Swear, and fail not."
The Childe swore as the Wise Woman bid, and went his way to the smithy.
There he had his armour studded with spear-heads all over. Then he
passed his vigils in Brugeford Chapel, and at dawn of day took his post
on the Worm's Rock in the River Wear.
As dawn broke, the Worm uncoiled its snaky twine from around the hill,
and came to its rock in the river. When it perceived the Childe waiting
for it, it lashed the waters in its fury and wound its coils round the
Childe, and then attempted to crush him to death. But the more it
pressed, the deeper dug the spear-heads into its sides. Still it pressed
and pressed, till all the water around was crimsoned with its blood.
Then the Worm unwound itself, and left the Childe free to use his sword.
He raised it, brought it down, and cut the Worm in two. One half fell
into the river, and was carried swiftly away. Once more the head and the
remainder of the body encircled the Childe, but with less force, and the
spear-heads did their work.
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