300 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



he drew nearer to observe it more closely, on which it 

 turned round, and slunk into its lair. 



" Satisfied that the beast was not so dangerous as 

 reported, he resolved to destroy it, but as every one 

 declared that neither sword nor dagger had any effect 

 on it, and that its venom would destroy any one that 

 came within its reach : he prepared a spear double the 

 ordinary length, plated with iron, four feet from the 

 point, on which he placed a slender iron wheel, turning 

 on its centre. On this he fastened a lighted peat, and 

 exercised his horse with it for several days, until it 

 shewed no fear or dislike to the fire and smoke. He 

 then repaired to the den, and, on the worme appearing, 

 his servant set fire to the peat, and, putting spurs to his 

 horse, he rode full at the beast. The speed at which he 

 advanced, caused the wheel to spin round, and fanned 

 the peat into a blaze. He drove the lance down the 

 monster's throat full a third part of its length, when 

 it broke, and he left the animal writhing in the agonies 

 of death." 



I am afraid the Welsh " Worme " is not so well 

 authenticated as the others ; but the story is, that 

 Denbigh is so named from a Dragon slain by John 

 Salusbury of Lleweni, who died 1289. It devastated 

 the country far and wide, after the manner of its kind, 

 and all the inhabitants prayed for the destruction of 

 this bych. This the Champion effected, and in his glee, 

 joyfully sang, Dyn bych, Dyn bych (No bych) ; and the 

 country round was so named. 



There arises the question, whether, having regard 

 to the fact that the Lambton worm, at all events, was 

 amphibious, it might not have been a Plesiosaurus, 

 which had survived some of its race, such as the illus- 



