Title: Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics - Laidley Worm

Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics www.traditionalmusic.co.uk Laidley Worm 
Laidley Worm 
Oh, when I was but seven years old my mother she did die My father he married the worst woman that ever your eyes did see 
My father he married the worst woman that ever your eyes did see And she was a witch of the vilest kind and both a high lady 
She turned me into a laidly worm to coil around a tree And she turned my sister, sweet Mary, to a mackerel of the sea 
It's seven bold knights I've slain here all of them 'neath this tree And were you not my own father dear the eighth one you would have been 
His father has sent for his own lady gay and all unto her did say O what have you done to my own young son and his sister burd Mary 
Your son is gone all to the king's court earning his meat and fee Your daughter has gone to the queen's high court a fine lady to be You lie, you lie, you vile woman, so loud I hear you lie You've turned my son to a laidly worm to coil around a tree 
And you've turned my daughter sweet Mary to a mackerel of the sea So this lady has taken a wee hazel wand and she's stroked it three times three 
And there has stood up the bravest young knight that ever your eyes did see And then she has taken a small silver horn and loud and shrill blew she 
And all the fish came up unto her but the proud mackerel of the sea Saying you changed me once to an unseemly shape and you never more will change me 
He's sent to the wood for vines and hawthorne to build the bonfire high And there he's tied his own lady gay and there he did her burn 
Child #36 AJS