"The door to the past is a strange door. It swings open and things pass
through it,
but they pass in one direction only. No man can return across
that threshold,
though he can look down still and see the green light waver
in the water weeds."
--Loren Eiseley
Myth and Legends
Where Spiders Come From
Once upon a time...There was a talented young women by the name of Arachne. She was known all through the land as a more than gifted weaver. Some even whispered that Athena Herself could do no better. Enough whisperings reached Olympas that Athena decided to see for Herself whether this girl was as talented as the population said. Disguising Herself as a very old and haggard woman, She went to where the girl lived with her mother.
Every day, Arachne set up her loom outside on the green grass beneath the trees. Crowds would gather to watch as her fingers danced across the cords, wrapping brightly colored silks into magnificent cloths. Athena was amazed. The girl was truly gifted, but the Goddess noticed one fatal flaw. She was vain. During the course of day, Arachne boasted of her skill. As each inch of cloth appeared, the boasting became greater. At one point, the girl gaily claimed to be as great as Athena Herself. Athena (as the old woman) spoke up, warning the girl of the dangers of comparing herself to the mighty Olympians. Flinging her hair over her shoulders, the girl told the old woman to be silent, and that since she, Arachne, was as great as Athena, maybe Athena should be replaced!
That was enough. Tossing off Her old garments, Athena stood in all Her glory before the arrogant girl and challanged her to a battle of the Loom. The next morning, both set up on the green grass and began to weave. Athena weaved of the goodness and mercy of the Gods. She showed how the Gods helped mankind, giving gifts of knowledge and culture. She wove the Gods in all Their glory, with bright colors and magnificent texture. When She was done, She looked over at Arachne's loom, and became enraged. Arachne wove of the God's weaknesses. Of their adultury. Of their failures. And what was even more insulting, it was every bit as good as what Athena wove. In Her rage, She grabbed Her spindle, and smacked Arachne with it. Arachne felt herself changing. She became small and hairy. Grew more legs and more eyes. In panic, she scurried into the trees to hide. Athena felt sorry for the girl and gave her one gift. The ability to weave.
And so we have spiders.
The First Yule
Once upon a time, long long ago, a beautiful young woman lived on a blue and green island. She had many friends on the island, fairies, trees, flowers, rabbits, deer and birds ... but she was the only person who lived there.
She wanted to share her friends and her secrets with other people just like her, so she began to give birth. Every month when the moon was hiding, she gave birth. For the first six months, she gave birth to daughters with dark skin and eyes. For the last six moons of the year she gave birth to fair skinned daughters. On the seventh moon of every year the First Mother gave birth to a magickal, sacred oak.
As the years turned, many many daughters were born, and quite a few oak trees as well. The daughters played games with the animals and each other, they climbed in the branches of the oak trees and gathered flowers with the fairies.
One day the first born daughter of the First Mother gave birth herself. The First Mother was very proud and happy, her favorite friend Oak Tree (who was very wise) gave her a silver crown to wear and told her that she was now a Grandmother.
Soon many of the daughters gave birth, and the island became an even happier place, full of babies and big girls and mommies who all played together with the animals, the trees and the fairies.
One winter night when the moon was hiding, one of the daughters gave birth to a baby that was different from anything they had ever known. It was not a daughter, it was not even an oak tree, it was a baby BOY!
It was a very dark cold night, the longest winter's night of the year, so all the daughters and all the animals were snuggled up together to keep cozy and warm. After their excitement of seeing a brand new baby born passed, the daughters and the animals realized that the baby boy was not feeling well. He was not as strong or as warm as the babies and trees that were usually born on the island. They all began to worry about the new baby, and tried to help keep him warm. The animals with the furriest coats pushed up close to the mother and baby, the fairies sprinkled magick dust above him, and the little girls sang wonderful songs and danced around and around the room.
But the baby boy couldn't get warm enough and soon he was too cold and tired even to cry or to drink the healing milk from his mother.
The First Grandmother was so afraid for the baby boy. She tried to hide her tears from her daughters and ran out into the forest. The snow was very deep and full of white glitter. She tried to walk but it was just to deep. So her friend the owl carried her up above the snow filled clouds deep into the magick forest where her firstborn, most sacred wise friend Oak lived. The First Grandmother intended to ask Her friend for advise about the baby boy.
