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, Aa'll tell ye aall and aaful story,
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, An' Aal tell ye 'bout the worm.
Noo Lambton felt in-clined 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 Pales-stine where queer things him be-fel,
An' varry seun forgot a-boot the queer worm i' the well.
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, Aa'll tell ye aall and aaful story,
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, An' Aal tell ye 'bout the worm.
But the worm got fat an' growed an' growed, an' growed an aaful size;
He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob an' greet big goggle 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.
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, Aa'll tell ye aall and aaful story,
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, An' Aal tell ye 'bout the worm.
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 aal he cud an' he had has he's fill,
He craaled a-way an' lapped his tail seven times roond Pensher Hill.
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, Aa'll tell ye aall and aaful story,
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, An' Aal tell ye 'bout the worm.
The news of this most aaful worm an' his queer gannins on
Seun crossed the seas an? gat to the ears of bowld an' brave Sir John.
So hyem he came an' catched the beast an' cut 'im in three halves,
An' that seun stopped he's eatin' bairns, an' sheeps an' lambs and calves.