The Laidley Wyrm (Worm)
The tale of the Laidley Wyrm (sometimes spelled Laidly Worm) is an English legend from Northumbria. It appears to be based in the thirteenth century.
Following the death of his first wife, the King of Northumbria married again. Unbeknown to him, his new wife was in fact an evil witch.
The king had a beautiful daughter, Margaret, of whom the old witch queen was jealous. So her wicked stepmother turned Margaret into a dragon - the Laidley Wyrm - and banished her from the castle. The king and the rest of the court were unaware of the witch's deceit.
As the Laidley Wyrm, the princess Margaret ravaged the countryside and terrified the people of Bamburgh.
The king's son, Child Wynd ("Childe of Wynde"), swore to destroy the Wyrm - not knowing that it was his own sister.
He tracked down the Wyrm and drew his sword ready to fight. But the wyrm refused to attack him and gradually Childe was able to recognise in it something of his sister. He kissed the Wyrm and the witch's spell was broken, Margaret returning to her human form.
As the spell was broken, it back-fired and the witch queen herself was turned into a toad. She still lives in a cave beneath a castle, waiting for someone to rescue her.