<p>On the 26th of June, 1761, Henry Lambton died suddenly in his carriage, while crossing Lambton Bridge (over the River Wear), in north east England. Subsequently, his brother General Lambton slept with a horse-whip by his bed. The siblings’ ancestors had perished in various disagreeable ways, and the General hoped to avert the lamentable Lambton legacy.</p>.<p>The Lambton curse goes back to a Sunday morning, centuries ago, when the heir to the Lambton estate decided to miss church and go fishing instead. Feeling a tug at his line, John Lambton saw a repulsive-looking worm on his hook and dropped it into a well. </p>.<p>Returning from abroad, years later, John learnt that the worm had become a dragon. Having outgrown the well, it now lived on a rock in the river. The dragon had become — as Jessie Adelaide Middleton relates in ‘The Lambton Worm’ — “the terror of the countryside, laying waste the land, injuring the cattle, frightening the villagers, and devouring lambs.” It arrived daily at Lambton Hall, where it demanded and consumed a large quantity of milk.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sunday-herald/sunday-herald-books/for-believers-and-sceptics-both-1182902.html" target="_blank">For believers and sceptics both</a></strong></p>.<p>Destroying the dragon seemed impossible. “No sooner,” says Middleton, “was it cut asunder than it immediately joined itself together again.” Responsible for the dragon’s existence, John felt morally obliged to end it. A witch advised John to wear a suit of armour with sharp blades, instructing him to attack the dragon when it was in the River Wear.</p>.<p>More devout than he had been in his youth, John prayed as he prepared for the confrontation. He recalled the witch’s injunction. “If you are victorious, sacrifice the first living thing you see after the combat.” Otherwise, she had warned him, his descendants would suffer. Taking leave of his father, John told him that he would sound triumphant blasts on his horn if he defeated the dragon. At that signal, the old man was to let loose John’s greyhound. John could not risk meeting a being and having to take his or her life. The dragon wrapped its coils around John, but cut itself on the spikes of his armour. As John slashed at it with his sword, its body parts were washed away by the river and could not regroup. Hearing John’s horn, his father rushed out. Unable to strike, John sounded his horn again. The greyhound appeared, and John dealt it a fatal blow.</p>.<p>It was no of use! The Lambton curse fell on the family, and continued for nine successive generations. It ended with the death of Henry Lambton, whom we met at the start of this story. Surprisingly, General Lambton died peacefully in his bed.</p>.<p><em>(The author is an English teacher and a freelance writer)</em></p>
<p>On the 26th of June, 1761, Henry Lambton died suddenly in his carriage, while crossing Lambton Bridge (over the River Wear), in north east England. Subsequently, his brother General Lambton slept with a horse-whip by his bed. The siblings’ ancestors had perished in various disagreeable ways, and the General hoped to avert the lamentable Lambton legacy.</p>.<p>The Lambton curse goes back to a Sunday morning, centuries ago, when the heir to the Lambton estate decided to miss church and go fishing instead. Feeling a tug at his line, John Lambton saw a repulsive-looking worm on his hook and dropped it into a well. </p>.<p>Returning from abroad, years later, John learnt that the worm had become a dragon. Having outgrown the well, it now lived on a rock in the river. The dragon had become — as Jessie Adelaide Middleton relates in ‘The Lambton Worm’ — “the terror of the countryside, laying waste the land, injuring the cattle, frightening the villagers, and devouring lambs.” It arrived daily at Lambton Hall, where it demanded and consumed a large quantity of milk.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sunday-herald/sunday-herald-books/for-believers-and-sceptics-both-1182902.html" target="_blank">For believers and sceptics both</a></strong></p>.<p>Destroying the dragon seemed impossible. “No sooner,” says Middleton, “was it cut asunder than it immediately joined itself together again.” Responsible for the dragon’s existence, John felt morally obliged to end it. A witch advised John to wear a suit of armour with sharp blades, instructing him to attack the dragon when it was in the River Wear.</p>.<p>More devout than he had been in his youth, John prayed as he prepared for the confrontation. He recalled the witch’s injunction. “If you are victorious, sacrifice the first living thing you see after the combat.” Otherwise, she had warned him, his descendants would suffer. Taking leave of his father, John told him that he would sound triumphant blasts on his horn if he defeated the dragon. At that signal, the old man was to let loose John’s greyhound. John could not risk meeting a being and having to take his or her life. The dragon wrapped its coils around John, but cut itself on the spikes of his armour. As John slashed at it with his sword, its body parts were washed away by the river and could not regroup. Hearing John’s horn, his father rushed out. Unable to strike, John sounded his horn again. The greyhound appeared, and John dealt it a fatal blow.</p>.<p>It was no of use! The Lambton curse fell on the family, and continued for nine successive generations. It ended with the death of Henry Lambton, whom we met at the start of this story. Surprisingly, General Lambton died peacefully in his bed.</p>.<p><em>(The author is an English teacher and a freelance writer)</em></p>