THE BOOKS OF THE LATTER-DAY DRUIDS

THE BOOKS OF THE LATTER-DAY DRUIDS PART NINE THE BOOKS OF THE LATTER-DAY DRUIDS 2003 Introduction WHERE DID EVERYTHING GO?! In order to confuse the general reader, and make things more compartmentalized, I have transferred many of the contents of this section to other more logical areas in the Green Books. The Book of the African Jedi Knight is in Green Book, Vol. 5 The Book of Ultimate Answers is in Green Book, Vol. 5 The Book of Songs and Poetry, Vol. 1 is in Green Book, Vol. 6 The Book of Songs and Poetry, Vol. 2 is in Green Book, Vol. 6 In addition, I‘ve added the recently published Dead River Scrolls (Published 1997) to this section. -Enjoy, Mike Scharding March 1, 2003 George Washington University, D.C. Printing History 1st Edition 1993 2nd Edition 1996 (ARDA) 3rd Edition 2004 (ARDA 2) The Drynemetum Press 683 1996 Introduction Unlike most of the previous materials written by many 2003 Table Of Contents authors throughout the Reform, the following materials mostly come from me and my friends at Carleton (the Dead Bay Scrolls 2003 Introduction come from Hazelnut NRDNA). Most of them were written in the 2003 Table of Contents 1993-1995 period (which along with the Green Book volumes 2 1996 Introduction & 3 in the Summer of 93, and ARDA) mark this as a period of 1996 Table of Contents high literary output. This period is reasonably separate from the 1963-1979 period of earlier-day Druidism, so I have chosen to The Dead Lake Scrolls 1993 call it latter-day Druidism. The title is also a slight humorous poke at Mormonism. There are three main categories that group The Book of Introduction the contents of part nine; The Book of Years The Book on John Burridge The Book of Opposition The Book of Post Scripts: Part One 1996 Table of Contents The Book of Paul: Part One 1. Thirtieth Anniversary Histories The Book of Haiku The Dead Lake Scrolls (Published Aug. 93) The Book of Post Scripts: Part Two The Dead Bay Scrolls (Published Dec. 93) The Book of Vigils 2. Weird Stuff The Book of Cattle Raids The Book of the African Jedi Knight (Published Dec. 93) The Book of the Great Dream The Book of Ultimate Answers (Published June 94) The Book of Stones 3. Songs and Poetry The Book of Fire The Book of Songs and Poetry, Volume 1 (Published July 93) The Book of Songs and Poetry, Volume 2 (Published Dec. 93) The Dead Bay Scrolls 1993 My literary explosion began after reading the long-Das Edda Todvolkfortgeshritten neglected materials of the Druid Archives and seeing the sheer The Book of the Boring Times possibilities of Reformed Druidism. All this was taking place The Book of Mr. Boring during the May 93 to May 94 period when I was Arch-Druid. I The Book of Games figured that I am better at writing than at leading rituals (although The Book of the 30th Anniversary I did hold an unusually large number of rituals), so I spent much The Book of the Laundry Think-Tank of my energies went into producing literature that might outlive Addendum to the Ordination of the Second Order my physical presence at Carleton. I also had a great number of The Book of Samhain things to say, and this was a good time to write them down. Each book has been individually published before, but this is the first time they have all been published together. The Dead River Scrolls 2003 Please enjoy them, do not consider them dogma and share with your friends. 2003 Introduction Michael Scharding The Mini-Epistle of Michelle the Dark January 6th, 1996 c.e. Day 67 of Geimredh The Epistle of Amanda Year XXXIII of the Reform The Sigil Letters The Book of Exile, Part One The Tree Epistle of John The Book of Q The Book of the Sermon The Book of Exile, Part Two The Book of Stones, Part Two The Book of Vigils, Part Two Ein Tanz Dream The Winter King: A Dream The Wild Hunt The History of Legitimacy The Poems of Irony The Poems of Merri The Poems of Chris The Poems of Brad The Poems of Corwin Figure 1 Twin pillars by Lower Arb’s river, dedicated to the Two Basic Tenets 2004. 684 The Book of Years THE DEAD LAKE (By Mike the Fool & Richard the Green) SCROLLS Preface 1993 Chapter The First The Dead Lake Scrolls were written at about the time that I 1. How did the Druids at Carleton progress over the last thirty began to explore the history of Reformed Druidism and noticed years? Sit down and I will tell you so that you may see the that the records were pretty shoddy after 1980. I resolved to leave larger picture of the Reformed movement. behind some type of document to cover the more recent history. 2. For it is in knowing the Past, that the present becomes clear. It turned out that my comprehensive project would be on Reformed Druidism, so the relevance of this document is no Chapter the Second longer as a quick summary, but as an insight into Druidism at Carleton in the early 90s during my active Arch-Druidcy of May 1. The Years of Peace (1963-1968 c.e.) were spent in happy 93 to May 94. isolation at Carleton's newly founded Grove. None knew of The Dead Lake Scrolls received little if any attention from the growing neo-pagan movement then. They only most of my fellow Grove members, but the Hazelnut Grove loved concerned themselves with removing the odious religious them and wrote The Dead Bay Scrolls in response. I therefore requirements and partaking of the waters of life. They publish them both, hoping that some wisdom will be found in researched and solidified a vague philosophic system and them by the reader. hierarchy. As with all Reformed Druidic material, none of this is to be 2. The Groves of Vermilion and Rapid City, SD were founded considered to be rigid dogma or unassailable truth. Read it in the by Nelson and disappeared. Likewise with the Ma-Ka-Ja-lighthearted spirit that it was written in. Wan, Wisc and New York Grove the First by Frangquist -Scharding and Fisher. 3. The favorite ritual sites of the Druids, until the Years of Exploration, was the Hill of Three Oaks, Computer Center and Monument Hill. The Book of Introduction 4. Read the Druid Chronicles to learn more. Chapter the First Chapter the Third 1. I tell you the Carleton Druids are truly a marvelous exercise 1. The Years of Growth (1968-1974 c.e.) started with the in religious faith. What other group on campus is as founding of the Berkeley College Grove, from where dedicated to loving nature and that encourages diversity of Robert Larson and Isaac Bonewits did take their knowledge religious beliefs? of neo-paganism. 2. The knowledge gleaned from the practitioners of the 2. These two did also found the Twin Cities Grove and the Druidic outlook, is worthy of being written down; both for Stockton Grove. entertainment and the chance it may enlighten someone. 3. Elsewhere, the RDNA of Carleton College did found the 3. I highly encourage others to add to this work with their Chicago, the Ann Arbor and the Stanford Groves under own writings on miraculous occurrences, insights gained Glenn McDavid, Conway and Savitzky. and beauties observed while at Carleton or elsewhere. 4. Carleton spent many of these years growing larger after an Poetry and songs would be a welcome addition. initial plunge in membership. All of the major publications 4. The title of this work makes an oblique reference to the and codification were finished by this point including the state of Lyman Lakes. Green Book of meditations, the Apocrypha and Liturgy. Chapter the Second Chapter the Fourth 1. The Contents are: 1. The Years of Pain (1974-1976 c.e.) were started by The Book of Introduction Bonewits' letter to the Council of Dalon Ap Landu (which The Book of Years is all the third order priests) declaring that the RDNA was The Book of Opposition in fact an "eclectic, Neopagan & Reconstructionist The Book on John Burridge Priestcraft." The Book of Post (s)Crypts Pt1 2. Many did rend their hair over his terminology! Many were The Book of Paul exceedingly wroth with each other. See the Orange Book of The Book of Haiku the Apocrypha and the Book of the Apocrypha found in The Book of Post (s)Crypts Pt2 Bonewits' version of the Druid Chronicles for their words. The Book of Vigils The Book of Cattle Raids 3. Since the current Carleton Archdruid was seemingly out of The Book of the Great Dream touch, so they wanted to assume a rotating head for the The Book of Stones Council of Dalon Ap Landu. The Book of Fire 4. A vote was taken: most of the Carleton graduates voted against it, most Californians voted for it. 5. A split developed and the New RDNA was formed. 685 6. The Yellow Book of The Druid Chronicles (Evolved) was 3. Pagan Studies did stop meeting and Catalyst under Salem published and the Orange Book of the Carleton Apocrypha and Celia did help to hold the group together. Especially in was completed but unpublished. bringing in the members of the class of '95. Chapter the Fifth Chapter the Tenth 1. The Years of the Decline (1976-1980 c.e.) were the result 1. The Year of Order (1993-1994 c.e.) was then established of problems with the transition of the ArchDruidcy, when Mike the Fool did decide to bring back a modicum of although Donald Morrison is not to blame, a general dogma to the group. decrease in mysticism was. 2. The Third order did return to Carleton as may be found in 2. The fermentative years of the Vietnam war were over, and the Book of Vigils and many did return to the pleasures of were vigiling. (See Book of Vigils) in the oil crisis. It was not years to be rebellious any more, 3. Documents of the past and certain rituals returned from the for Lo!, women and men could drink and sleep in the same Archives. dorms now. We were sorely preoccupied with these new 4. The Basic plan was to give a group structure, teach the pleasures. history and customs, make documents accessible, to 3. Likewise, college students could vote now instead of encourage all Druid to try and lead a ritual or group protest. exercise, and provide help in finding spiritual groups 4. The group withered away and lost touch with the others. outside the Carleton after graduation. 5. Then was the Naples Grove of Florida was founded by Chapter the Sixth Kyle Jemair Clark under Mike & Sam's tutelage. 1. The Years of the Occlusion (1980-1982 c.e.) were years in Chapter the Eleventh which few druids over the second order existed. Occasional calls to past Druids gained no real support. 1. The Years of Legitimacy (1994-99) did begin and great 2. For Yea!, these were the start of the Reagan years, and was apprehension. what enthusiasm could any Druid have? 2. For how can a group based on being the rebellious outsider survive, when it is now accepted by the Institution? Chapter the Seventh 3. This process did perplex the Druids of Carleton for many decades and they wisely chose not to register with the 1. The Years of the Revival (1982-1985 c.e.) were thus called authorities that be. since David Frangquist returned to Carleton College to ordain Tom & Meg. 4. But, in the mid 80s, the quest for cash led them into closer cahoots with the authorities that be and "Pagan Studies" 2. A weak resumption of the old ways were resumed while the was founded to garner money. Earth-mother nurtured the returning Druidism. 5. Many discussion groups and lecture luncheons with Druids Chapter the Eighth and others were funded by Pagan Studies. 6. But Pagan Studies faded, as must all institutions. 1. The Years of the Exploration (1985-1990 c.e.) were a result of a break with the third order and the firm introduction of 7. Up arose another young organizer, Michael being his name, neo-pagan students (& their wisdom) into Carleton. and another front organization was founded to garner money, and Friends of the Earth Mother at Carleton 2. The students did pursue new areas of study, especially in College was its name. the study of the wisdom of the Lakota. 8. FOEMACC did bring in the loot and much wax, whiskey 3. Sweatlodges and nudity were introduced. and magazines were purchased, and this brought joy to the 4. Waters-of-Life were laid to the side, mostly because they hearts of the Druids. were dangerous with the aforesaid practices. 9. Yet there was still apprehension in the hearts of the older 5. Great Fires blazed at these rituals. One such fire-leader was Druids. Joe, whose famous quote rings out through the ages: "Lo! 10. And the day did come in the 33rd year of the Reform (May But it is not a real fire until I burn my beard!" 1995), in which Becky the Grinner did say unto the other 6. Farmhouse was the center of this revival. Many of their children of the Earth Mother; "Why do we not dispose of names may be found on the "family tree" in Farmhouse on FOEMACC and seek to garner money directly, yea, even the second floor to this day. The site of choice was the Oak under the very same name as 'Druids'?" Opening in the lower Arb. 11. And for the first time in 33 years, our petition for 7. The Grove of St. Olaf was started and remained small legitimacy was accepted and the Druids were no longer the under Sam's loving care. rebels on the outside of the Institution. 12. Or are they? Chapter the Ninth 1. The Years of Chaos (1990-1993 c.e.) were not a fault of the Chapter the Twelfth ArchDruid, Andrea the Fair, but rather because the 1. The Years of the Internet: (1999-?) did usher in a mainstays of the group had all graduated, or dropped out of revolution of inter-communication. school. 2. In previous years, Druids could not reach their sisthren 2. There were many insider quarrels that did rend apart the beyond the range of their voice and reach of the phone. group, and although none wished to be the leader, they quarreled anyway. 3. Now with mail of the E, and the powerful Internet, the message of Druidism; confused as it is, can now be 686 broadcast widely, and discussions between distant Druid The Book on John Burridge became commonplace. 4. Unfortunately, these Druids did not share common vistas or (By Mike the Fool) pick up the cues of the face, and misunderstandings and rants did rage across the digital divide. Chapter the First 5. A homepage was set up in the windswept plains of the internet, Mike raising the first flag in 1996, and it was 1. It was a dark and stormy night when I first saw John. I was widely acclaimed as needing more work. casually strolling by the music building on campus. 6. But it was in this way, that the ARDA was disseminated to 2. Suddenly, I saw two green lights flying towards me. They unsuspecting people in many lands, some of whom actually did neither bob nor sway, but straight at me they did come. liked it. 3. Just when I thought they would impale me, a figure in a 7. Now a mighty band of 130 Druids do talk daily from across purple and black cloak roller-bladed shuttled by me, yelling the great Continent of North America, and beyond. "Aiiyyyeeee!.....Zoom!" 8. Some Grove exist not in a world of carbon and hydrogen 4. That was John and it was sign. atoms, but in zeros and ones, which when combined can draw a sigil. Chapter the Second 9. And in this thought, I leave this topic, to see how it 1. John was a spiritual guru for me and taught me to play the develops. harp. Sine Ceolbhinn, my harp, is an identical twin of his harp. John loved Hostess Ho-Hos, M&Ms, and Caffeine. 2. He lived in a spiritually powerful house with peeling orange paint called "Orange Awareness House." It was the second oldest house in all of Northfield. Many Druids had lived there including Jon, Dave, Andrea and John. 3. All the Druids did work in the computer center and were VAX geeks. John was the geekiest of them all. 4. His long sable hair had streaks of silver in them, and his tall, nervous, slender figure enjoyed dancing and chasing squirrels. Truly his real name was "Moonhawk Studmuffin." Chapter the Third 1. Truly, did all the Druids love John and his cat, Machka. 2. One day, John became the victim of an evil squirrel. 3. Photon, for that was his nickname, was rollerblading along near Sayles, when he spotted a squirrel who had strayed too far from a tree. 4. He switched into turbo-mode and did strive to grab the squirrel. Verily, he could just about reach its fuzzy tail, as its feet madly pounded the earth. 5. Earth became gravel... 6. The gravel caught the roller-blade wheels... 7. His feet stopped, but his body didn't. 8. He hurdled through a bush and broke his wrist. 9. The safe squirrel laughed from the tree top, he having planned it all. 10. A song was composed by Ann to the tune of "Dona Dona" as found in the Rise Up Singing Book used at Picking N Figure 2 Mike sorting Dead Lake Scrolls Grinning: in Gould Library, August 1993. 11. "On a stretcher bound from Northfield Lies a man with a mournful eye. High above him, in a tree top, Laughs a squirrel from on high... Chorus: How the squirrels are laughing! They laugh with all their might Laugh and laugh the whole night through... and (clap!) Half that April night. Dona Dona Dona etc. 687 Squirrels are easily bound and slaughtered The Book of Opposition Never knowing the reason why But if you chase squirrels o'er gravel (By Mike the Fool) You will fall and you might die! Chapter the Fourth Chapter the First 1. Aye! Did not every tearful eye fill with sorrow when John 1. As the Reagan/Bush years progressed, the intolerance of had to leave from Carleton College. In their eyes the very religions, especially mystical ones has increased at Carleton. color had left the world 2. Yea, there were far more fundies than you can shake a stick 2. He was a victim of the most evil lord of the computer at, Danu bless their small minds. center, Carl, who did purge the office of 'unneeded' ones. 3. And here are some of their notorious deeds, names have not 3. A great party surrounded the parting of John, over two been hid to hide the guilty. score were present at Orange House. Many strange things did occur at that party, including a strange GREEN drink. Chapter the Second 4. He then did leave, and then Druidism slumped at this 1. It was a bright, sunny day of April 10th, 1993 c.e. when college, having lost its most promising new leader, one Andrea the Fair and Mike the Busy did go up to the Hill of who was not a student in fact. two Oaks to thank the Earth for its blessings in an Erisian fashion. Chapter the Fifth 2. There were two people there, and since Mike had well 1. Not long after, Orange Awareness House itself was razed advertised the time and place throughout the college, he by yellow beasts that belched smoke. assumed they were there for the ritual. 2. John now resides in south Arizona at a Commune known as 3. All removed broken glass from the Hill's green bosom. Arcosanti, a place where a mediocre Sci-Fi movie, 4. The two people, Paul R. and Jason B., did leave with NIGHTFALL, was filmed. friendly remarks, indeed nothing seemed amiss. 3. Machka Burridge, John's owner, is with him there too, and 5. Yea, but a Griffin did also mount the hill with the splendor she is doing well. of his red locks of hair. He said 'hi' and left. Mike took it as 4. Here ends the Book on John Burridge. a sign. 6. Mike and Andrea did don the most sacred Cone-Hats of bright colors and the mystical handpuppets of John Burridge. They did dance around intoning 'Beep-Beep' mantras. Chapter the Third 1. The ritual was mostly done (see order or worship) and Mike was reading a meditation, when Paul R, strode up and declared: 2. "I have come to tell you that you dance before false gods, who will crumble into dust before the superior might of my God on the Final Day of Judgment, and I will see you burn in the Flames of Hell as a result of your worship!!!" He then returned to Monument Hill where a prayer service was being held. 3. Andrea turned to Mike and said "What the Hell was that?" but Mike did not know at first. 