When the owl reached the clearing where the sacred First Oak tree lived, the Grandmother gasped! There was no snow on the ground there, and in the middle of a perfect circle lay her friend the Oak. The tree had Fallen to the ground and broken into a pile of logs and branches. She rushed to kneel beside the broken tree, and her teardrops turned into sparkling icicles on her cheeks.
While she was trying to understand what had happened to her dear friend, a coyote entered the circle and brushed up beside her. First the coyote kissed her tears dry, and then whispered a secret in the First Grandmother's ear.
The Grandmother nodded, and with the help of the coyote and the owl, she gathered some of the branches from her oldest friend Oak and they returned to her daughter and the baby boy.
Using the gifts from the Oak, and the secrets from the coyote, the Grandmother built the very first fire that anyone on the blue and green island had ever seen.
The fairies were shocked, they had never seen anything dance like that without wings. The animals laughed, they had never seen colors so bright except on springtime flowers. The daughters didn't know WHAT to do, they had never felt anything as warm as the summer sand on the beach in the middle of winter.
The mother brought the baby boy close to the edge of the fire, closer than everyone else (they were still just a little bit scared of this new thing called fire). The baby boy opened his eyes just a little bit, and began to wiggle his fingers. Then he smiled and moved his toes too. When he was warm enough, he snuggled with his Mother and drank her milk, soon everyone was certain the baby boy would be okay. They were all so happy, they danced around the fire singing their favorite special songs and giving little gifts to the fire.
The baby boy grew up strong and happy because of the gift of the First Oak Tree. He had many sons of his own, and taught them all to plant acorns on the seventh dark moon of the year so that there would always be many, many oak trees on the island.
Every winter, on the longest coldest darkest night of the year, all the people who lived on the blue and green island built a very special fire. They brought in a special tree and honored it with shiny ornamentsand glittery fairy dust. They picked one very special branch or log and sang their favorite songs while they decorated it. Then they would give this beautiful log to the fore as a present... and all the children would hear the story of the gift of the First Oak tree.
On the longest night of the year, whenever you light a candle or build a fire, remember the story of the First Grandmother and the coyote who told her the secret. No matter how cold and dark it seems, The Sun will always be reborn and bring us warmth andlight again.
What women want
Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom.
The monarch could have killed him, but was moved by Arthur's
youthful happiness. So he offered him freedom, as long as
he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have
a year to figure out the answer; if, after a year, he still
had no answer, he would be killed.
The question was: "What do women really want?"
Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable
man, and, to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query.
Since it was better than death, however, he accepted the
monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end. He
returned to his kingdom and began to poll everybody: the
princesses, the prostitutes, the priests, the wise men, the
court jester.
In all, he spoke with everyone but no one could give him a
satisfactory answer.
What most people did tell him was to consult the old witch,
as only she would know the answer. The price would be high,
since the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the
exorbitant prices she charged.
The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no
alternative but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer
his question, but he'd have to accept her price first: the
old witch wanted to marry Gawain, the most noble of the
Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!
Young Arthur was horrified: she was hunchbacked and awfully
hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage water, often
made obscene noises. He had never run across such a repugnant creature.
He refused to force his friend to marry her and have to
endure such a burden.
Gawain, upon learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He
told him that nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to
Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table. Hence,
their wedding was proclaimed, and the witch answered Arthur's
question:
What a woman really wants is to be able to be in charge of
her own life.
Everyone instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great
truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it went.
The neighboring monarch spared Arthur's life and granted him
total freedom.
What a wedding Gawain and the witch had! Arthur was torn
between relief and anguish. Gawain was proper as always,
gentle and courteous. The old witch put her worst manners on
display. She ate with her hands, belched and passed gas, and
made everyone uncomfortable.
The wedding night approached: Gawain, steeling himself for a
horrific night, entered the bedroom. What a sight awaited!
The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen lay before him!
Gawain was astounded and asked what had happened.
The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her
(when she'd been so hideous), half the time she would be her
horrible, deformed self, and the other half, she would be her
beautiful maiden self. Which would he want her to be during
the day and which during the night?
What a cruel question! Gawain began to think of his
predicament: during the day a beautiful woman to show off to
his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his home, an
old spooky witch? Or would he prefer having by day a hideous
witch, but by night a beautiful woman to enjoy many intimate
moments?
Noble Gawain replied that he would let her choose for
herself. Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be
beautiful all the time, because he had respected her and had
let her be in charge of her own life.
To flip through the pages of my BOS faster...
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Brightest of Blessings