Wednesday 16 August 2017

Northumberland Knowledge- The Hedley Kow

Northumberland is home to some fascinating tales, such as the tale of The Hedley Kow which comes from Hedley on the Hill.

The story goes that a poor woman finds a pot on the road full of gold pieces. She decides to take it home but when she looks inside she finds that the pot has turned into a lump of silver. She still keeps the pot though, deciding that this is better than gold because it is less likely to be stolen. A little while later the silver has turned into a lump of iron which she decides will be easier to sell, and further on the iron becomes a rock which she happily decides to use as a doorstop. When she reaches home the rock transforms into the Hedley Kow, a shapeshifting creature, which walks away laughing. Yet still the woman considers herself lucky, to have actually seen the Hedley Kow for herself.

A great story, all about optimism and looking on the bright side!