4. Mike finished the service and pondered on Andrea's words as she returned to Goodhue. "At first I thought he was just being an asshole, but then later I realized it was harassment." Mike later was prone to say. Chapter the Fourth 1. Mike did decide to reason with this Anti-Druid, but this is difficult, for Anti-Druids deny the validity of any view but their own. 2. Mike did reason with all his might against the great Anti- Druid encampment. He received an "apology" from Paul, "I didn't want to do it, but God told me to do it." Humph! Figure 3 John Burridge & fish, 1993, Huzzah! 3. Mike was unable to coax an assurance that Paul would not interfere with the 30th anniversary ritual on the next week. 4. Mike did beseech upon the authorities for protection, but a legalistic loophole in the Carleton list of student rights did 688 not feel that students had a right not to be harassed for Meeting with them also encourages the real Druids- racial, ethnic or religious background. wannabes into participation. 5. Mike did spit forth angry recriminations. Had these 9. Always reserve the site at the Campus Activities Office, if baboons missed the 60's all together? Were they you fear interruption. If the register looks funny at you, say maliciously stupid?! you're reserving the FIRE-RING at the site. Of course, the Anti-Druids could also read that reservation book to find 6. Mike indeed did lose his countenance, which is oft ill-you. befitting a Druid. 10. Many of the Fundy groups have taken to outdoor services, this is good. That's OK. Avoid running into them. Chapter the Fifth 11. Having a person be a "guardian" to detour drunks and bad 1. Posters had been put up on walls by fundies all this year tempered fiends often helps a ritual. The Preceptor should and last, proclaiming the glory and superiority of the take any divine "messages" and deliver them, after the Christian faith. ritual is finished. 2. Many of the said posters were removed by enlightened 12. Do not fear bringing them up on charges. First you must people, yeah! tell the Dean of Students of the problem. He will write to 3. Mike and others did fill the spring Carletonian paper with the offender with an official warning. If the warned person articles about freedom of religion and tolerance for race. repeats their behavior then you have a case against them. If you don't complain the first time, you can not smite the 4. But was this the only time the Anti-Druids have acted? person the second time! Nay! Listen and I will tell you of what I have learned. 13. Remember, security is on your side if they start a fight. Chapter the Sixth 14. However, the Anti-Druids could say you were nude or giving alcohol to under-21 year olds. So practice these with 1. Dave and others have told me of many persistent caution. conversion attempts. 15. If this sounds paranoiaic, then ignore it, for you must live 2. While preparing wood for a Beltane fire in the Oak Grove in an age at Carleton where students have resumed civility in 1990, I did stumble upon a group of pale people dressed in their discourse to each other. You are blessed. in white in silent meditation. They replaced our maypole with a 8' cross. 16. So ends this Book. 3. A few times we've arrived at a ritual site only to find the ground LITTERED with strewn crosses. 4. The cross at Monument Hill, is not the work of Anti-Druids, but merely a religious shrine. It has been there since 1987, you should not remove it. Treat it as a symbol for the four directions. 5. Sam, Heather, Alex and I were having a sweatlodge and vigil in May 1992 on the Hill. As we were relaxing in the nude, in between sweats, a contingent of party-fiends did overrun the Hill. They would not leave nor wait 10 minutes! For they had the Hill of Oaks reserved and we did not and we were forced to pull up our stakes and finish at the Little Grove. 6. Read the Druid Chronicles for Anti-Druid activities. Also see the Book of Vigils. Chapter the Seventh 1. I will now tell you how to deal with Anti-Druids. 2. If you enter arguments with them, you will seem to lose, since their rules to win prevent them from accepting yours. Figure 4 Eric Hilleman (current Archivist) receiving Blue Book of the old Archives from Sam Adams, 3. But do not wage war with them, but meet their arguments Nikki Lambert & Mike Scharding, August 1993. with compassion, for many a Fundie is suffering from insecurity. Reasoning will not get them to abandon their only anchor, that they have found the ONLY way, and are thus saved, and that you damned. [Make friends and allies before you need them. 4. Beware of rousing them. The Public will sympathize as Know your opponent, and respect them. long as you are not shown to be the aggressor. Misunderstanding is more common than dislike. 5. Never announce the site nor time of a ritual via the Carletonian, NNB or in the VAX Notes Conference. All What‘s in the open cannot be easily feared. these are publicly accessible and may encourage attacks. Try reason and charity first, then invoke the laws. 6. Never allow mailing lists to fall into the hands of non-Avoid paranoia and grudges, they hurt you more. druids. Enjoy your time together, regardless. –Mike 2002.] 7. Stuffing the mailboxes is safest. 8. Archdruids, meet with all druid-wannabes to sniff out spies, for we've had them before, and we'll have them again. 689 of Carleton and St. Olaf respectively (and quite dizzy!) and The Book of Post Scripts: they did ask for wisdom and a sign of blessing. 7. And Lo!, next morning when Mike mounted the Hill of Two Oaks on the next morning, to give thanks to the Part One sunrise, there were now THREE trees present! (By Mike the Fool) 8. Once, this Hill bore three oaks, but many years past, a lightning bolt did blast this third tree, reducing it to a stump. Rain and the Grounds Crew further had reduced this stump Chapter the First to a depression on the Hill. Many gentiles thought they saw 1. It was April 17th, 1993 when the Druids did gather at three trees, but were mistaken, for one tree was split into Monument Hill, where all that started did occur, to two trunks and deceived many people. celebrate thirty years of Druidism at this college. It was a 9. Mike had planted many acorns on the site afore this time, sunny day and all did agree it was a gift from the Earth-but here was a new oak tree, 3 men tall, sprung forth from mother. the earth over night. It was not far from where the previous 2. And Lo!, Richard, an Arch Druid of 1971 c.e., was present tree had stood. and did lead us in the order of worship. For at that time 10. He did fall to the ground and gave many thanks for this there were no third order priests at the college. (Nor had sign from the Earth-Mother of her love for her Druids. there been since 1984, though many did the work without 11. Later, Mike realized that the Earthmother had worked being able to be ordained.) through the Carleton alumni of the Men's rugby team and 3. And Lo!, Michael, who was but a chick in an egg with his their tree planting memorial fund, but that did not detract Druidism, was the preceptor, for he knew the stuff cold! from the miracle. 4. And Lo!, others did show up. And their numbers were 11. Here Paul, of the dazzling blond hair, doth add comments counted as four people. They were the one called Blake (of of his own wisdom: the Sci-Fi club), the one called Hannah (of the dazzling cuteness), the one called Paul (of the blond hair) and the one called Nikki (known for her wardrobe). Many more had decided to sleep late or to play Frisbee. 5. Squirrels, birds, deer and bugs were also there in attendance, although they were not always visible nor audible. 6. No Anti-Druid dared to disturb this most momentous occasion, for Michael had taken many precautions and had set up powerful wards. 7. The ritual went well, and wise words and stories were told from the wise ones of the Middle East. The difference between a camels and its rider can be confusing! 8. After the ritual, many did go to the Hill of Two (or three oaks) and did partake of food & Tang while watching the fierce Frisbee teams vie for supremacy. Chapter the Second 1. Not long after Beltaine, Sam, an ArchDruid of St. Olaf since 1987, and Michael the Fool, did decide to undertake the duties of the office of ArchDruids for the period of time of Beltaine 1993 to Beltaine 1994. 2. These two druids did dress up and carried their ensouled musical instruments ("Stormus" the Bodhran and "Sine Ceolbhinn" the Harp) and flaming brands to the top of the Hill of Two oaks on a moony night. 3. They were enraged to find a sleeping person already on the Hill. Where else could they hold their ritual? What to do? 4. Michael said to Sam that they should build a circle of stones around this victim, who had apparently offered himself as a sacrifice. But Sam saith to Mike, "Nay, that would get us in trouble." 5. Mike also wished to pin a note to the sleeper that said Figure 5 Alice with the new tree, Oct 31 1993. "Sorry, but we didn't need you for a human sacrifice after all, thanks though!" But Sam, full of wisdom, said unto Mike, "Nay, that would get us in trouble!" 6. Mike and Sam did mosey unto the Hill of Monument, whose blank fourth side reflects upon our dogma, and they did dance around the obelisk until they became ArchDruids 690 The Book of Paul: Part One The Book of Haiku (By Paul the Mighty) Placing the kitten To weigh her on the balance Chapter the First She went on playing. -Issa 1. Shortly following the arrival of the new oak, the foliage of all the arboretum did shower forth their blessings unto the Nine times arising new oak. To see the moon whose solemn pace 2. Mike, the most-knowledgeable, did collect the offerings for marks only midnight yet the oak and did skillfully weave them into a ring of life and -Basho blessings. 3. Herewith did the two elder oaks contribute to that ring. O sprint time twilight.... With familial support, Mike and Paul braved the dizzying Precious moment worth to me heights of the oaks to collect their leaf offerings. a thousand pieces -Sotuba 4. Yea, they were like unto squirrels! 5. With the offering to the fledgling oak complete, Mike and O summer twilight Paul did proceed with a ritual of goodwill and blessing. bug-depreciated to a 6. After completing the noon-ish ritual under the gaze of the mere five hundred. benevolent sun, and with the support of the Hill of Three -Kikaku Oaks, a libation from the waters of life was imparted unto the oak. Snow Whispering down all day long, earth has vanished 7. The oak did quickly drink from the waters and, with leaving only sky minimal coaxing, persuaded the two nearby ape -Joso descendants to bathe it with more powers of life. 8. Immediately after the oak had consumed all Druidic Carven Gods long gone nourishment available, a strange wanderer did appear, and dead leaves alone forgotten he did stare with wonderment and delight upon the healthy on the temple porch. new oak. -Basho 9. Lo!, the powers of the Earth Mother surged through the oak and it did shine with glory. Vanishing springtime wistful the lonely widow 10. So sayeth Paul, the mighty. pouts at her mirror. -Seiki A bright autumn moon... in the shadow of each grass an insect chirping. -Busoh Black cloud bank broken scatters in the night... now see moonlighted mountains! -Basho Two ancient pine trees a pair of gnarled and sturdy limbs with 10 green fingers. -Ryota Yellow butterfly... fluttering, fluttering on over the ocean. -Shiki Crossing it alone in cold moonlight, the brittle bridge echoes my footsteps Figure 6 Paul the Mighty & Nikki Lambert at -Taigi Monument Hill for 30th Anniversary, April 1993. 691 Every single step In stony moonlight is quivering now with light hills and fields on every side O how bitter cold! white and bald as eggs -Taigi -Yansetsu One fallen flower Penetrating hot returning to the branch? oh no! September sun on my skin a white butterfly. feel the cooling breeze. -Meritake -Basho Grey moor, unmarred Feeble feeble sun by any branch... a single branch it can scarcely stretch across a bird... November winter-wasted fields -Anonymous -Bokuson The soft summer moon... Ah leafless willow who is it moves in white there... bending over the dry pool on the other bank? of stranded boulders. -Chora -Busoh Here is the dark tree denuded now of leafage... but a million stars! -Shiki He who climbs this hill of flowers finds here a shrine to the kind goddess. -Basho Some poor villages lack fresh fish or flowers, all can share this moon. -Saikaku Under a spring mist ice & water forgetting their old difference.... -Teitaku Colder far than snow... winter moonlight echoing on my whitened hair. -Joso After moon viewing my companionable shadow walked along with me. -Jodo Coolness on the bridge... Moon, you and I alone unresigned to sleep -Kikusa-ni Winter moonlight casts cold tree-shadows long and still my warm one moving. Figure 7 Japanese Garden c. 1993. -Shiki Weeping...Willows kneel here by the waterside mingling long green hair. -Kyorai 692 12. What did the third order mean before the Years of The Book of Post Scripts: Exploration? It meant that you vigiled overnight and were initiated by a third order priest with the third order ritual, one that has not been changed since 1965. Back then, only Part Two third order priests could lead a ritual, vote on the board of Dalon Ap Landu, received a copy of the annual report from (By Mike the Fool, Alice, Heiko & Brandon) succeeding Archdruids, and were the only ones allowed to initiate a 2nd or 3rd order Druid. Chapter the Third 13. What does the third order mean in the Year of Order (1993 to 1994)? It means you have spent a night vigiling in the 1. Verily, the third order has languished over the last 15 years. woods in meditation and was initiated by a 3rd order priest Problems with over devotion to the Waters-of-Life, led to a with third order ritual, one that has never be changed since lack of devotion to the Druids. Beware, ye!, the curse of 1965. You will then receive a copy of the annual report over-devotion! The next ArchDruid, Katya was unable to from succeeding ArchDruids and are allowed to initiate a fix the damage and went into Occlusion. 3rd Order Druid. You will also vote on the Council of 2. From 1980 to 1982, the years of occlusion, few above 1st Dalon Ap Landu, if it is ever revived. order did roam these sacred groves. Great was their 14. According to our new tradition, Second order Druids may despondency! Lamentations did pour forth from those who initiate 2nd and 1st order Druids with either the official sought guidance. A weak call for help did ensue, and yea!, formula or with a made-up version. Second orders can lead it was answered by a David's love! He did travel forth to fix rituals. the damage done. 15. According to our new tradition, First order Druids are 3. David the Chronicler, did return in 1982 to revive a anyone whose ever shown up at a ritual and may initiate languishing group at Carleton. Tom, Bob, and Margaret, anyone else into the 1st order. First orders can lead rituals. newly of the 3rd order, did lead the group until 1984 during these Years of Revival. Yet, sadly, none followed these 16. The 4th through 7th orders are essentially closed, and will Druids into the third order. probably never be accessible again. Oh, well, big deal 4. Druidism slept at Carleton until the visit by Selena Fox and Chapter the Fourth her husband Dennis in 1985. Many did attend her lecture and ate at Farmhouse, where a feast was thrown for in her 1. You may ask, "What happened to our Groves, which were honor. scattered across the country?" I will tell you. 5. Earlier, Curtis and Paul (who was a Glover) had found 2. During the 70's, the ones led by Isaac Bonewits did break Isaac's Druid Chronicles in the basement. But they knew with the RDNA and were known as the New Reformed not what to make of Druidism, but some pyrotechnic rites Druids of North America (NRDNA) and as the Schismatic and stuffed toy dinosaurs were applied to the problem, to Druids of North America (SDNA), Hassidic Druids of the amusement of all. North America (HDNA), the Other Druids of North 6. Heiko, the dark haired, did show Selena of this book, and America (ODNA) and the Zen Druids of North America she imparted unto them the basic history of the RDNA. (ZDNA). In 1979, all these groups changed back their Many desired to restart this group, but there was no Druid designation back to NRDNA. initiate then known. All despaired. 3. During the 80's, a few groves led by Isaac Bonewits did 7. Then, by luck or fate, Alice (the good person) did pass by break with the NRDNA and mutated into a grim, scholastic and stated that she was an initiate of the Druids of the group known as Ar nDraoicht Fein ("Our own Druidism"). second order, or at least of the first order. All did jump up They did much research on Paleo-paganism in Indo-in amazement and asked her for the story of how this event European cultures. had come to be. She said unto them: 4. During the later 80's, a few groups led by Pat and Tony 8. "In my freshmen year, the ArchDruid did reside in Burton, Taylor did break with the Ar nDraoicht Fein and formed on the highest floor thereof, which I and my friends did the lighthearted Henge of Keltria, which concentrates also reside upon. Their names were Judith and Maggie. almost exclusively upon Celtic Paleo-pagan culture. 9. "One night, that Druid asked us, 'Do you wisheth to be 5. Today all four groups still survive; the RDNA, NRDNA, Druids, fair ones?' We replied back unto him "Verily, we ADF and the Henge of Keltria. Rejoice in the Druid Sigil, do!" We went to the Hill of Three Oaks and were initiated that all do honor! by that same ArchDruid, who wore a blue bathrobe. He told 6. What does this symbol, found on the altar stone upon the us 'I don't want you to take this too seriously'. That is my Hill of Three oaks mean? story." 7. Some say its a floor plan of a temple in Stuart Piggott‘s 10. All who did listen thereunto did run up to the Hill of Three book. In which case it should have a square around it. Oaks. When they had mounted the skybound hilltop, they 8. Some say the circle represents the year, whose left and saw thereon a Stag and a Doe of marvelous beauty. But as right lines part the winter and summer half, being the two they did approach, the two deer had vanished! Each took days of Samhain and Beltane. this in their own way. Many did enter the second order on that night. 9. Some say that the Druid symbol is a Yunic symbol, in other words, a representation of a vagina. 11. Unable to bring back another Third Order Druid to 'properly' initiate them, any Druid who led a ritual was 10. Regardless of what it is, it is a symbol of Reformed considered a third order, and should be respected by all as Druidism to the world! such. If they so desireth now, they may return for a formal 11. So ends the Book of Post-(s)Crypts, Part II. ordination. 