Celtic
Mythology
Beltaine is the time of the yearly battle between
Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwythur ap Greidawl for Creudylad in Welsh mythology. Gwyn
ap Nudd, the Wild Huntsman of Wales, is a God of death and the Annwn.
Creudylad is the daughter of Llew of the Silver Hand (son of Beli). She is
the most beautiful maiden on the Island of Mighty. This is a myth of the
battle of winter and summer for the magnificent blossoming earth.
In the myth of Rhiannon and Pwyll, it is the evening of Beltaine, that
Rhiannon gives birth to their son. The midwives all fell asleep at the same
time, as they were watching over Rhiannon and her new baby, during which he
was taken. In order to protect themselves, they smeared blood (from a pup)
all over Rhiannon, to which they claim she had eaten her son. The midwives
were believed, and Rhiannon was forced to pay penance for seven years. She
had to carrying people on her back from the outside of the gate to the
palace, although rarely would any allow her to do so. The baby's whereabouts
were a mystery. Oddly, every Beltaine night, one of Pwyll's vassals,
Teirnyon Twryv Vliant, had a mare that gave birth but the colt disappeared.
One Beltaine night Teirnyon Twryv Vliant awaited in the barn for the mare to
foaled, when she did, he heard a tremendous noise and a clawed arm came
through the window and grabbed the colt. Teirnyon cut off the arm with his
sword, and then heard a wailing. He opened the door and found a baby, he
brought it to his wife and they adopted Gwri Wallt Euryn (Gwri of the Golden
Hair). As he grew he looked like Pwyll and they remembered they found him on
the night Rhiannon's baby became lost. Teirnyon brought Gwri of the Golden
Hair to the castle, told the story, and he was adopted back to his parents,
Rhiannon and Pwyll, and named by the head druid, Pryderi (trouble) from the
first word his mother had said when he was restored to her. "Trouble is,
indeed, at an end for me, if this be true".
This myth illustrates the precariousness of the Beltaine season, at the
threshold of Summer, the earth awakening, winter can still reach its long
arm in and snatch the Sun away (Gwri of the Golden hair). "Ne'er cast a
clout 'til May be out" (clout: Old English for cloth/clothing). If indeed
the return of summer is true than the trouble (winter) is certainly over,
however one must be vigilant.
Wiccan Lore
Many Pagan traditions say that Beltaine marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in nature he desires the Goddess, with the result that They fall in love and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God (though in some Traditions this is celebrated at Ostara instead). To celebrate, a wedding feast, for the God and Goddess should be prepared. Breads and cereals are popular, and again Dairy foods are appropriate.
Beltaine Correspondences
-
Other Names: Beltane, May Day, Walpurgisnacht, May Eve, Rudemas, Celtic Summer, Floralia, The Great Rite, Bealtane, Bealtaine - Colors: Red and
white
(symbolizing the God and Goddess). Green;
Yellow;
Soft
pink, blue
- Symbols: Eggs, Flowers, Chalice, May Pole, Butterchurn,
Flower Chaplet, May Baskets, Crossroads
- Ritual Meaning: Union of God and Goddess, Sacred
Marriage, All New Life, Fertility for All Things, and End of Winter
(Celtic)
- Key Actions: Taking Action
- Ritual Oils: Passion Flower, Rose, Tuberose, and Vanilla
- Stones: Sapphire, and Bloodstone
- Plants: Primrose, Cowslip, Hawthorn, Rose, Birch,
Rosemary, and Lilac
- Activities: Wrapping May Pole, The Great Rite, and
Gathering Flowers
- Taboos: Giving Away Fire and Giving Away Food
- Animals: Goats, Rabbits, and Honeybees
- Mythical Creatures: Faeries, Pegasus, Satyrs, Giants
- Deity: Marriage/Sexual Union of Deities, All Mother
Goddesses, Aphrodite, Artemis, Blodewedd, Damara, Diana, Fand,
Flora, Kaikibani, Mielikki, Prithvi, Rhea, Sarbanda, Skadi,
Zochiquitzal, Aima, Devana, Flidais, Freya, Ilamatecuhtli, Lofn,
Pershta, Rhiannon, , Tuulikki, Venus, Morgan le Fay, Maia, King
Arthur, Bel/Belanos, Cernunnos , Cupid/Eros, Frey, The Great Horned
God, Manwyddan, Orion, Telipinu, Baal, Beltene, Chors, Faunus,
Herne, Lono, Odin, Pan, Robin Goodfellow
- Foods: Dairy Foods, Sweets, Honey, Oats, Red fruits,
herbal salads.
- Drinks: Red or Pink Wines or Punch.
The Maypole
Of all the features of May Day, the May Pole is the
one that survived most prominently. The original May Pole was probably a
pine tree, which had been decorated previously at Yule. It was stripped of
all its uppermost branches, creating a phallic symbol. The length and width
of it was decorated with flowers, herbs, garlands, ribbons and bright paint.
It was then placed in a deep hole, its blatant fertility symbolism lost on
no one. The Church repeated tried, and failed, to completely obliterate the
custom.
What has vanished from the Beltaine celebrations, are the fertility rites
that accompanied the raising of the May Pole. Where once, they were
continued, the people unabashed and unashamed, throughout the month of May,
now they are gone. Marriage vows were considered on hold during this time
and the people delighted themselves in enthusiastic promiscuity.
When the May Pole had been raised, the men and women danced around it in
opposite directions, weaving brightly colored ribbons around the pole. This
symbolized the potent energies of the God streaming into the fertile lap of
the Goddess.
Celebrations of May Day date back far into history, and it was viewed that
at this time, the Goddess and God were handfasted, and the Great Rite was
performed. May Pole dancing was thought to ensure the fertility of the
Goddess and the continued prosperity of the people.
The Balefire
After all the dancing and celebrating for the raising
of the May Pole, the Balefires were lit, and couples who wished to conceive
were encouraged to jump over the fires hand in hand.
Dancing around the fires to the music of drums was also a popular past time.
With the May Pole erect, and balefire blazing, the Queen and King of May
would go into the freshly plowed fields and well, bless the fields with
their fertility. Then other couples would go out in other places in the
area, and help out give fertility to the fields as well.
The May Queen
The May Queen is a representation the Norse goddess
of love, Freyja. She is unparalleled in Her aspect as a goddess of love, and
made love to all the male gods in the Norse pantheon, as well a whole group
of dwarvish craftsmen, who in turn created Her magical golden necklace-- the
Brisengamen. She was, however, not limited to just gods and dwarves. Her
exploits also included giants, the souls of slain heroes and mortal men.
The May Queen was chosen of the available village women and rode a white
horse through town, her consort, the May King riding a black horse beside
her. After the balefires were lit, the Queen and King would go to the plowed
fields are partake of the Great Rite, to bless the continued fertility of
the crops.