Kemp Owyne
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Kemp Owyne is Child ballad number 34.
Joseph Jacobs based a fairy tale, The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh for his English Fairy Tales on a localized version of the ballad.
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[edit] Synopsis
The heroine is turned into a monstrous creature, usually dragon-like, by her stepmother, who curses her to remain so until the king's son comes to kiss her three times. When he arrives, she offers him a belt, a ring, and a sword to kiss her, promising the things would magically protect him; the third time, she turns back into a woman.
In some variants, he asks who enchanted her, a werewolf or mermaid, and she says it was her stepmother and curses her into a monstrous creature, permanently.
[edit] Variants
In Joseph Jacob's version, the dragon she becomes is appeased by putting aside seven cows for her every day. But the prince, her brother, hears of it and comes for her, despite his stepmother's attempt to keep him away, both magical and by force of arms. He rescues her and turns their stepmother into a toad, permanently.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh as told by Joseph Jacobs
- Kemp Owyne
- Gene Wolfe's use of the ballad
- The Laidley Worm
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