693 Chapter the Fourth The Book of Vigils 1. Andrea, Arch Druid of Carleton during the Years of Chaos (By Mike the Fool & Sine Ceolbhinn) (1990 to 1993), did vigil many times and is revered for her devotion... Chapter the First 2. On June 19th, she and Mike, clad only by the thunderous and roiling sky, performed the third order ordination using 1. A vigil is an important marker in one's spiritual quest for only sub-optimal reading light. religious truth. Therefore any vigiler's story may inspire someone to undertake this mystery of vigiling. 3. I say unto ye, always use white paper, large print and a flashlight 2. What is a vigil? It is the spending (at least) seven hours in in the dark! the outdoors at night, awake and not speaking unto another. A vigil is mandatory for entering the third order. 4. Taranis bellowed his approval and all ran back to their respective homes, for the Great Flood of 1993 was being 3. At dawn, the ordination to the third order is delivered unto unleashed. the vigiler by another Third Order Druid. Chapter the Fifth Chapter the Second 1. Verily it did rain for many days, until new lakes appeared 1. Not long after the planting of the new tree, Mike did throughout the arboretum. undertake the vigil for the third order. In preparation, the dilapidated pentagonal sweatlodge (near Farm House) was 2. During the same night as Andrea's initiation, Sam, the Wise razed by Mike and Paul, of the long limbs. Ole, did vigil at the Center of the Universe, which is found just north of Skoglum field at St. Olaf. 2. Much wood was salvaged. A story of its magical origins is therefore appropriate: 3. He wore, as he was wont, naught but a black/blue kilt and a smile. 3. Not long after the Years of the Exploration (1985-90) began, Heiko, Paul (a Glover) and Jan decided to build the 4. Yea!, did he not spend the night in an open field where sweatlodge by Farm House, where they could sweat. lightning leapt back and forth across the sky every 10 minutes until dawn?! 4. On the soft, dewy morning, of which they would begin construction, they did leave Farm House and looked upon 5. The following morning to the aforementioned night, Mike the site. found this brave lad, still alive, wrapped in a tarp like an Irish Tamale. 5. There grazing on the spot was a white Stag. Others say it was a Stag and a Doe. This vision then did vanish. Lo! 6. Sam's wits were so addled by the experience that he thought he had enjoyed it! Furthermore he had seen things 6. They took this as a sign, each in their own way. that he not seen, heard things that he did not hear, felt 7. Paul, the blond, and Mike, the fool, did take this wood of things he had not felt, smelt things he had not smelt and Sweatlodge to the Little Grove (also known as the Druid tasted things he had not tasted!! Den) near the Hill of at least Three Oaks. By the Earth-7. So did Sam enter into the 3rd order! mother!, did not the fires from the old sweatlodge not leap 20 feet in the air, ALL NIGHT! Chapter the Sixth 8. That night (may 21st) a sweatlodge was set up and Richard (ArchDruid of 1971), Paul and Mike did partake thrice of 1. Yea, a call did cry out from Circle Sanctuary in Mt. Horeb, sweat sessions. Then the two did leave Mike to vigil under Wisconsin that a great meeting of students of the Earth-a starry sky. Mother should meet at a Cave of Eagles near a city called Madison. 9. Mike then did stay up all night. Yea, the weariness of a hard day did sore press him. Verily he spent the whole 2. And the ones who did call forth was named Selena, patron night on his feet. If he did stop for more than two minutes, saint of the RDNA, and her husband Dennis. he felt sleep creep into his thoughts. He did not know if he 3. And this meeting was called "Pagan Spirit Gathering would truly make it unto morning, every hour was like a 1993," and it was the 14th one, 10th at this site. day. Every step he walked was like unto a league. 4. Sam, the wise, and Mike, the not-so-wise, did journey forth 10. Richard was an hour and a half late the next morning. with a non-druid friend, Tim-of-the-car. 11. Mike did enter into the third order, and although he 5. The journey was four hours and they saw many beautiful grumbled a great deal, he was greatly satisfied that he had trees. not slept! 6. The site was a steep valley surrounded by trees and, Yea!, 12. The next 14 hours, though, he did sleep! did many people who were pitched in tents did roll down the hill side in the night! Yet none were hurt! Chapter the Third 7. The number present was over five hundred. Half of them 1. Not long after this, Mike did initiate his trusty loyal harp, enjoyed the covering of the sky more than that of clothing, Sine Ceolbhinn ("Jean Sweetmusic") into the third order at Sam and Mike included. the island that is called Mai Fete. 8. Sam and Mike did arrange to have another 30th anniversary 2. Sine had vigiled many times and was deemed worthy of the ritual and over a score of people did show up! 2 large honor bestowed upon her. Mock not the Harp! bottles of the waters-of-life were passed around and drained, which may be a record amongst Reformed Druids! 9. Among the attendants was Alice, from the Years of Exploration. Also there was Tony Taylor and the Henge of 694 Keltria, a member of the Ar nDraoicht Fein, two members Chapter the Ninth of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (O.B.O.D.) and a young man named Kyle. All enjoyed the ritual with the 1. The next who did wish to enter the Third Order that Wisdom of Thomas the Fool being shared. summer was Nikki Lambert, a redoubtable young wench 10. Kyle was so moved by the spirits that he did rush up to who had decided to vigil in the most inaccessible site yet Mike and Sam and did ask to enter the third order. The two known to Druidism. ArchDruids were puzzled, for Kyle was but a 1st order 2. We called the site the Pine Forest of the Deep Lower druid on that very day, but since Kyle was camped next to Arboretum. Indeed it took 30 minutes to reach the site on them, and had given them steak and alcohol all week, they foot! judged him a man of good heart and soul. 3. Mike and Nikki did set up camp on the pine needles and 11. Kyle was then raised to the second order by Mike and all collected wood for a long fire. there present raised the cup and drank yet more of the 4. They went to the Cannon River to cool down over with a waters-of-life. quick swim, for it was a sweltering night, and to purify 12. Kyle was then raised unto the third order of Dalon Ap themselves in the flowing waters of the Cannon. Landu by Mike and all present did raise the cup again drink 5. After the fire was going, Nikki was left to fend for herself yet more of the waters-of-life, for he promised to vigil on on that long night in the woods. his return home. 6. There were many four legged critters that did noisily poke 13. Kyle was then made ArchDruid of Naples, Florida and all about her camp during that night, interrupting her present raised the cup and drank yet more waters-of-life, concentration. for Kyle promised to recruit more partakers of the Water- of-Life on his return home, and to write to us often. 7. And, lo!, she found that pine wood burns very quickly and spent most of the night trying to constantly replace the 14. Mike, Sam, and Kyle, the only three known ArchDruids in diminishing firewood stock. the country (although others existed without our knowledge), did pour praise upon the Earth-mother for the 8. She also lamented her lack of caffeine. creation of a new Grove! 9. In the morning, Paul & Mike, joined her. She was relatively cranky, but none the worse for wear. Chapter the Seventh 10. With the fire rekindled, the ceremony of consecration was performed by Mike, and Nikki gloriously entered the Order 1. Alice, the reviver, did step forward and asked to be brought of Dalon ap Landu. And great was the quantity of Waters into the third order of the most fertile Dalon Ap Landu. that was consumed by all parities! Alice having vigiled many times in the past, was deemed quite worthy. 11. Another quick swim in the Cannon was called for, but was kept short due to the persistence of the bugs, known as 2. Mike did read the words, and all present did partake of the mosquitoes. Waters-of-Life yet again. 12. A long becloaked march was made to Hardees for breakfast, 3. Mike the Fool did consider initiating Sam's drum, Stormus, parading through the streets in fine cloaks. We were tired, into the third order, but saw that Kyle was filled with a but proud! satiety of holiness. 4. All then did stumble back unto their tents, especially Kyle, Chapter the Tenth to meditate upon the sharing of the Waters-of-Life. Praise Be! 1. The last Druid to enter the Third Order during that busy Summer Break was Brandon Schields, one of the Druids Chapter the Eighth from the late 80s. 2. His ordination occurred after he led a sweatlodge on 1. And so it came to pass that Paul, the blond, did decide that Lughnasadh evening. Sam, Paul & I attended the sweat and he also would vigil with the Earth-Mother. found it good.. 2. And he did choose a night that did prove to have poor 3. After the cleansing sweat, we went to the Hill of Three weather, as is common for Druids. Oaks, and once there, Sam did ordain his dear friend at 3. The site that Paul had choseth was the Island of Mai-Fete in about 8pm, because Brandon had vigiled on a previous day. the lower of Lyman's Lakes, where Mike's Great Dream It was Sam's first ordination of another Druid into the Third had occurred. Order, and he did it well. 4. Taranis, god of thunder, enjoys vigils. 5. Mike did long question this blond Druid and found him Chapter the Eleventh most knowledgeable and wise, far more than himself. 1. That Fall, the Frangquists did visit Carleton and Rebecca 6. In the morning drizzle, in apprehension of which Mike had Hrobak did vigil on the bosom of the Earth-Mother, not wisely laminated the Ordination sheets (O how wise he long before the Samhain rite of 1993 was performed. was!), Mike did ordain Paul the Mighty into the Third 2. Hers was almost a pleasant vigil in the Little Grove (known Order. also as the Druid Den) not far from the Hill of Three Oaks, 7. The two cloaked members of Dalon Ap Landu did except for the strong chill that was in the air. She however participate in the time-honored tradition of a ritual burned but one large log during that long night. breakfast this time at Hardee's, of which Paul, of course, 3. Indeed she was honored that night by a visit from David & paid for, as is custom. Deborah Frangquist, along with many other Druids seeking to give her company, yet most of her time was spent quietly in meditation of staring into the fire. 695 3. When a good 5 or 6 Third Order Druids did march up to the Hill of Three Oaks, we saw the Sun break over the horizon and marveled at how it was framed in the branches of a large oak tree. 4. Mike did bring Rebecca into the Third Order, although there was but little Waters for the service. 5. At that time, Nikki and Mike did enter into the Fourth Order of Grannos with the blessing of Frangquist. 6. Paul did enter the Fifth Order of Braciaca under the blessing of Frangquist. 7. Mike did enter the Sixth Order of Belenos under the blessing of Frangquist. 8. Possibly the largest Druidic bonfire at Carleton was held that Samhain in honor of our guests, the Sheltons and the Frangquists. Mike barely escaped incinerating himself with the unprecedented use of gasoline. It was a grand sight! Chapter the Twelfth 1. During the next spring of 1994, two more Druids did wish to enter the Third Order; Anne and Michelle the Dark, and Figure 9 Anne Graham on her vigil, Apr 31 1994. they wished to vigil on the same night. 2. Anne vigiled on a Sandy Island and Michelle the Dark vigiled under the boughs of great spreading willow tree by the riverbank. They were also given much firewood to pass the night. 3. Unlike all the previous vigils that year, theirs was very pleasant, because it did not rain and they had many friendly visitors. In fact it went so smoothly that the previous vigilers were jealous and the air was loud with their jealous comments! 4. After a fortuitous sighting of deer, we processed by Torch Light to the Hill of Three Oaks where Sam brought Anne to the Third Order. 5. Nikki brought Michelle the Dark to the Third Order, and the golden rays of the rising sun did illuminate the Druid Sigil that had been drawn on her forehead by the Waters. 6. We all did drink deeply of the Waters, so much so that we had trouble reaching The Happy Chef, so we instead took a cab there! 7. At Happy Chef, reeking of camp smoke & whiskey, we did try the Black Raspberry Liquor with our pancakes, in addition to more Waters. 8. We were also forced to take a cab back, although we were only 15 blocks from Campus! Figure 10 Michelle on her vigil, Apr 31 1994. 9. This did begin the time of the Triple Archdruidcy of Carleton in which the three buxom friends (Becky, Michelle the Dark & Anne) did boldly lead the Druids in seeking the Earth-Mother at Carleton. Figure 8 Sam ordaining Ann into 3rd, May 1 1994. Figure 11 Nikki ordaining Michelle, May 1 1994. 696 12. Mike did essay to find a hidden source of light on Irony's personage, but none could be found, and Mike took this as Chapter the Thirteenth a good omen. 1. In the May of 1995, a most unusual ordination took place 13. That night it did rain only lightly, for the Earth Mother with Heather. smiled upon this vigil, and Mike did secretly camp in the 2. After preparing herself and receiving blessed items through tall grassy fields near the Hill of Three Oaks, for he feared the mail, the ceremony was conducted over the phone, from the wrath of Security guards should he be discovered. Jane of Olaf's room with Sam Adams providing Musical 14. Later that night, Irony did startle Michelle the Blond by accompaniment. appearing suddenly out of the sable darkness with nary a 3. And so, with the help of US WEST, Mike did bring sound, which was stupid, for he had to dodge a swinging Heather into the Third Order. cudgel, swung by a frightened Druid. 4. Mike and Sam felt that the ceremony was adequate but 15. Irony did apologize to Michelle the Blond, for they are deficient in charm compared to a ritual being performed in good friends, and they shared smores and tea over a person. campfire for a short while as it misted softly around them. 5. Later that Summer, Mike went to Royal Oak Michigan (a 16. Anne and Michelle the Dark, and perhaps others, did visit good place for a Druid to live) and aided Heather in the two vigiling Druids and shared their wisdom and vigiling, for she sleeps too easily. brought more water for tea & cider mix. 17. Morning did come, as it always does (though slower on Chapter the Fourteenth vigiling nights, so the vigilers claim), and Anne & Michelle the Dark did essay to discover where Mike had camped. 1. Almost a year did pass before another opportunity to enjoy They then fatiguedly processed for 40 minutes to get to the the pleasures of vigiling did arrive. And this did prove to be site of the two vigilers. yet another double vigil! 18. We moved stealthily so as to surprise the vigilers, and to 2. The three Archdruids of Carleton College were tired after 2 verify that they had not fallen asleep during the night. years of leading the Grove, so they were delighted when two freshlings, Michelle Hajder and Irony Sade, did ask to 19. Irony was not to be found at his allotted site and the three enter the Third Order in the May of 1996. Third Orders did lament that he could possibly be anywhere in the Arb and noted that they were too tired to 3. And all the Druids did rejoice at seeing these new look for him. contenders for the Third Order. 20. So they grabbed Irony's stuff and went to find Michelle the 4. Irony, for well he is named, chose to vigil in the pine forest, Blond, and soon reached her site. near where Nikki had once vigiled, although he did not know of Nikki, and he chose to perform the vigil without 21. As we approached her site, we noted that Michelle the fire and he chose to walk throughout the night, not staying Blond was in a trance and looked through us and did not in one place too long. see us, although we were but 20 yards from her. So she wandered away into the woods while we quietly packed up 5. Michelle the Blond, who did enjoy tea, chose to vigil in a her gear. far more distant spot on the Cannon, verily!, it was 40 minutes from Goodhue, in a lowland of enormous trees. No 22. Eventually Michelle and Irony both returned to the vigil Druid had ever dreamed of vigiling so far from the campus! site and it was revealed that they were both still of the 1st order. We therefore brought them unto the 2nd Order. 6. Anne, Michelle the Dark and Mike did escort them out into the Arb and we did help carry tents (for it looked as if to 23. After this the ordinations to the 3rd Order were performed rain) and blankets. by Michelle the Dark with both Michelle the Blond and Irony the Glowing being present together. It rained a little 7. Mike remained with Michelle the Blond, who would and Mike took many photographs, as he was wont. become his great-grandchild, and imparted the history of the Druids and explained their ways to her, although she 24. Then we processed back to Goodhue, noting a fortuitous already did know most of them instinctively, although it pair of deer along the way, and drove to Hardees where was only her freshman year at Carleton. whiskey and syrup did flow, although the two Vigilers did weasel their way out of buying us breakfast. 8. After bathing in the chilly waters of the Cannon (for Lo! he stinkethed), Mike did leave Michelle the Blond to meditate 25. So, in this way Michelle Hajder and Irony Sade did enter on her vigilling and he sought to locate the peregrinous into their Archdruidcy at Carleton and begin a rather Irony, whose own nocturnal wanderings on that vigil would intense period of activities during the Years of Legitimacy. lead him throughout the Arb, as had Mike's Vigil three years hence. 9. Irony did startle Mike by appearing suddenly out of the sable darkness with nary a sound, which is indeed amazing, as Mike was renowned for traveling without sound in the woods of the Arb. 10. After Mike imparted a few words of advice to him on Druidism, for Irony was already wise in the ways of Druidism in his Freshman year, Mike did notice that Irony was glowing. 11. Mike had already known that Irony was "close" to the spiritual world, but Mike did not know that the spiritual world glowed through Irony in the night! 697 Chapter the Fifth The Book of Cattle Raids 1. One such raid was the raid on the Keltrian camp where a.k.a. The Book of Reveling eight cows did graze, guarded only by five Druids. 2. Mike and Sam did skillfully creepeth forth, using (By Mike the Fool) Winnebagos to obscure their progress towards that mighty rival Druid encampment. Chapter the First 3. Waving high above it was a great eight-foot cow-flag that all other desired to possess. 1. At this Pagan Spirit Gathering of 1993, all the different 4. With silent guile, they swept upon the cows, scattering the Druids and Neo-Pagans did gather together to discuss how herd into a wide stampede to pass the time, as it was the sixth of the seven day festival. 