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The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh

From English Fairy Tales, collected by Joseph Jacobs

This tale comes from Joseph Jacobs's collection English Fairy Tales, first published in 1890. Jacobs gathered stories from oral tradition and older written sources, preserving the folklore of the British Isles. 'The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh' is a Northumbrian legend set near Bamborough Castle in northern England. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. The story is worth your time because it explores jealousy, transformation, and the courage required to trust and to love when appearances deceive.

Band
Blue · Independent readers, confidentTypical starting range: ages 12–14
Length
long · about 997 words in 4 sections · 2 pictures
Source
English Fairy Tales, Joseph Jacobs
First published
see the About page in the reader
Regions
Canada · United States

Included formats

  • · Web reader and PDF
  • · EPUB for e-readers
  • · Home-print sheet
  • · Folded booklet
  • · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
  • · Worksheet
  • · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 10 minutes at this band
Pause questions
1
Words to Know
12
Quick Check
10 questions, with the answer key
Let’s Talk
2 questions for afterwards
Worksheet
questions, an activity and a drawing prompt

About 40 minutes with one story, all of it.

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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The same story

Other bands of this story

This story is ready now at the Blue band only. Other bands can be made to order for members after launch.