the sea, caught hold of the ship of Childe Wynd, and banged it off the
shore. Three times Childe Wynd urged his men on to row bravely and
strong, but each time the Laidly Worm kept it off the shore. Then
Childe Wynd ordered the ship to be put about, and the witch-queen
thought he had given up the attempt. But instead of that, he only
rounded the next point and landed safe and sound in Budle Creek, and
then, with sword drawn and bow bent, rushed up followed by his men, to
fight the terrible Worm that had kept him from landing.

But the moment Childe Wynd had landed, the witch-queen's power over
the Laidly Worm had gone, and she went back to her bower all alone,
not an imp, nor a man-at-arms to help her, for she knew her hour was
come. So when Childe Wynd came rushing up to the Laidly Worm it made
no attempt to stop him or hurt him, but just as he was going to raise
his sword to slay it, the voice of his own sister Margaret came from
its jaws saying:

"O, quit your sword, unbend your bow,
And give me kisses three;
For though I am a poisonous worm,
No harm I'll do to thee."

Childe Wynd stayed his hand, but he did not know what to think if some
witchery were not in it. Then said the Laidly Worm again:

"O, quit your sword, unbend your bow,
And give me kisses three,
If I'm not won ere set of sun,
Won never shall I be."