5. One Druid, named Kyleen, did grab Mike and did sorely 2. Tony, the Tailor, did suggest that all take their stuffed toy wrestle him down to the Earth before wresting the cow cows, stuffed toy animals and cow-ish shaped decorations, from Mike's grasp. and they did have a cattle raiding game. The rules were such: 6. Mike and Sam did dodge and swerve until they escaped with two more cows! MOO!!! Chapter the Second 7. They sang as they ran back to their camp: How many cows have you now? 1. Only camps with cow-colored banners are playing. No Cows! No Cows! 2. Guile is better than force. How many cows have we now? 3. All cows must be kept in the open, contentedly grazing before your tents. Six cows! Six Cows! 4. Do not damage these icons for they support your very lives 8. For verily they had six cows, though two of them were with their milk. rather feline in form and so did not produce very good milk. 5. The quality of the raid is better than the quantity of cows. 9. These two druids did feast richly of milk and cheese, as was their right of proud herd owners! 6. Tony is the final arbiter and A-Druid-icator. 7. Blood-price is assigned by Tony on poor sports, brutes and Chapter the Sixth destroyer of property. 8. Any who weareth a cow on their person may be taken with 1. Mike and Sam did make other daring raids, at the cost of that cow to the camp and done with as the Druid wishes! many bruises and scratches and showed their bravery and Guile. Chapter the Third 2. Mike and Sam did then return to Northfield, with Tim-of- the-Car, with many new connections and friendships with 1. That morning Sam and Mike did well by capturing 12 of other groups. Ones that they will share with their fellow the 24 icons before any guardians could stir from their tents. Druids. 2. Mike, the skillful, did climb a tree to fetch Pig-asus, the Pig, 3. So ends the Book of Cattle Raids. and did capture Bill the Cat, who was a most un-cow-like Moo. cow. 3. Unfortunately, Mike did overtly & loudly brag of the number of their cows and Sam, the guardian of the cows, was distracted by the charms of a well-endowed sky-clad Keltrian, whilst the many men of that tribe did swipe much of our great herd! 4. Alas! and Alack! for the guile of the Keltrians! Chapter the Fourth 1. Mike did once again increase their herd with six more cows. Unfortunate for this brave lad, he did stir up the wrath of Cow-Woman. Fear ye her wrath!! 2. Cow-Woman, weighing twenty Stone, did bellow in anger and charged upon Mike and Sam's encampment. With her iron-strong arms she did wrestle both frightened Druids unto the ground and then branded them as chattel. Oh, the shame on these two Druids! 3. She stuffed all her cows, plus two more for interest, into her ample bosom, where no efforts could dislodge them! Mike and Sam did try to no avail! Eventually, they had to Figure 12 Sam & Mike at PSG July 1993 with admit defeat. Stormus the Drum and Sine Ceolbhinn the Harp. 4. With a loud, contemptuous snort she did stomp out of camp as Mike and Sam wept for their lost cows! But, Sam pointed out that other cows were in need of our loving care! 698 bed I could sleep on. Miraculously they were expecting me, The Book of the Great Dream since a late cancellation had made an opening! 9. Then did a man walk up to me. His body was covered with (By Mike the Fool) red, stiff hog bristles (in a black and white background) with a bald head and piercing blue eyes. He reminded me Introduction of a Druid, Donny, I had met on the Isle of Arann of Scotland the previous year. 1. I add the account of this dream because it explains a lot of 10. This man did shake my hand, in a secret way, much like a my devotion to the RDNA. mason's handshake and said to me. "Welcome to the club, 2. Other dreams, by others, are no less valid a source of Michael. You are one of us, now!" He smiled. inspiration. Dreams deal with things that our waking minds cannot. Chapter the Third Chapter the First 1. I awoke with a start and then snuggled into the blankets thinking upon this vision until the sun came up and we all 1. I decided that I would lead the Beltane of 1992, since no chanted one else seemed inclined. For truly, many Beltane rituals 2. He is the sun god! He is the one god! Ra! Ra! Ra! Ra! Ra! have bombed in the past. 3. I did take this dream as an initiation into a Druid priesthood. 2. The Beltane of 1990 collapsed because a strange man 4. Powerful are the spirits on this campus! There are many showed up and threw blood on the altar stone of the Hill of fairy mounds, stone circles, groves, rivers, diversity of Oaks while Heather was reinscribing the Druid Sigil. plants and animals. It is a good place to do vigils or seek 3. This was my first ritual that I had led and it was held on the spirits. Mai Fete Island, not long after the slime-o-rama in the algae on the previous day. 4. It was done skyclad with Alex the hairy, Heather the Fair, and Sam the wise. We were to make a circuit of the lower Lyman lake. We assumed bird shapes for the first third, wolf-shapes for the second third and horse shapes for the third. Then, lastly, we did assume fish shape and swam to the island in the chilly waters. 5. Then all did bed down by a ROARING hot fire, in a large snuggle of wool blankets under a starry sky. All did dream strange things, and here is mine, which I remembered. Chapter the Second 1. It was a dark and stormy night in which there was no color but shades of grey. It was a desolate, mountainous road that I was traveling. 2. This road reminded me of the highlands, nothing scenic, just road. So narrow was this road, that I had to press up against the cliff face to avoid oncoming cars, which sought to hit me. 3. I traveled many miles in the hard rain and lightning. My soul felt great pain and pity for itself. I stopped at a bus- shelter. Figure 13 Sine Ceolbhinn the harp on 4. A tourist bus did pull up, and then did pour forth its Mai Fete Island, Summer Solstice 1993. passengers. They were the members of the class of '94 and '95, people of the past who I didn't know and faces of people I had not met yet. 5. When the people got onboard, I asked if I could join them, for my journey was long, and my feet were tired. Miraculously there was only one space open, and they were expecting me. 6. We traveled long and came to another pit-stop. When I got out, they drove off without me. This upset me, but I continued to travel onwards until I reached the top of the hill. Then I slid down the other side for a mile. 7. I finally slid under a parked truck and banged my head mercilessly on the universal joint. I crawled out and saw a youth hostel. A warm YELLOW light did come from the Figure 14 Mai Fete Island, Winter Solstice 1993. windows. 8. I entered and there were all the people from the bus playing cards and running about doing things. I asked if there was a 699 The Book of Stones The Book of Fire (By Mike the Fool) (By Mike the Fool and Andrea the Fair) Chapter the First Chapter the First 1. Dark and stormy was the night that I pensively strode forth 1. How to build a fire, sounds simple? It is. Certain on my last exploration in the arboretum, for I was preparing conventions have arisen over the years pertaining to fire to go to the land of the rising sun. collection. 2. I did not know the future of Druidism at Carleton, for the 2. The Earth-Mother did choose well in putting her Druids on presumptive Archdruids did cry of their unpreparedness, as this campus, for wood abounds for the use in Fire, but you often they do. must choose that wood wisely. 3. I went to the circle of stones near the Hill of Three Oaks, 3. Sometimes fires are not very important. "the Dancing Sisters" as David Frangquist had named them so many years ago, and asked them, "O mighty stones, Chapter the Second bones of the earth, heareth now my plea, we who are thy 1. Though shalt use only dead wood. Live plants have psychic siblings. How farest Druidism in the future?" abilities and scream in fear when you yank or break their 4. Long were the stones quiet, as is their wont. limbs. Do you want bad vibes in your ritual fire? 5. And I waited. 2. Matches and lighters are permissible. 6. Lo, they did not speak, so I did prepare to leave, when they 3. Use of Druid juice, although discouraged, is necessary to quickly spoke up, and this did they say, "The sea refuses no encourage wet wood. river. The stone that lieth not in thy way, need not offend 4. Always collect a little more kindling that you'll need. You'll thee. Fire is a good servant, but a bad master." need it. 7. And with that they did become quiescent. 5. Four armloads will do a simple ritual fire. 8. And I understood message of "The Twelve." Chapter the Third Chapter the Second 1. Sweatlodges are a powerful spiritual tool for Druidic rituals. 1. Many are mysteries found in the alignments of the rocks at Do not use them merely for pleasure. Carleton. 2. Many Native Americans and Native European cultures 2. It is said that under the altar stone on the Hill of Three used Sweatlodges to purify the body of poisons and Oaks is an original copy of Frangquist's Druid Chronicles, negative energy. The mind often travels well in the Dark but this is false. when all that heat and magic start flying around. 3. The Class of 1886 rock outside of the Library is said to 3. Drugs and Alcohol are big NO-NOs, because they are have broken in two when the last member of that class died. dangerous with sweatlodges and should not be used before 4. The obelisk on Monument Hill has a fourth side, which is hand. blank, and it is said that this side describes the mysteries of 4. Drink A LOT of water and salt during the day of the sweat. Druidism. It is due south of the Hill of Three Oaks. 5. There is a second rock on the Hill of Three Oaks and the Chapter the Fourth altar stone line up with rising and setting sun of Beltane 1. Sweats are done nude and not for perverted reasons. Many and Samhain. It is said that on both days the sun doth rise mystics claim that magic energy dissipates from the body behind the crown of an old oak tree in the east and doth through the palms and soles, the forehead, the belly, the plunge at sunset into the brick tower of Carleton's steam armpits, the nipples and the genital organs. For the most plant. powerful sweatlodge, it must be done in the nude, and you 6. "The Twelve" are in line with the Hill of Three Oaks and should warn all comers, before they come, of this fact. the Skinner Memorial chapel. It is uncertain what this 2. Because of the nudity, choose a secluded spot at night means. where wanderers are unlikely to pass by. A guardian/fire 7. Bracing the sides at the top of the hill path to the Little tender is recommended. Little Grove and Oak Grove are Grove are two stones known as "King Arthur's Seat" and Good. "Fair Eleanor's Seat" on the north and south respectively. Whosoever sleeps on them all night will be filled with Chapter the Fifth poetry or madness in the morning. 1. I will tell you how to make a sweatlodge, if no one knows 8. Near the lower-arb's tennis courts, on the banks of the at the time of this reading. mighty Cannon River, are 4 sets of obelisks that once connected Lost Island to both sides of the Cannon, by a 2. Dig a foot deep hole, about one foot wide where the ground bridge that is now gone. It is said that at midnight on is comfortable to sit upon. midsummer's day, a bridge of light stretches between the 3. You build a "igloo" of bent poles, tied down into a dome obelisks, and whosoever crosses this bridge will be about three feet high and six feet wide, around that hole in transported to a land of faery. the ground. You cover the dome with plastic tarps to hold 9. It is rumored that sleeping beneath the arch of the Hadzi in the steam vapors. You cover the tarps with blankets to sculpture throughout the night will result in a visit by a keep in the heat, so that the steam lasts longer. powerful guardian spirit. 700 4. You gather ten or more fist sized rocks. Volcanic rocks are Chapter the Tenth better and they will not 'Explode' when water is poured on them. Most of these 'explosions' are the formation of cracks, 1. At campfires, it is always nice to have some type of food but the Sound of that happening is frightening. that can be cooked after the ritual. 5. You gather at least ten armloads of dry, deadwood, with 2. Smores, hotdogs, marshmallows and tea pots are the possibly a charcoal base for the fire. You build the fire and favorite things to heat. insert the rocks into the fire. When they are glowing hot, 3. Coals cook better than flames. you transport them into the foot deep hole you dug. Frying pans and thick leather gloves help at this point. Keep the Chapter the Eleventh fire going, with possibly a second round of rocks heating up while you sweat. 1. Another fun fire activity is making Candles and Torches for Druidical purposes. 6. Strip down and purify yourselves. Then you prepare for meditation and enter the sweatlodge. You can do some 2. Both generally require paraffin wax which is cheap, mantras, chants and prayers until you, or the rocks, are although Beeswax is always preferable in quality. finished. Then exit and drink some water. 3. To heat wax, use a double boiler system by filling a pot with water and putting the can holding the wax inside the Chapter the Sixth water. This prevents the wax from surpassing a boiling point, which could produce a cloud of combustible wax 1. Always practice safe fire rules. vapors! 2. Use a fire-ring with little surrounding underbrush. 4. Candles can be made by filling Dixie cups or halved coke 3. Extinguish the fire to the point where you'd be willing to cans with wax and suspending a thread in the hardening hold all the logs between your legs for a minute. mixture. Candles can also be repeatedly dipped into the 4. Beware of windy days. wax, but this will a great deal of time. 5. To make fine torches, you need to gather stalk of dried Chapter the Seventh mullein rods from the fields. They look like crusty corndogs on hollow woody stems between three and seven 1. Beware of glass at ritual sites, the best thing to do to feet high. prevent build up of glass is for someone to pass the ritual sites after 'party' times of the year and pick up any WHOLE 6. One can dip torches gradually or you can take semi- congealed wax in your hands and just squish it onto the bottles. torch. 2. If whole bottles stay out more than a day, they will become broken bottles. 7. Be careful not to put too much wax on a torch that it will cause the stem to snap! 3. Magnets will pick up nails really well. 8. A torch made in this way will burn for 10 to forty minutes 4. Encourage shoes to be worn when a site hasn't been and is difficult to extinguish by wind or nearby movement. groomed. Chapter the Twelfth Chapter the Eighth 1. It is considered good luck to leap over the Druid campfire. 1. I tell you that it is far better that the Druids use wood than But do so carefully. for it to be chopped into mulch by grounds crew. 2. So ends the Book of Fire. 2. If you do spot areas of the Arb, where trees have been cut down and stacked into neat piles of log, I tell you that you should abscond with those logs to a hidden spot and store them for future ritual usage. 3. Any bad karma can be dealt with later. Do not delay, for they will return to collect the wood. Chapter the Ninth 1. You may ask who made the two sweatlodges used from 1992-1995? 2. The first was made by Michael and Matt (the tall) on Mai Fete in the Summer of 1992. 3. The wood for that came from saplings cut down by grounds crew when they cleared the woods next to Lower Lyman lake. 4. The second, of the lower arboretum, was made by Paul the Blond and Michael in the summer of 1993. 5. The wood for that came from saplings cut down by grounds crew when they cleared the woods next to the Oak Opening of the lower arboretum. 6. It should be noted, that there is a rival tradition at Carleton Figure 15 Being AD can give you a headache. for demolishing the sweatlodge after every usage rather than re-using it. 701 THE DEAD BAY SCROLLS Das Edda or Todvolkfortgeshritte The Apocryphal of Miracles by the New Reformed Druids The Edda of the People's Death March on the Beach of North America of the Hazelnut Mother Grove South Bay Branch 1. Along the long seastrand did they march 2. All the folk on their way to what was to be Original 1993 Introduction: 3. Unbeknownst to them 4. Their last moot in the grove for a very long time In all the hoop-lah over the Discovery of the Dead Bay Scrolls, I think it's time to set forward the truth of the matter. For 5. For a dog a lifetime, those who accuse me of unconscionable delay in taking two years 6. For the mice of the fields, generations would pass to publish them, I can only remind them that it is taking over 45 7. Until one day years for the Dead Sea Scrolls to be published. 8. Arch-Druids twain, one who had been there Despite the well-published claims with amply valid evidence, the Dead Bay Scrolls were not written in ancient 9. One who had not would gather new clans Icelandic. The often-cited passages of Das Edda 10. In a southern land under the oaks Todvordgeshritten is not from translation, but merely bad English. 11. Celebrate the feast of the first grain harvest End of debate. 12. And that of Lugh of the Long Hand As for the location of the discovery of the documents, I can only state that they were discovered in 1993 at an undisclosed 13. Ordain new druids onto the Order Second Trailer park in the Bay Region of San Francisco. The Dead Bay 14. Led were they by a Valkyrie Scrolls were then mailed to Carleton College by an undisclosed 15. Not gay laughing Brunhilde source. There they were rediscovered in a small mailbox at Carleton by a Nomadic Postal worker who gave them to Michael 16. But one of her grim-faced sisters Scharding. Once there, the original of the DBS were carefully 17. Resolute she trod on, photographed by an Epson Scanner and placed on magnetic 18. Stopping only when sounds told her media. In order to protect the scholars' rights to publication, 19. Her charges were not as solemn Michael Scharding reserved the editor's right to the limited first publication in 1993. However, due to pressing demand for copies 20. Or as resolute as she by the public, Michael has relented and given free access to the 21. One by one they dropped to the sand DBS to the general public. 22. But the resolute and hale continued Controversy has raged over the contents. Do they contain 23. After the grim-faced Valkyrie information that would undermine the assumed beliefs of the Reformed Druids? Do they tell of disunity with the group before 24. Until at length they came to the rock the great Druid Diaspora and the Destruction of the Berkeley 25. At the northern end Grove? I'll not answer these questions yet, as many more years of 26. The skraeling (Indian) headed rock study are required by scholarly panels. However for the first time, they are now available to the public. Enjoy. 