BELTAINE, 1989

TOOLS:

Maypole
Padstow-style 'Oss
wreath-crown for May Queen
Trowel or dibbing stick

CELEBRANTS:

Teazer
May Queen
Aunt Ursula Birdhood
Nuncle
'Oss
Jack i'th' Green
Robin Forester

CIRCLE CASTING

Aunt Ursula gets everybody together. She should be rather like Nanny Ogg in the Terry Pratchett books, a little scattered, but underneath quite powerful. The other celebrants should be part of the circle, in mufti.

Aunt Ursula

Allright, everybody settle down now, settle down.
Now, as you all know, the May is coming in, and it's our duty as decent, earth-loving folk
to give our loving care to the earth, to help her to swell the corn and fruits with sweet juices,
in absolutely the best way we know how. Now, how do we do this? (Waits for shills to make lewd comments)
That's your business, dearie, and we'll thank you not to do that in public where it might
frighten the police. Apart from that, I mean?
We make the earth ready, and plant a nice pole in it, which ought to mean enough to they
of a particular turn of mind (ahem), and send our own good into the earth through the ribbons
and the pole. So, let's we begin, is it? (putters around a bit, preparing. Makes some excuse for teaching the songs)

She casts the circle, chanting:

EARTH AND WATER, FIRE AND AIR,
BOUND TOGETHER WITH MAGIC RARE;
WIND AND FLAME AND SEA AND STONE
HOLY GROUND BY THE RING IS KNOWN.

 

Now I just know I'm forgetting something, what is it? Err....

Nuncle emerges from the crowd. Same sort of character as Auntie.

See 'ere, Mother, we don't want all they poor folk to dance without help is it?
They be needing the powers, you know.

Auntie

Oh, ar. Well, would you be calling them?

Nuncle

I TURN TOWARDS THE EAST
TO FINNIAS, THE SHINING WHITE FORT,
HOME OF THE LORD OF BATTLES
KEEPER OF THE SWORD
MASTER OF THE EAGLE
AND OF ALL THE WINDS OF HEAVEN.
COME TO US!

I TURN TOWARDS THE SOUTH
TO GURIAS, THE BURNING FORT,
HOME OF THE MANY-GIFTED LORD
KEEPER OF THE SPEAR
MASTER OF THE BOAR
AND OF ALL ILLUMINATION.
COME TO US!

I TURN TOWARDS THE WEST
TO MURIAS, THE FORT OF THE SEA,
HOME OF THE LORD OF RICHES
KEEPER OF THE CAULDRON
MASTER OF THE SALMON
AND OF ALL FOUNTAINS AND SPRINGS.
COME TO US!

I TURN TOWARDS THE NORTH
TO FALIAS, THE FORT OF FATE,
HOME OF THE GREAT MOTHER
KEEPER OF THE STONE
MISTRESS OF THE STAG
AND OF ALL DEEP THINGS.
COME TO US!

(Note: These invocations are modified from ones written by Alexei Kondratiev and based on elemental attributes of the ancient Irish. I changed them so that the directions conformed to NROOGD practice; his original directions -- and the ones his research indicated were the original ancient Irish ones were: Air - North, Water - West, Fire - East, Earth - South. The Boar and Stag changed places between Fire and Earth depending on which half of the year it was; from Beltaine to Samhain, the Boar was Fire and the Stag Earth; from Samhain to Beltaine, the Stag was Fire and the Boar Earth. One of these days, I hope Alexei will get online and post some of his really fascinating research results...)

Auntie

Ar. That be the way.

Nuncle

Ar. Now we need a nice young thing to be the May Queen, is it?

Auntie

Oh ar. I've had my eye on her already. (goes to circle & takes MQ by the hand)

Nuncle

Champion! She'll do nice.

Auntie

Now come up here with us, dearie, don't be shy

All the celebrants crown the Queen, and stand or dance around her in a circle to sing the attached hymn. When they're done, all celebrants but the Queen, Auntie & Nuncle retire "offstage" to change.

At the Queen's feet, Auntie and Nuncle open a hole for the Maypole and prepare the earth, with the following verse:

OPEN EARTH AND OPEN ALL,
SEED AND SPARK INSIDE LET FALL;
OPEN EARTH AND OPEN HEART,
GOOD COMES IN WITH CRAFT AND ART.

Robin Forester leads the Maypole carriers, singing "A Branch of May". He looks rather like Robin from the BBC series, with dark green tunic & brown hood (& maybe bow slung over his shoulder). They walk all around the circle, and bring the pole into the center, where they raise it reverently. After the song is over, he bows to MQ with a flourish.

Robin

Hail, gracious Lady! Surely all good things are with you!
Now, to lead the dance, I will call out that elusive fellow
so well known to the forest and all who dwell therein.
For if my charges are the beasts of the wood,
surely his is the very wood itself.
BY THE LAUGHTER IN THE NIGHT,
BY THE SHIFTING OF THE SIGHT,
BY THE PIPING OF THE BREEZE,
BY THE DANCING OF THE TREES,
OUT OF ALL THESE THINGS IS BORN
JACK THE GREEN OF SPIRAL HORN.
FORTH, COME FORTH, I CALL YOU HERE,
GIVER OF THE DANCE, APPEAR!

Jack comes out in light green, with little horns & flute, gets everybody into position to dance a maypole, starts the song off, then pipes for the rest of the time. It could be a new tune, or just "Nonesuch" (aka "The Lady's Bransle"). Robin holds up the Maypole during the dance. (Note: that's what it says in the script. The first time we did it, our Jack couldn't play and our Robin could, so Robin played and Jack held the pole up. The next time we did it, Robin played and Jack and MQ both held the pole up. And since then, that's the way it's been every time.)

May Queen

Now as we have blessed the earth,
the power of the earth will come to bless us.

BY THE LOAM ALL RICH AND BLACK,
BY THE FORCE OF TH' ANCIENT TRACK,
BY THE WELL AND BY THE SEED,
BY THE POWER NEWLY FREED,
OUT OF ALL THESE THINGS THERE COMES,
WITH THE PIPE AND SONG AND DRUMS,
BOLD AND BLACK, THE HOBBY HOSS;
FORTH, COME FORTH, NOW COME TO US!

The 'Oss comes in, in the time-honored fashion (Note: this means, one person yells "'Oss, 'Oss!" and all respond, "We 'Oss!" three times...), and dances around everybody, leading them in a line dance, with the traditional day-song and chorus. On the chorus, he sinks down, and the Teazer lays her club across him while the chorus is sung, then the drum rolls again and everybody launches into the day-song once more. This "dying" should happen at least twice, timed at the discretion of the 'Oss and Teazer. At one point, it would be good if the 'Oss could make his way to a water bucket or some other water, dip his snappers in, and throw water over everybody. He should catch all the girls under his skirt if he can, and the dancing should go on until everybody is tired and/or satisfied. At which point we have...

BLESSING THE FOOD

Auntie and Nuncle bring out the food, Jack and the May Queen bless it, and the first bite goes to the 'Oss! (Note: it has become traditional for the 'Oss to carry the bread around, and for the wine to go into the bucket after it has been emptied of its water, leading to the mystical phrase, "I have eaten from the 'Oss; I have drunk from the Bucket"...)

Feasting, music, etc.

GROUNDING

AROUND, AROUND, THE SPELL'S UNWOUND,
THE CIRCLE SINKS BENEATH THE GROUND.

AS FROM THE EARTH OUR ENERGY COMES,
INTO THE EARTH THE EXCESS FLOWS,
EARTH AND ALL EMPOWERED ALIKE --
BE IT SO!