27. Where two of the number drew the sigil Michael Scharding, Editor 28. Sacred of the circle with two spears Computer Math Center 29. One down, one up Dec. 9th, 1993 c.e. 40th Day of Geamradh 30. Their voices lifted Year XXXI of the Reform 31. To be carried away on the wind New 1996 Introduction 32. The anthem the last time to be sung 33. And then came the Boring Times I wrote the original introduction after intensive study of the Dead Sea Scrolls for a school project, and was sick of all the 34. Eight years when the Druids' voices bickering that I saw there. Basically, when I wrote the Dead Lake 35. Were silenced, and the voices in the trees Scrolls in August of 1993, I sent copies to the various existing 36. Were silent also, a long season of sleep groves at the time. The Hazelnut Grove was so enamored with them, that they set about writing their own materials to honor the 37. Until the polarity of Co-ArchDruids met, thirtieth anniversary of Reformed Druidism, which had occurred 38. To call new clans, to ordain new druids on April 1993. 39. Onto the First and Second This is the one of the few NRDNA documents that has 40. And raise one long a Second onto the Third. been produced without Isaac's influence, and they can therefore give a broader understanding of the NRDNA. Most of the Druids 41. The death march of the Druids had ended of the Hazelnut Grove were old-time Druids, from the 70s, so 42. And now came the Parade of Life and Increase. here they give voice to their ideas of how Druidism stands in California today. Translated from the Old Tongue by Thorhilde Ooftasdotter var Vinland 702 3. While promoting the shows, one of which he himself co-THE BOOK OF THE produced, he would collect and tell jokes about he-who- was-then-vice-president, Quayle, who was at that time a figure of fun for many (and horror for more). BORING TIMES 4. And he collected until he had 365 of them. Chapter the First Chapter the Sixth 1. Between the last ritual of the Hazelnut Mother Grove in the 1. After the end of the Boring times, he participated in the land of the East Bay, the Death March, and the first Laundry Think Tanks, at which the officers of the Grove meeting of the Hazelnut Mother Grove South Bay Branch planned the next meeting of the grove, and in what other (Gee, look at all those puns!), which occurred at the first activities the Grove would participate. harvest time of Lughnasadh, there passed several years when Republicans held high office, and nothing was 2. At the most recent non-boring ritual, Lughnasadh, even Mr. occurring with the Druids of California. Boring showed an unboring part of himself by participating fully, which shocked the Arch Druid into having an asthma 2. Unless things were happening in other parts of the state attack (two days later). with other Druids of the Reform, who did not communicate with the Mother Grove. 3. And there was great rejoicing. 3. These were called by the Arch-Druid the Boring Times, not THE BOOK OF MR. BORING to be confused with the Burning Times. (AKA EARACHE ALIEN MESS) Chapter the Second 1. In that same place where lurked the Orks and the AK-47's Chapter the First there also lurked a young man for a few moons who was a student in Wicca of she who was to become the Co-Arch 1. In the city of San Jose there dwelt a man called Earache Druid. Alien Mess. 2. This young man had just got out of the Army and was a bit 2. He was co-producer with the ArchDruid Stephen of the naive. New Age Renaissance Fair, which was not boring. 3. He believed, or so did he tell the Co-ArchDruid, that the 3. But the Mess prided himself in not thinking and in being ArchDruid was not just playing computer games to play boring. computer games. He was playing them to do important 4. The Mess played organ and volleyball, did astrology and ritual Magick that would either save the world as we know had a radio show at the local cooperative radio station. it or change reality so that we would like it better. 5. It was called the Eric Mystic show, which Stephen did 4. And the Co-ArchDruid pondered this and wondered at its rename the Earache Mistake Show. It consisted of New meaning. Age music and topics with people calling in. 6. Once he and Stephen were subbing for a woman who was Chapter the Third then ill. Hers was not a call in show, but Earache told 1. And the ArchDruid dwelt during most of the Boring Times people to call in. It was a show on Celtic Magick and in the land of Orks and AK-47sand he was sore displeased. Druidism. 2. For the quake came and trashed his space, and buried him 7. People were so bored when they heard his voice they under a torrent of his books. stopped calling in. 3. He crawled out and rent his hair saying "No more! I have 8. Stephen then took the mike, and in his Edward R. Murrow had enough!" voice said, "Earache Mess, the voice that silences communication." 4. He had an asthma attack and moved to the South Bay. 9. People called in after that. 5. And there was great rejoicing. Chapter the Second Chapter the Fourth 1. But in time even Mr. Boring became bored with being 1. And he then told the Co-ArchDruid that what he was doing boring and not thinking. with the games was a form of catharsis, called kill therapy, in which the monsters became fundies and all the other 2. And so he studied how to be less boring. He also engaged creatures the ArchDruid Stephen would rid the world of. in a very dangerous activity; thinking. 2. And she came to participate. 3. And so it was that in the fullness of time his face actually cracked into a smile, and he laughed at times, and no 3. And he still does so to this day. damage was done. Chapter the Fifth 4. But he still had a problem. And it was dealing with women. He did not even try, thinking it not worth the trouble. 1. And the ArchDruid moved four times during the Boring 5. But women, especially Druidesses, and pagan women are Times until he came to rest in the Alamo, and then moved powerful, and he missed much by being sexist. one more time to where he dwells today. 2. Always during the Active Times and the Boring Times did he promote musical groups and New Age Fairs by distributing their cards and flyers at many locations in the East and South Bay. 703 THE BOOK OF GAMES THE BOOK OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY Chapter the First 1. But still within the Boring times in that same place where Chapter the First lurked the Orks and the AK-47's there also lurked a young man who was a student in Wicca of she who was to, 1. And the Druids had now come to their 30th year, and become the Co-ArchDruid. wanted to celebrate and thank the deities for helping them to thrive for 30 years. 2. This young man had just got-out of the army and was a bit naive. 2. But there also was a death of an author held high among the People for his wisdom. And many were the books of his 3. He believed, or so did he tell the Co-ArchDruid that the writing held and cherished among the people, especially the ArchDruid was not just playing computer games to play Co-Archdruids. computer games. He was playing them to do important ritual Magick, that would either save the world as we know 3. And the Arch-Druid wanted to honor him now, not wait for it or change reality so that we would like it better. Samhain. And so was there a memorial as well as great joy for the 30 years of the Reform. 4. And the Co-ArchDruid pondered this and wondered at its meaning. Chapter the Second Chapter the Second 1. And the Co-Arch-Druid was in a state of delight for the Arch-Druid Terlach who had ordained her into the 2nd and 1. Meanwhile the ArchDruid played the computer games, and into the 3rd also was in attendance. added more games whenever the Earth Mother did spread Her largesse in his direction. 2. And he was Preceptor, and honored an ancient, hoary tradition of the first Preceptor (Cherniack). 2. And so also did he put money by to add to his collection of computers on which to play games and so either save the 3. And when the Co-Arch-Druid asked him if the Earth-world or to change reality as we know it. Mother had given forth of Her bounty, he answered "Yup!" 3. And the ArchDruid moved away from the land of Orcs and 4. And there was great rejoicing. AK-47's many times until at length he came to dwell in a place called the Alamo which was in San Jose. Chapter the Third 4. And he was the only dweller in that place beside the 1. And the Arch-Druid, whom she had herself laid the concierge who spoke English. All the others spoke Spanish. apostolic hand of 3rd Ordination upon after he waited over 5. And so the Co-ArchDruid spoke to them when she came to 8 years after his 2nd, was there and took part in the visit the Arch-Druid for what she called Kill Therapy. procession and other parts of the ritual, and was congratulated by the older ArchDruids. 6. She expiated her anger by killing things on the computer. 2. And there was great rejoicing. Chapter the Fourth 1. But there was also in that place great puzzlement, for they wondered that she would ordain when others had refused to, for in many minds and many quarters he was seen as a jerk. 2. And she answered onto them saying, "He did the work. He endured the ordeal. He has studied much in many traditions, but especially the sage Kon Fu Tse, who has wrought many changes within him." 3. For he is a magician. And it is the task of a magician to produce changes in reality in accordance with his will. And he is also a priest. 4. And so did the Co-Arch-Druid anoint him just before the close of the year. Even just before the holy day of Samhain, for she was a sadist. Chapter the Fifth Figure 16 Stephen Abbot & Joan Carruth 1. He had committed to doing a Samhain druid ritual for the at Berkeley Grove, c.1978, OTO'ers, thinking he could get her to perform it. 2. But it was in her mind to ordain him and have that be his first ritual as an Arch-Druid. And he called his Grove Tuatha De Danaan. 3. And many were the members from Hazelnut Mother Grove South Bay Branch (Gee, look at all those puns!) who attended the ritual and saw that it was well done. 4. And there was great rejoicing. 704 Chapter the Sixth THE BOOK OF THE 1. And great was the Co-Arch-Druid's pride at seeing this, so LAUNDRY-THINK-TANK that several buttons broke, for she saw that she had ordained well. Chapter the First 2. For it is the way of a true priest to rise above their personal imperfections, act their station and to lead the people in the 1. And it came to pass that the Co-Arch-Druid preferred to do ritual, and the one called Sommer did that well. her laundry the slow cheap way at her own washer and 3. And it was the first ritual to be done in the East Bay for dryer, rather than at any Laundromat. several years, and since the Hazelnut had moved, and its 2. But the washer and dryer were at her former residence, the name had grown by many characters, it was the first grove house of her mother-in law. in the East Bay to be holding regular rituals. 3. And this was also the dwelling of, the Arch-Druid of the 4. And there was great rejoicing Hazelnut Mother Grove South Bay Branch (Gee, look at all those puns!). 4. And so during the time of agitation, the rinse, and the house shaking spin. (5.4 on the Richter scale) The Co-Arch- Druids discussed the matters that mattered to them. So was born the grand tradition of the Laundry Think Tank. 5. And there was great rejoicing. Chapter the Second 1. They did reason together, and-occasionally rhymed, and even burst into song, which the others in attendance did try to ignore. 2. They planned the next ritual to be held at which the Arch- Druid always had a guided meditation. 3. And the Co-Arch-Druid included it in her script, and there was great rejoicing. 4. But the Arch-Druid, who was fond of shamanism, hated scripts) and made up a poem: 5. If you must have scripts, Study them here 'Cause once at the site, Scripts disappear. 6. And there was great rejoicing. Chapter the Third 1. And at first only third orders did participate. 2. But behold!, two there were who were only firsts, though one had a high degree in Ar nDriaocht Fein, the Other Druids, and was exceedingly wise in the their ways. 3. So the Co-Arch-Druids said they were invited, because of their wisdom, for they were women. And like the Co-Arch Druid they were Wiccans. 4. And they joined the Think-Tank. 5. For their wisdom was discovered in a Tarot Reading. 6. And there was great rejoicing. Chapter the Fourth 1. There came one into the Laundry Think Tank also who was large and made good food. 2. Now this one had been named after the Good God, Dagda in a special naming ceremony at Ancient Ways, a gathering of the folk. 3. The ritual came after a 3rd Order Ordination of Don the Blonde also called Butt Boy. 4. And the Arch-Druids did greatly love to give all the people names by which they would be known. The Co-arch-Druid 705 named one woman named Sonya who had blonde hair Addendum to the Ordination of Paper Moon so that she was Sonya Paper Moon. 5. Now this ritual of ordination and naming was the first the Second Order Druidic event at Ancient Ways in five years, so it will live in the memory of many. At least eight and thirty. After finishing the chalice, the Candidate goes off for a period of isolated meditation in which s/he assembles an altar/sacred space, 6. And there was great rejoicing. and meditates upon the five-fold Powers of the Mother. When s/he returns, the AD asks the following five questions in order to Chapter the Sixth determine what has been discovered in hir meditation. 1. For Don the Blond had survived the endless night's vigil AD: Of what did you meditate upon the Power of the without so much as a fire. Mother? (Fire of Earth) 2. And he would create the Angus Og Grove of Alameda and C: Gives an extemporaneous reply. Contra Costa counties and thereby create a new kind of AD: Of what did you meditate upon the Beauty of the Mother? (Water of Earth) Druid, the Ombanda Druids of North America. C: Gives a reply 3. But it is not known if this had indeed come to pass. And the AD: Of what did you meditate upon the Understanding Arch Druid had doubts. of the Mother (Earth of Earth) C: Gives a reply Chapter the Seventh AD: Of what did you meditate upon the Wisdom of the 1. Also was there discussion of matters of great philosophical Mother? (Air of Earth) C: Gives a reply weight, such as opening the other orders to others who had AD: Of what did you meditate upon the Magic of the interest, not by rank, for the Arch-Druid was not one to Mother? (Spirit of Earth) love hierarchy, but merit. C: Gives a reply 2. So each order would have its own color ribbon and a tutelary deity appropriate to its nature. 3. Green was known to all as healing and herbs and called Dian Cecht after the God of Healing. 4. Blue also for Bard, Taliesin, Cerridwen and Brigid. 5. Grannos for brewing. 6. Martial Red for warriors 7. Purple for Magick and Myrrdin. 8. Silver for Women's Mysteries Arianrhod. 9. And there was great rejoicing. Chapter the Seventh 1. But not always was the discussion among the Druids of such great philosophical weight. 2. Many times did they play games on the great electronic philosopher's machine, and kill things which were imaged electronically, for in the Arch-Druid's (strange) mind were these activities linked ritually. 3. Also was there a game of the role-playing, and the Co- Arch-Druid got to play the parts of the non-player characters, and monsters, and growl and wroth greatly with delight. 4. And there was great rejoicing. Figure 17 Emmon Bodfish, Larry & Sue Press, Beltane 1983 at Live Oak Grove. 706 THE BOOK OF SAMHAIN Dead River Scrolls Chapter the First 1. And as the great wheel of the year turned the Grove came to its favored place to celebrate a ritual for Samhain. 2003 Introduction 2. And when the Co-ArchDruid offered the sacrifice the Not much is known about this collection, which covers the 1997-winds were silent for it was the coming of the time of Sleep 2001 years at Carleton College, in which Mike was no longer for the Earth Mother. visiting the Carleton Grove as frequently due to his self-imposed 3. But the Grove had new spears to consecrate and three new exile to Japan for four years. Following the triple Arch-Druidcy Druids were sealed to the First Order. of Michelle, Ann & Becky; Irony and Michelle the Blond took over until she dropped out. After this, Merri, Chrissy, Chris, Dan 4. One of the bearers of these spears was a new First Order and a host of other Druids stepped in to help with running Grove named Crazy Bear. matters at Carleton. 5. And he did the greeting of the quarters according to the Native American medicine way. The Dead River Scolls were originally written by various Druids 6. The ArchDruid called up the quarters in the familiar Celtic in 1997, but they got lost. More was written in 1999, and I lost tradition. those. But the third time I collect the materials, I held on to them tight, and much did reveal itself from generous donors, on dusty 7. And there was great rejoicing. disks that I had misplaced. This collection of more awful writings by me, and much more interesting ones by my friends will Chapter the Second hopefully entertain you a little. It covers letters, epistles and 1. And the officers of the Grove, the ArchDruid, the Co-speeches from the Carleton and Akita Grove from 1996-2003. ArchDruid, the Cocoa-ArchDruid, and the Preceptor told the People of the Grove what Samhain meant to them, and Sincerely, each person in attendance put the name of the honored dead Mike Scharding into the circle. Day 7 of Earrach, Year XL of the Reform. February 7, 2003 2. But there were in that same place boys racing through on bicycles, for it was a public park. Printing History 3. And so they had a right as well as the Druids to be in that 1st Edition 1997 place. But the boys showed themselves to be Anti-Druids, 2nd Edition 1999 for they heckled and called out rude comments, which the 3nd Edition 2003 (ARDA 2) ArchDruid and Crazy Bear were unable to ignore. 4. And so Crazy bear ran towards them brandishing the spear. 5. And the Anti-Druid boys rode home and told their parents, and the parents called the police, who came and interrupted the ritual. 6. But the Co-ArchDruid was able to give the Grove the blessing, which was traditional. Chapter the Third 1. And the people pondered what they had seen and were of several minds (at least one more opinion than there were those present, as is traditional). 2. And the ArchDruid was greatly irked and prophesied dire things for the Grove as a part of this. 3. He thought it was the Brit Bitch or the followers of Bush & Wilson, and the religious right on the warpath to wipe out pagankind. But the Co-ArchDruid took it as a sign of the Druids' innate strength. 4. For it was not until they showed their strength that the Anti-Druids acted against them, for they were not worthy of notice before. But flex a little muscle and the Anti- Druids suddenly sit up and take notice. 5. The Druids and pagankind in general will just have to work a little harder, and fight a little harder from now on. 6. And if getting a permit is required, get a permit. Figure 18 First Stone Circle, c. 1956. 707 The Mini-Epistle of The Epistle of Amanda (By Amanda Bradley, Dec 1997) Michelle the Dark 1. Dear Michael, (By Michelle Curtis, 1996) 2. Thank you for your long-distance support, it‘s nice to know that because of our devotion to the Earth we can share our 1. March 5th, 1996 19:48 experiences and friendship. 2. The previous postings has sparked quite a bit of discussion 3. There are many people who follow a Druidic path and call on the mailing list. To tell the truth I haven't actually read it Buddhism, Catholicism, etc. all of the posts. I did want to see if I could spark some discussion on here about what people believe, not just 4. I always find it interesting to attend the religious services of about paganism but just religion/spirituality in general. another faith, or get into a discussion with someone who think they believe differently, and see just how much we 3. I, myself, go through periods of searching. I must always have in common. re-examine my beliefs. This happens every few years and I am currently in one such mind set. 5. We‘re all seeking, taking the paths that seem the most fitting for our beliefs, but we‘re all going to end up in the 4. Usually I try to read about different religious practices but same place. who has time for that during the school year? I have come to realize that I am more of a spiritual than a religious 6. What, may I ask, pulled you to Druidism? person. 7. For me it was the combination of religion and Nature, the 5. The distinction (in my mind) being that spirituality is fact that it doesn‘t require me to think that other religions something you feel and religion is something you practice. are ―wrong‖. Usually the two would have to coincide. Your religious 8. [Many people have always believed that there is only one practices should not go against the way you feel about "right" way to spiritual awakening or whatever one would things. call it. However, you are right in that so many religions are 6. Because I am drawn to different aspects of different very similar, they probably ARE the same religion, but religions, but cannot reconcile myself to one as a whole, I some people found things they didn't like about one, am forced to pick and combine them…. changed it, and denounced the original. 7. Anyway, I just wanted to try to spark up some conversation 9. Also, Christianity DID borrow from the Pagan religions in about belief and stuff in general. I hope you have been order to get more Pagans to convert. finding my posts from the list to be useful... 10. These similarities aren't limited to Christianity and the Pagan religions of Western Europe, though. In Indian religions three is also a holy number, and there is a trinity of the Buddha, his Spirit body, Enjoyment body and Dharma(human) body, and there are parallels with Indian religion in Native American religions. Sorry about the run- on sentence. (24 Oct 1996) ] 11. You asked about my vigil. It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. 12. Michelle started out with me in the lower Arb shortly before sunset. She shared with me information I would find valuable through the night. 13. As darkness fell, I expected it to bring fear, but I felt fear only once that entire night when something ran across a field and I though it came at me through the foliage lining the trail. 14. I did a lot of thinking before the sun rose that morning, mostly about the mother-daughter relationship I have with the Earth/Goddess (I‘m Wiccan). 15. I saw it as an omen that I stood on the hill at sunrise, a doe and her fawn stepped into view in a nearby field. I can think of nothing else to say about the experience, it was beyond any verbal description. 16. Things are going well with the Druids. We have good participation for most things, but for our last full moon ritual no one showed up. Probably, because it was fairly cold and there were three inches of snow on the ground. 17. All in all a good fall term. Figure 19 Top Amanda on right, 18. I don‘t have an anthology yet, so I‘m borrowing the Religious Diversity House copy for now. Bottom Amanda doing rite Beltane 1997. 19. Have a good Yule. 20. Amanda 708 31. I see two streams of a waterfall pouring over the mouth of a cave (must you get wet?) The Sigil Letters 32. I see infinite space stretching away from the sigil (what is out there?) Chapter the First: The Sigil Vigil 33. I see the refined end-product of some melted rocks, hauled far from home (just like us, isn‘t it? 1. Dear Siblings 34. I see a division of a perfect year into two half seasons and 2. You asked me what I see when I look at this neat little sigil two ―days between the years‖ you sent to me? Is it now traditional to wear Druid Sigils as 35. I see analogies that have gone on too long (when will I jewelry, this smacks of prosyletization, don‘t you think? stop?) 3. I had always preferred retaining the sigils for liturgical 36. I see a short tube when viewed from the sides (details work and carving them on the winds at the close of the depend on the vantage point) service with our hands (Peace, Peace, Peace), thus showing vividly how temporary is our mark on the world. 37. I see two parallel lines intersecting a circle on the other side. (sometimes opposites are similar) 4. But, it was a good question, so I stayed up last night and thought about it, which is not hard since we have 23 hours 38. It is a lump of pewter, than I hung on my computer. at the South Pole. 39. -Ian Friesland, June 1997 5. Here are the more comprehensible thoughts that resulted; Chapter The Second: Sigil Musings 6. I see two parallel lines intersecting a circle. (is there more to it than that?) 1. November 11th, 1997 7. I see the original ritualistic gestures of its shape carved on 2. Dear Amanda Bradley, Sister-in-the-Mother. the winds (where do they go?) 3. I wish you a happy Celtic Year and beginning of the Time 8. I see a fork and a knife on a plate (what was for dinner?) of Sleep in Reformed Druidism (Samhain to Beltane). 9. I see two chopsticks resting on a bowl (is it full or 4. As a present I offer you this Druid Sigil which I usually emptied?) give to new 3rd Orders. What does it mean? 10. I see a lid to a pot with bars to keep it from falling in 5. It is merely a lump of silver to some, worth $20. (what‘s for dinner?) 6. To others it is a symbol of weirdness, of people who refuse 11. I see a grate to filter out the flow of something (what‘s to to accept societies predetermined paths of spirituality. be kept out?) 7. To others it is a symbol by which to recognize other Druids, 12. I see two boards placed on a well-top (are you thirsty?) but verily I believe that there are many people in many 13. I see two pins and a ring, holding up a hairdo (how fancy is faiths or codes who follow the Druidic path but use a it?) different name for it. Seek these people, too. 14. I see a drum and two drum sticks (what music does your 8. To others, it is a symbol of their desire to control the rhythm accompany?) "magic" of Nature. I have done this too, but beware of 15. I see two saplings with the sun rising behind them (what egotism, because the control of Nature‘s magic can be will happen today?) abused, just as we have abused Nature‘s other resources. 16. I see two bars on window (is it locked?) 9. To others, it is an indefinite thing. This simple symbol has seemingly never been adopted or named before by any 17. I see a galloping turtle with his head pulled in. (what is he known group before 1963. It can be used as a tool without afraid of?) existing prejudice for teaching. 18. I see the world‘s tropics of cancer and Capricorn. (where 10. To you, it will mean whatever you wish. If you wear it, will you go?) people will associate your deeds and words with this 19. I see a thing that cannot be described (do you see it too?) symbol. 20. I see a baseball in mid-flight (how will you swing?) I give it to you with this in mind. 21. I see a bridge spanning over a pond (is it deep?) Yours in the Mother, Michael, Druid Missionary in Japan 22. I see rabbit ears on TV antenna. (What channel are you tuned to?) 23. I see a drawbridge of a castle entrance (what is protected?) 24. I see a Celtic cross, with swords unlocked (why were they fighting?) 25. I see some planks laid over a chasm (what made the hole?) 26. I see eyelashes on a half-closed eye (what does it see?) 27. I see the stalactite & stalagmite lined entrance to the Earth- Mother‘s womb (what will come out?) 28. I see three enclosed spaces (what else in there?) 29. I see a gold platter and two ivory tusks (was it worth the cost?) 30. I see the trails of two friends in a grassy meadow (which Figure 20 Akita Grove with Bon Den, c. 1997. flowers will they pick?) 709 The Book of Exile, Part One Chapter the Third: My Vision of the Sigil (By Irony, 1997-1990) 1. I've thought a bit about the sigil. The following is born out of my experiences with a Rosen Method practitioner, my Chapter the FIRST experiences with the Mists of the Stone Forest Grove in Minneapolis, as well as the events of the night of my vigil. 1. May 6, 1997 In Neopagan Druidism, such as we are, there is a tendency 2. Dear Mec, to three-ness. 3. I will not be in evidence over this summer. 2. There are a number of three aspected Godheads in Celtic 4. With any luck I will be wandering Wales and Ireland with mythology, for example. my estranged lady love. She had a dream some years ago 3. There is also the aspect of three in time, which has Gaelic that we would be in England together the summer before names for past, present and future that I cannot remember. her senior year. Self-fulfilling perhaps, or gratuitous wish 4. Also, the three realities that the Cosmic Tree unites: Upper granting, but we are formulating travel plans either way. World, This world, Lower World. Another "three" that we 5. Now I am working on a paper that has crashed four at Mists worked with is that of Gods & Goddesses, Nature computers and done outrageous power outage. Theological Spirits, and Ancestors. In our rituals we invoke these three. implications of the Ancient Mariner… Someone does not 5. The sigil of OBOD is the three rayed sign, commonly want the thing written. translated as the rays of spirit, mind, and body. 6. I seem accidentally to have declared a religion major, 6. My view of the RDNA sigil is that the two vertical rays primarily because I wanted Jackson as an advisor, and represent spirit and soul. Soul could alternately be called found that I am six courses ahead of the game. Time for mind. I see the difference between spirit and soul as being some time off. the two parts of life that reach for the heavens (spirit), and 7. There is an internship in Germany I may fall into next term, that which embraces the Earth(soul). I won't say that this is assuming I come back from the isles. Nothing academic, a sharp definition. just building twelve meter racing sailboats within half an 7. They could just as easily be two aspects of the same hour of both the North and Baltic oceans. immaterial aspect of a human as two different things 8. Carleton seems unsympathetic to people interested in altogether. learning about life rather than ivory. I dearly love the place 8. However, they have a body around them, and I believe that and the people, but I need some time to myself again. is very effectively symbolizes the unity of Life, especially 9. When do you reemerge from the east? within a Pagan worldview. 10. Irony 9. The two rays extending in both directions beyond the "body" can than have significant meanings of the need to Chapter the SECOND have the balance of an inner life coupled with the outer life of experience. 1. May 7th, 1998 10. I am a believer in the mind/body connection, and this sigil 2. Dear Mec, could well symbolize that too. 3. I‘ve settled back into Carleton at last after a long and full 11. That has been my experience of late with this Rosen year pursuing education in other forms and places. Practitioner. It's a subtle form of touch that reads the soul 4. I worked for a month at the end of last spring then poured as kept in the body. I was doing some experiments of my all the earnings into a plane to Germany where I stayed own in my last session, and the results were outstanding. until October, living alone, learning to drink, working with 12. This practitioner I see is good. If I changed my mind in a blacksmith, living off bread and brie and musslix. mid-stream, he felt it. I was changing my energies, by 5. I was in Nieder Saxon, Schleswig-Holstein where the centering very deeply. When I hit core, I get body rushes, Viking ?Empire‘ was centered, as far North as you can go and when I did, he immediately noted it. and not be in Denmark. Barrows are scattered about the 13. I was being silent the whole time, and experimenting with landscape, now largely forgotten and unmarked by the the method because I see this as being a powerful tool for locals, though I found the stubs of candles in the hollow of healing souls, which is a desire of mine. the crown of one. 14. So the sigil to me is very profound. I wear it constantly, and 6. I also spent a fair bit of time playing with the deer in the it serves to remind me of my Third Order calling. wild park. While doing that, I encountered a pleasant and awe-inspiring shock of a pure white doe. 15. -Robert Harrison, ODAL, Carleton Grove (associated) 7. The trip was badly organized and suffered from discrepant paradigms such that the only things that worked out were those I found for myself. By October I was ready to leave, which was good; they were ready to deport me! 8. So I went to England, reacquainted myself with my British relations whom I had not really seen in fourteen years. I stayed in London for two weeks in the company of an overbearing aunt and a discomfortingly beautiful cousin. She had the most distracting habit of greeting me with a kiss on the cheek. One that verged dangerously on the 710 electric corners of the lips upon occasion. I was very glad 23. I performed the weddings at Beltain to the great delight of we were related. the couples and onlookers. One was a couple from my class. The other, Harriet Erwin and her boyfriend, the secretary of 9. Then I traveled again to a commune in Swindon where I philosophy / religion / classics, if you don‘t recall. worked for a time and learned many things, to Avebury, where I wandered, was rained upon, and left an offering of 24. We danced the maypole into the ground and Michelle led blood on the old, old stones, to Glastonbury where I spent the last dance so that I could watch it all happen for once. the night on the Tor while the winds wept and invisible 25. I am happy in a peculiar way with the near future looking things clumped about the grass. full, serious, and wonderful. I miss my love immensely but 10. There I met an old, old witch, a beautiful Mauri woman in we will be together again for another while soon. I am sorry her late seventies, still clear of mind, but approaching death to have missed your wedding. who could see in me with a clarity that many miss having 26. Enough for now, for one letter, known me for years. 27. Yours in service, 11. Then home again by a wandering route where I returned to 28 Irony Merri, at last, and we spent a longer time together than we 29. Carleton College, MN have since the spring we met. I got to know my family again during those two months, the brother who is growing Chapter the THIRD up without me and the father who is more at peace than I have ever known him to be. 1. Date: Fri, 06 Nov 1998 14:44:00 –0600 12. I arrived in time for Samhain and a wonderful William 2. Druidism, as I practice it, is at its heart the recognition of friend of mine and I celebrated in style in a field only two things: below/beyond my home, out of sight of everything but stars. 3. That the spiritual search is important, individual, and life 13. After Christmas I left for Sea or SEA rather: Sea Education long, and that nature presents one avenue down which to Association - The Semester at Sea program, the most take this search. enlightening experiential, and challenging academic 4. What it requires is simply a great degree of intellectual phenomenon I have yet to encounter. honesty with ones self. You do not simply choose what you 14. I learned less about myself there than others did, of I went will believe; you search out what might be true and subject into it knowing more about this person that I am. I did learn it to some rigorous examination. much about how the world works, about power and resolve, 5. Approach life with the premise that everyone and how people change and function, and a dozen practical everything can teach you something you don't yet know, things of work and living. and knows something that you never will. 15. I turned as black as the Arab I am and lost fifteen pounds to 6. Druidism is about actively learning as much as you can sea sickness. Someday I will return to the sea. about life and yourself- not merely on the spiritual plane. 16. She is coming to Carleton in the fall, and I will teach her all 7. I could go on forever, but it will become a description of I know about the workings of this place and to the dubious my search, rather than classical reformed druidism if I wisdom and traditions of the last three years. continue much. 17. She has that rarest of gifts, true initiative. NO one 8. It may help you to know one of the very basic suppositions remaining here does. There is no feedback, no suggestions and assertions of that system. You have a right to believe are offered. Things happen only when out of the what you know to be true, no matter what anyone thinks of nothingness, I, or alas more rarely Michelle Hajder, decides it. that they will. Then people come participate and wander off again, without comment. 9. I would be glad to talk to you in person about anything. An important learning technique is sharing with others the 18. Chrissie, though, creates her own schemes and is inspired things you have learned, unlearned, or wondered about. by those she sees. She arrived at my door with a bag of Through their reflections on it, you glean a lot. tricks and announced that we were to celebrate. After the feeling I have here of having to force things through by my 10. Give me a call if you wish, or stop by. 646-4566. will and my presence - all the while trying not to be a 11. Irony. leader- it was unspeakably refreshing to have someone enthusiastic, creative in their own right and willing to walk Chapter the FOURTH beside, instead of behind or before. 1. Dear Mec, 19. I feel vaguely bad about planning for her to assume the leadership here and even a tad of humorous guilt for 2. After nearly four years I am no longer Carleton‘s ?importing‘ an active and dynamic Druid when there were Archdruid. It is an odd feeling. My sigil necklace broke on no local ones forth coming. I have known Chrissie since the trip home and there was a longish space of time where I before she could walk. Promoting her to Archdruidcy feels felt that I could no longer do magic, like that was a thing almost dynastic sometimes. that went with the position... How was your severance experience? 20. And now I‘ve returned. 3. It seems that I am still a servant of whatever it is I‘ve 21. I have designed the first ethics major at Carleton, which finally begun calling god. It‘s strange. may open up a new concentration. 4. I feel like this is another training period for a task I can‘t 22. Someone has stenciled John Lennon upon the north facing see yet. The other side of my brain thinks it‘s all hogwash stone of the circle. Somehow it does not bother me much. of course. Who is to say who is right? The place is well loved by the people here, the lady has a path beaten down to her and I find flowers and offerings 5. I enjoyed our contest last night. However long it took to there at times. recover from it... 711 6. I would be honored if you would come to my wedding. Chapter the THIRD 7. For the Apocrypha: ―Tread lightly on Fairy toes, and beware all drinking games with past Arch-Druids.‖ 1. I prefer to believe the first explanation. It could be wrong. 8. You taught me alot, Mec, I thank you. 2. Since I don't expect other people's lives to depend on familiar trees hugging them (or at least believing that 9. Til next time. familiar trees could hug them), I don't see that it matters 10. Irony what I'm believing about the tree (at least it is consistent 11. June 1999, New York with my animist spiritual beliefs). 3. The only thing "wrong" about my belief (as Mark Dwyer will point out) is that it assumes that Trees in general (and The Deity specifically) are even interested in or care what one human being is feeling for the rather short period of The Tree Epistle of John five minutes. (By John Burridge, 1999) 4. But hey, it beats being nihilistic about the world. 5. - John Chapter the FIRST 1. January 17th, 1999 18:34:13 -0800ï?êM 2. You wrote: Tomorrow‘s tea will be focused around a discussion. 'Are we making it all up?‘ The search, the circle, god, magic, meaning... ?Is any of it really there?' 3. I'm not so sure that the question, "Are we making it all up?" is a useful question. (Well, OK, it's one which philosophers have been asking about reality for a while... but then I'm a theatre major disguised as a physics major disguised as a computer person.) 4. Certainly we're being slightly more conscious about how we interpret what we are sensing. Unless you meant, "Is what we're experiencing something which can be measured with machines?" maybe a more interesting question could be, "What is making us choose to organize our sensory input in a way which includes magic, the search, etc.?" Chapter the SECOND 1. For example, once, while I was hugging a tree, it hugged me back. 2. Now, it didn't grow arms, and the branches didn't move to squeeze my shoulders, but at the time I felt a warmth and a sensation of touch around my shoulders. That I experienced Figure 21 Betsy at New Circle, Beltane 1997. a hug is a truth. 3. The explanation of "what really happened" is another matter. A non-exhaustive list of explanations: 4. The Spirit of the Tree decided that I needed a hug and did something with ectoplasm (or what have you). 5. I was rather depressed at the time, and in need of some kind of comfort so badly that I imagined the tree hugging me strongly enough to "feel" it. 6. By hugging the tree, I somehow brought our "fields" together, and the exchange of "charge" between the tree and my body registered as a sensation of heat and pressure. 7. By hugging the tree, I relaxed my shoulder muscles and the release in tension caused a small muscle spasm interpreted as a shoulder hug. 8. Radiation from the Reed College nuclear reactor just happened to pass through my shoulders at the same time that I was hugging the tree. 9. The Deity saw that I needed comfort, and caused Radiation Figure 22 Irony at Old Circle, Samhain 1996. from the Reed College nuclear reactor to pass through my shoulder at the time I was hugging the tree. 10. None of the above. All of the above. 712 The Book of Q The Book of the Sermon (By Q, 1999) (By Pat of Akita Grove) 1. Aye, it was a bad omen, for it was Midsummer‘s Day, the Chapter the FIRST: Introduction longest day of the year, and yet a service was held in the forest of Takayama. 1. "Arf! Wan! Wan!" as we say in Doggese, or as I say, in English, "Hey there, how are you doing?" 2. Mike‘s arrival in our country was certainly a mixed blessing, for although he brought the teachings of the 2. I'm not sure I should be here, I'm borrowing Mike's Reform to blend with our Shinto, he did also bring with keyboard while he takes a nap. him his speeches. 3. He seems very busy writing stuff here, so I thought I'd 3. It is unfortunate that Mike is inspired with enough thoughts write a few things from my perspective. to keep several men busy, thus he wishes to dispense the extra ones to those around him. Chapter the SECOND: The Basics 4. For many weeks he had worked on that speech and for 1. Food and drink is good. Can't state that too strongly. many minutes did it last. 2. Play and rest is good. Amen to that! 5. A priest of Belenos, Mike did verily stop the sun in the 3. I like people to be nice to me. heavens, for time seemed to stretch beneath the torrent of words that he unleashed on the listeners. 4. Don't bite the hand that feeds you, unless they're being idiots. 6. Grass grew several inches, brains froze and drool escaped the lips of some of his victims. Chapter the THIRD: Other Pleasures 7. Several were enlightened as their minds sought escape from their bodies, others writhed in abject boredom. 1. I don't know about sex, they neutered me, bastards.... 8. Having studied the ancients, he felt not the urgent press of 2. If it itches, scratch. youth, and seemed bent on remaining there talking until we 3. Chase anything that moves. all had reached great age. 4. Did I mention food? 9. What was said was not remembered, but valuable insight was inadvertently gained from the message. Chapter the FOURTH: Other Stuff 10. When the words, stopped, and consciousness returned to 1. Every day is special and new. the listeners, all blew a kiss to Mike, to remind him of an ancient Druid lesson, known by the masses. 2. Go for walkies, mountains and forests and rivers are good. 11. Keep It Short & Simple. 3. Forget the paths and just wander about, you'll find something new this way. 4. Visit your friends often. 5. Clothes and leashes get in the way of the good life. 6. When playing in the water, don't fight the current, just cross the river. 7. If you talk too much, especially near unawake people, they get angry at you. Chapter the FIFTH: Conclusion 1. Hey, this writing thing is pretty easy, huh? 2. Gotta go. He's waking up again.... Q the Dog July 30th, 1999 Akita, Japan Figure 24 Pat doing Sirona's Shugyo Service, at the Figure 23 Akita Grove Circle, c. 1998. Akita Grove’s waterfall c.1998. 713 3. I have moved in this year from the pyrhhic and phoenix-The Book of Exile, Part Two like sacrifice of leading, loving and leaving a grove and into what must be old territory for you: the life of a devout, (By Irony, 1999-2001) wandering, groveless and lonely Druid priest. 4. Tonga is a lonely place in which to be a druid. The land and Chapter the FIRST the people both challenge and passively assault my understanding and values. 1. Dear Mike 5. Much of what we do as druids harks back to the life and 2. I read all the books you sent me. Thank you deeply. cycles of Mother Earth. The seasons, Beltain, the living and 3. Machiavelli was fascinating, deserving of further study. dead halves of the year, growth and rebirth... The one truly disturbing thought it produced was this: will 6. Even if you do not postulate the horned king, consort to the any system of thought that does not make the acquisition of Goddess, whose life is that of the changing seasons - birth power one of its objectives eventually become a tool for in mid-winter, love in spring, growth, maturity and one that does? If so, what are we to do about it? sacrifice at Samhain- there is much that is tied implicitly to 4. As my mother kindly pointed out one must distinguish the mysteries of the natural world. between force and power, but still I suspect the quandary 7. But now I am thrust into confronting what I had always remains. wondered about: the cycles we follow are those of a 5. The Buddhist answer -- I suspect-- would be to distinguish NORTHERN TEMPERATE world. Here in the tropical between inner and outer power. Have enough power in South, things differ. There is no spring, no autumn, no time yourself and noone can wield power over you (or have no of general death and growth. self...) 8. The moon remains, bless her, but she travels widdershins. 6. When I think of Reformed Druidism as a "system" of An anti-clockwise sky! I knew it would be that way in my thought, it seems that its goal - if it has one- is mind, and I have adjusted my internal compass for the understanding. navigation, but then deeper questions begin to spring. 7. (I also suspect it is also too small and esoteric a way for 9. Clockwise, I have learned and practiced (during the rare any external power monger to notice!) The old Druids occasions when I engage in ritual or external magic though, were very powerful, and very hard to manipulate - working) is the natural and appropriate direction of things. which is why Rome had them killed. Bears thinking Beginnings, summonings, progressions, growth, movement, about.... callings - every natural ―Good‖ ritual movement begins clockwise. North East South West, with endings, 8. Fate seems to enjoy messing with my mind. Each time I get banishments, etc. being the opposite. something all planned out the wyrds weave some new thread past mine that sets me all adrift again. I don not 10. All that was explained and justified by the movement of the know if I will aim for Japan. heavens and anti-clockwise movement is now regarded as ―un-natural.‖ The ―left-hand path‖ was never, explicitly 9. The need to do useful work, that I can believe in, is nagging mind you, to be avoided as destructive and evil. at me and I am struck with Socrates‘ truth that the philosopher needs to be a citizen of the world. The U.N.‘s 11. Now the stars move widdershins above me, and I must ask calling me. if the practice of magic is relative to geography (for every ritual culture I know of in the north proceeds clockwise...) 10. The creation of a cooperative peaceful, culturally diverse and environmentally sound planet is something I could 12. Now there are no seasons, and I must wonder if different work for whole-heartedly. I know not by what means I gods and goddesses hold sway. The Earth remains - the would do this, nor how, now where, but it tempts me to try. Goddess is eternal- but does the Green Man peer between the coconut palms? Does Llyr swim amidst the reefs I see? 11. My worry is the assertion that the world‘s ills are not susceptible to political solutions, but spiritual ones.... There 13. Does the Wild Hunt of the Northern Climes hold any truck seems to be some truth in that. with hurricanes? Do the Gods I know and serve even visit these regions or have they siblings I have yet to meet and 12. The Bahai‘s (worth intensive study - they are practically love? Druids already!) maintain that the purpose of religion is peaceable union and understanding, a cross cultural binding 14. It is easy to say that all the gods and all their lovers are but force - and insist further that it is better to be without facets of one Brahmanian whole, but it is a difficult thing to religion than to support one that serves division. Them too I act upon. I was consecrated a priest of the Lord of the must learn more about.... Groves ( though by my well-meaning but foolish tongue I may have been the last) and I am faithful to that charge, but 13. Yours truly, Irony if Landu‘s son is a purely temperate beast where does that leave me in the tropics? 15. Such questions are the product of a fevered mind. The Chapter the Second spiritual quest may be furthered through the study and experience of nature- all of her. Dalon ap Landu: Lord of the Palm Trees Irony Sade, ODAL, VCN, in Tonga 16. If I have wandered farther afield than our linguistic predecessors it is absurd to blame my confusion on their ignorance. 1. Spring 2001? The Goddess is Mother of all, and the lord of the Groves is 2. Druidism becomes exactly as serious as you take it to be present even amongst palm trees. Let not the Welsh name I (not serious-dull, but rather, important, personal, life met him under distract me from that fact. affecting.) You and I have taken it more seriously than most, and have (I hope) been rewarded accordingly. 714 Its existence was highlighted by the recent arrival of an anthropologist who stayed for a month at the other end of Chapter the THIRD town. 16. She has been studying the culture of Tonga (actually the What do Druids Do? cultural change and how housing reflects that) for nine months, but apparently only the more diluted samples you 1. June 2001 find on the bigger islands. She tried to play a game which I 2. Dear Mec, have long learned to avoid, and was in too deep within two days and had to flee the island under threat of imminent 3. One of the men I work with here, Saia, by name, has been marriage. Very entertaining. asking me about Druidism. 17. Somehow or other I have now been here over a year. Next 4. Religion plays a huge role in Tongan life, and I often ask Beltaine will mark my release from the Peace Corps. Still him to describe parts of its impact. no clear plan on what is to follow. Japan is looking less 5. Invariably he returns the questions; ―What are the religious likely. duties of a druid?‖, ―What money does the church collect, 18. So is traveling right round the world, a trip many ex-and what is it used for?‖, ―What are the requirements for volunteers arrange. I have gotten too deeply into this being a priest?‖, ―What obligations do they have?‖, ―Do culture to enjoy a touristic whirlwind of several dozen they serve for life?‖, ―Can they marry?‖, ―Are there others. I intend to see many other countries, but I wish to Druidic schools?‖, ―To what moral code are Druids know them personally, and that will take time. bound?‖ 19. I know I will return to the states, see my family, maybe 6. As it is the delicious doom of every Druid to answer such publish a few stories. If possible I would like to criss-cross things for his or her self, I can only pass the questions on. the country a time or two, visiting al my scattered friends May they stimulate much thinking. and correspondents. Perhaps I will build a new harp and 7. A thing that fascinates me about his line of questioning is simply be a bard for a while. Tis still too soon to tell.. its purely practical focus. Not ―What do you believe?‖ but 20. There is yet another Pai Kava running across the road, ―What do you do?‖ possibly the last one with electric lights for some time. The 8. In a way it is not such a bad place to start. Actions are island is out of gasoline again. driven by values, which may be derived from and 21. I‘ve had to cut back on my kava intake. I hit a stretch where supported by wildly divergent beliefs. Thus, if it be found I was drinking every night for three weeks running. Several that a group of Druids hold similar values, they can act in gallons a day. The stuff is a drug, after all. Turns you into a concert, even if those values are supported by different or lizard if you don‘t watch it. even incompatible beliefs which each individual has developed through his or her independent search for 22. Much of the business gets transacted at such gatherings, so spiritual truth. they are still obligatory, but I try not to drink so long these days. 9. The forum then becomes: I value X; therefore I will do Y. This shift in paradigms has immediate consequences. Not 23. Hope all is reasonably well state-side. How‘s that the least being that it moves one out of the highly contested Washington Grove coming? and poorly articulated realm of theology. 24. Yours in service. 10. Values, furthermore, seem to have a longer half-life than 25. Irony. beliefs, which may suddenly shift in the light of new experience. Changes in what people value come only - I Chapter the FOURTH suspect- with a distinct change in a person‘s character, which experience shows is rare indeed. 1. December 19, 2001. 11. The challenge is that one must engage in serious 2. Rain. Thought we might be in for a hurricane last night. introspection to discover to which values one is really 3. We had to seal all the windows of the town hall and to keep committed. the water out. Now the wind has left for somewhere cooler 12. I did tell Saia the three moral commands supposedly taught and we retain only a solid perpendicular drizzle. by the old Druids: ―Act Bravely, Honor the Gods, Do No 4. I can‘t recall if I mentioned my chickens. Evil.‖ Tongan is a tongue of many puns, and I discovered 5. For the longest time, I held off adopting any, figuring I as I said it that the last statement also translates as ―Don‘t could have either them or a garden. With zero local Fu*k Badly,‖ a commandment bound to enthuse a certain vegetables, the latter was more important. class of Druids…. 6. One day, I came home to find two young hens hiding under 13. Life here is good. Much of my work involves counseling my bed. I took the hind, tied them up and built a large cage and advising rather than hands on work. Sowing seeds of to keep them in. reason into the discussion of kindergarten politics, 7. One puzzling fact about chickens is that after a week or two suggesting accounting changes in the youth groups budget, in a new environment, they forget having lived anywhere encouraging people to engage in continuing education ( and else. Once these two were thoroughly brainwashed I let walking them through the application!) them roam free. 14. To a large extent, I am simply living here, being part of an 8. First thing they did was devour my cabbages and tear up alien community, understanding and participating in its life, the onions. They haven‘t even produced any eggs yet! caring for my neighbors. The island‘s doctor has started referring me his patients, which is a bit ridiculous. 9. Still, they are adorable – and I can always eat them if they bug me too much. 15. Most important to me I am starting to understand how people here think and am now able to engage in the same 11. Time flies like a hummingbird. Magically still while sort of thinking myself. That competence snuck up on me. sucking life‘s nectar, then gone too fast to follow. My time 715 approaches the latter phase. Twelve weeks till escape from 3. There they were witness to no fewer than five simultaneous paradise. thunderstorms, spied several rare species of birds, bathed in a pool sheltered in the rainforest, and were blessed with the 12. With luck I will be home for Beltaine. opportunity to behold real live lava. 13. Send nothing to Tonga after March 16. 4. The Archfool himself undertook to climb over the lip of the 14. Till then, I remain your sunburnt emissary. cinder-cone to get a better look at the fire. (Tied to a firmly 15. Irony. anchored rope--he is learning a few things!) Others were then able to scramble up the same rope and hold onto him Chapter the FIFTH while gazing a hundred meters straight down to the place where rocks are melted up and born again. 1. The following account is perfectly true and factual. The 5. Some days later he made a solo trip back up the cone events happened last Friday. Makes you wonder just how without the rope (Goddess watching is dangerously thorough the missionaries were: addictive) and was blessed with a double lung-full of 2. HARD CORE PAGANS IN TONGA sulfuric acid and a badly lacerated leg while fleeing the 3. After being assured by the Doctors that there was nothing cloud of vapors that emerged to punish his precocious-ness. wrong with him, Siona Piko (false name) visited a good 6. Bridgit is known in these parts as "Pele." Tongan being Christian card reader to diagnose ongoing pains in his what it is, the word has several other meanings too--abdomen. Dolphins, card playing, and Spinach-like trees all share the 4. The reader examined his playing cards and announced that name of the Goddess of Fire. In such a heavily contextual two of Siona‘s deceased in-laws were trying to take the language invocation becomes a dangerous and haphazard family with them. Sinoa‘s wife had died just before his art. pains started, her brother only months before. Unless the 7. If all goes well I should escape in March or April and be spirits were stopped they would haul off the whole family. home for April or May. I have not seen New York in 5. Siona returned to his island and tearfully related the story to springtime for seven years. It is about time to get home. the surviving relatives. ―I know I‘m going to die,‖ he told them. 6. Two of Siona‘s good Wesleyan cousins decided enough was enough. They stole into the graveyard in the early morning and dug up the bones of the two offenders. 7. Carrying as many parts as they could, they snook to the lava field, doused the bodies in kerosene and burned them in the night. The skulls they carried to the wharf and then threw them into the sea, which promptly spat them back out. 8. ―We are Christians!‖ the local priest bellowed at Mass the next Sunday. ―Stop doing this! Haven‘t I taught you anything?‖ 9. Villagers were somewhat sympathetic, ―Sure, we dig up our families graves … to clean and oil the bones sometimes.‖ 10. Said one woman who spoke to me on conditions of anonymity; ―The Spirits occasionally make us sick then show up to complain about tree roots prying their ribs apart. Once we clean the grave they always leave us alone.‖ 11. Others were merely terrified of ghostly reprisals because the bones had not been completely destroyed. According to the police officer who recovered the ashes, the deceased were still alive and well and prevented his car from starting when he tried to leave for work. 12. ―Go away and let me do my job!‖ he cried. Under Tonga‘s very Christian law such acts carry a ten year sentence. 13. The local Druid when pressed for comment, smiled quietly behind his tea cup and simply asked if Siona Piko had recovered. 14. Fresh off the coconut wireless report Figure 25 Above Mike, below Stephen Crimmins 15. Irony Sade Reporting bobbing for Druid Donuts while tickled, Beltane 2001. 16. P.S. Still digesting Marcus Aurelius‘ ―Meditations‖. Very good. Definitely high class paganism. Chapter the SIXTH 1. Dear Mike, 2. Representatives of the Volcano Grove recently undertook a pilgrimage to the island of Tofua. 716 Chapter the Fourth Book of Stones, Part Two 1. After a journey racing the sun, Mike came to the land of the (By Mike, 2001) Rising Sun, far to the North where tradition and farming held sway across the land. Chapter the Third 2. At this center of international learning, there was a park famed throughout the prefecture. 1. Few were more charming and charismatic that Irony of the 3. It had been built at the time the university had been Black Locks, whose glance could open a hundred hearts founded, and the final stone of several trilithions was set and plunge one into mystery. that autumn after Mike did arrive. 2. Many were the times Irony did mosey up to the Hill of 4. Circles of stones, and natural springs abounded here, and Three Oaks to reflect on the Reform. water grates shaped like that of sigils. 3. There stood the mysterious Twelve Stones on a rise nearby, 5. Mike did take it as a sign that it was a Druidic place to live, and often surrounded by trash and high grass, for they were and four years did he remain there, teaching English and beloved by students, but shunned by grounds crew, who Druidic culture to the children of that tribe. were greatly angered by their presence. 6. Like those mighty megaliths, for which Akita is famous, 4. Perhaps, the anger was caused by their mysterious Mike‘ appearance, for they appear suddenly in the morning, like mushrooms popping out of the ground, or fallen from the sky. Chapter the Fifth 5. Not a blade of grass was bent nearby or footprint could be found to explain what force brought such heavy boulders to 1. Long an island in the Lakes of Lyman was heart-shaped, that spot, and no sooner were the stones removed, but they and this was known as Mai-Fete island, for all the May returned, often in the same location. Festivals in the early 20th Century. 6. Irony did notice however, that their upkeep did keep him 2. Next to this island was an un-named twin. too busy, and a more secluded resting place for the stones 3. Both were very bushy with scrub and small trees until the must be sought, since the Hill of Three Oaks is a very busy beginnings of the 21st century, when whackers of weeds spot. and saws of chains did reduce their wild natures to a 7. Importuning the president of the College and ground‘s crew, pristine patch of tamed grass. his petitions naturally found favorable ears and things were 4. The smaller island was named Stewsie Island after Mr. put in motion, large machines that did crush their earth Stewart who managed the Arb for many decades on beneath their wheels, as the stones had to be transferred Ground‘s Crew. over many intervening hills and forest, to a site that was remote and untouched by the hand of vandals. 5. Labyrinth walking had become popular at Carleton since the reappearance of the Stone Circle on the Hill of Three 8. In a consortium of ancient astrological planning, for which Oaks, and around the time of the Stones of Irony, an in-laid the Druids are often attributed great skill, and the might of labyrinth was put on Stewsie Island. modern machines, the stones were placed in a circle, with an enormous three edged altar stone of alabaster white in 6. Happy students and insightful townspeople swarmed to the center, resting upon three other stones. walk on them barefoot, and legend has it that if you can walk to the center blind-folded and barefooted without 9. None knew what lay beneath, except Irony, for not all touching the edges, then you are rather quite special. secrets are revealed. 7. But not for long, did people without shoes use these paths, 10. Many legends have arisen about the Stones of Irony, or the as a force of birds, did enforce a new regime on this island Stone Circle, as it is known. A powerful place it is. paradise, once known as Dinosaur Island. 11. For many years, it has become the chosen place of Beltanes 8. Oft have the ducks been seen to wander this labyrinth, not and ordinations, as the Hill of Three Oaks is often reserved paying head to the convoluted path dictated by the designer, by others with other agendas. nay, they walked right across them, and verily shat about 12. And yet, no sooner had the stone circle been created, but them with wild abandon. another circle did appear close to the Hill of Three Oaks, a 9. Such wise ducks were these. sly circle, that hid in the tall grasses beneath an oak on the edge of a field. 10. The authorities took umbrage at this, and action followed, with fences placed at the edges of the island to fend off the 13. And the wonder is that this was the spot where the altar invaders, who took to the air, and then landed on the stones stone came from; perhaps to take its place guarding one anyway, to continue their political message of rebellion. entrance to the area of the Hill of Three Oaks. 14. A mystery it is 717 7. Mike sat still and examined his heart, and felt for wise Book of Vigils, Part Two words from his years of experience in the diversity of Druidism. And he found some. (By Mike, 2003) 8. ―It will not be necessary.‖ He said, and the weight of history was felt in the room. Chapter the Fifteenth 9. ―For the work of Dalon Ap Landu is not dependent on his name, but by your actions (if not your words), the work of 1. My Vigil for my Third Order was way back in '75. the Third Order may be done. In the past, this Grove has 2. Joan and Robert Larson came and visited me a few times had many before me who followed a similar course. I during the first part of the night. would not second guess their tradition either.‖ 3. This was at a park in El Cerrito, California. There was a 10. Sister Merri did choose to walk the Arb, a restless soul like meadow not far from where I sat, and it seemed to be lit her did not stay in one place, for she was of the roaming with many little strange lights so I wondered whether there kind. And yet she guided Carleton for 4 years. were fairies dancing in the meadow. 11. In the morning, on the Hill of Three Oaks, she did into the 4. I spent the last part of the night as dawn came having a Third Order, but in a way, unseen for many years. telepathic conversation with a gnome about 30 feet away 12. Her work in the ensuing years, shows that the Gods have from me. favored her appointment with great showers of successful 5. When it was light enough to see, I saw that the gnome had groving. turned into a stump. 13. The solution is to learn from her. 6. Then Joan and Robert Larson came to get me, ordained me, and we had the traditional breakfast at Smokey Joe's in Chapter the Eighteenth: Robert Berkeley. 1. Lo! Robert, a carpenter, a burly man of athletic build, who 7. -Tegwedd ShadowDancer could pull wisdom from the fire as easily as he pulls helpless people from burning buildings. Chapter the Sixteenth: Amanda 2. A Druid who, like Brother Sam, has explored the range of 1. You asked about my vigil. It was one of the most surreal Druidism, but still finds a place for the Reform‘s teachings experiences of my life. in his lifestyle. 2. Michelle started out with me in the lower Arb shortly 3. A Druid who has contemplated the lofty teachings of Nepal before sunset. She shared with me information I would find to the base lessons of the streets. A gentle, witty man with valuable through the night. calluses and a blue bottle of strange liquor. 3. As darkness fell, I expected it to bring fear, but I felt fear 4. Brother Robert, a strong tree, was an older Druid, twice the only once that entire night when something ran across a age of the supple saplings of the Carleton Grove, and field and I though it came at me through the foliage lining whose years of experience were well-appreciated by his the trail. grove-mates. 4. I did a lot of thinking before the sun rose that morning, 5. Vigiling with Brother Ehren, he stead-fastly remained by mostly about the mother-daughter relationship I have with the fire, a friend of his and often bitter foe. In the morning, the Earth/Goddess (I‘m Wiccan). the wood was only ashes, but the fire remained in his piercing stare of a Druid who was awake. 5. I saw it as an omen that I stood on the hill at sunrise, a doe and her fawn stepped into view in a nearby field. I can 6. Mounting the Hill of Three Oaks, he did call forth his think of nothing else to say about the experience, it was dreams and hopes of doing the work of the Third Order, beyond any verbal description. and the winds responded kindly. Chapter the Seventeenth: Merri Chapter the Nineteenth: Ehren 1. What do you do about a problem named Merri? 1. While Brother Robert was in the woods, Brother Ehren was elsewhere seeking the Deer King who stalked the woods 2. A woman of great charisma, leadership and energy, who that night. bedazzles all who gaze into her deep eyes and hear her laugh. Greater still are the chains that link one‘s heart who 2. Deep in the Lower Arb, beyond the paths trod by mere hears her wise words. students, Ehren did go forth, seeking truths others were uncomfortable with. 3. She was and is a Druid who dares to ask the boldest questions, such as why should I follow Dalon Ap Landu? 3. Then he heard the fierce cry in the still of the night. A sound not possible from a single throat, but rather from the 4. The question came as a thunderclap to Mike, the Fool, who shrieks of a quartet of demons. had journeyed from the Western Isles of the Ocean to assist in the ordination. 4. Not one to be afraid, Ehren did go straightly and seek out this horrendous source of noise. Tirelessly, the many miles 5. ―Because we have always done so.‖ was his first reply, one did pass quickly beneath his feet. that was bitter even as he said it. For in those words, he realized a truth long dormant. 5. Tall was the figure in the moonlight, drapped in black with no face, tall horns and a contraption under its arm that 6. The first order, yea, even the second order were without a appeared to be a deadly octopus. name; pure in their naiveté; but yet the third order did come with a patron, one verily who was not known in the annals 6. Another blast from the beast, did shake Ehren‘s soul to its of history. Few wish to serve those they do not know. base, yet he stepped forward to ask questions. But what those questions were, and their answers, are known only to Ehren, for he was forbidden to speak of them to others. 718 7. In the morning, Mike did awake from his meditation on the 7. The descent through boulders, twisted tree trunks and spirits, having journeyed himself into realms where thought slippery gullies was as trying as the ascent, but at a more did not venture. rapid speed; for so long had he talked with the maiden of the night, that he had not heard the approach of her bright 8. Ehren did enter the Third Order after fierce questioning, lover storming the horizon. ready to do its work. 8. Mike felt the heavy passage of time, and was afflicted by bugs thirsty for his bloods. Where was this young novice Chapter the Twentieth: Nozomi Druid, and why did he so resolutely refuse to appear with 1. Sister Nozomi, born at the cross-roads of two travelers, the dawn? pulled in two directions, seeking a place to call home. One 9. In a spring and a stumble, out of the bushes flew the wild of those way-stations was the RDNA, which would adapt to madman, bleeding and bruised, but smiling. ―Am I late?‖ her changing circumstances. was his only apology. 2. Bold, dark haired and with a soft heart for her friends, 10. With the solar disk, a man‘s height over the stunning edge Nozomi lived in a land far from the usual haunts of Druids, of the world, Pat did take the oaths and promises, then the till one day a tall man named Mike did meet her at a place long trudge home began, since vehicles were prohibited by of learning. Pat‘s geas. 3. No simple place it was, but of people passing each other. Some to the West, some to the East, growing wiser through the meeting. Chapter the Twenty-Second: Dan 4. Her father was a priest of the Shinto faith, and was now teaching her the ways of tending to the shrine and the Way 1. Dan the trusty, Dan the debater, long will you remain in our of the Gods. And yet, she knew of other ways, from other memory. lands, and this troubled her heart, as she could not pick 2. From a lineage of the loquacious, a dynasty of debater, only one. great is you glib. 5. Nozomi spent the night taking a pounding beneath a 3. Despite a busy night of other vigilers‘ taking the attention, waterfall, in the cool mountains of Northern Japan, with but you performed marvelously when called to the Stones of a white slip to fend off the rasping water. Irony, to defend your beliefs. 6. Water passed over, around and through her, cleansing until 4. On the great circle of boulders were perched the council of it hurt, and then until nothing could be felt anymore. Druids, waiting to hear Dan‘s words. 7. In that quiet place she thought on her destiny and found 5. On the great center altar stone stood Dan, defiantly and many answers that eased her heart. modest, bracing himself for the questions that would come. 8. Such was her composure, tired but confident, ready to add a 6. And come they did, like a hail of stones, from all directions. new flavor to the Druidism, one that the world had not yet 7. Frantically, but methodically, he fended them off with seen. replies both short and long. 8. Many a Druid before him had dropped speechless early on, Chapter the Twenty-First: Pat for these were not easy questions. 1. Brave Pat, fearlessly denying himself the wonders of the 9. Indeed, many a questioning Druid soon found themselves modern world. Living in a dinky shrine, on a distant without further questions to pose. mountain in an unknown corner of a far-away land. The 10. And all agreed he had performed well, perhaps a little too sound of flushing water is not heard there. well, for they were discomforted by their own abilities in 2. Spouse of Nozomi, seeker of wisdom, bearer of the sharp the comparison. scraping tongue of bardic majesty; such a Druid is rare 11. Thus did Dan enter their ranks. among rarities. 3. He began at a Druidic university in Akita, a land known as Chapter the Twenty-Third: Ikari the Fields of Autumn, for the bountiful harvests that the Earth-Mother blesses there, the beautiful women that feed 1. Brother Ikari was a man of great literary talent and glib in on the rice, and the husky men who drink the rice-wine. the use of the tongues of English and Japanese, and deeply Fanciful are their haircuts and plentiful the barbers to make informed on the mysteries of Keltria and Wicca. them! 2. In the city of Kobe, known as the Door of the Gods, did 4. Brother Pat, did undergo the vigil in a yet more distant and Ikari choose to enter the Third Order after long consultation steep mountain, many kilometers from navigable river or by mail with Mike. A city of commerce and great wealth, passable path. Mike was sore afflicted in his toes to reach hugging the shores of an inland sea, dotted with islands; it only the base camp. How much more admirable to climb was filled with busy streets and bustling people. the mountain! 3. At a bench by the ocean, many questions did pass both 5. And climb it, Pat did, like a mountain goat in the night, ways, as the two Druids grew in deeper appreciation of bruises and scrapes were generously received without each other, and Ikari learned of the finer details of the Third comment impolite. Order. 6. In the midst of the night, on the summit peak, he did gaze 4. But where to vigil? Hardly a scrap of green was to be seen upon the silvered mirror of moon and cried out his in such a metropolis. questions. Sometimes the moon glowed bright in response, 5. A few inquiries at shrines came up negative, and a city map other times, it hid behind clouds, when answers were not to was inspected. Like most cities in Japan, Kobe was nestled be given. between mountainous interior and pounding ocean. 719 6. The direction was up, and Mike grudgingly trudgingly Chapter the Twenty-Fifth: Alyx climbed another mountain, led by the gifted Ikari, who could read the map better. Provisions were procured at a 1. A mile above the ocean, in the midst of great snowy peaks, nearby outfitter for the long journey. a young lady, steeped in wisdom, named Alyx, did realize 7. On a Saturday night, the large mountain perched that she was a Druid. university‘s athletic fields were mostly uninhabited, and 2. Through long and torturous circuits, she did locate Mike, various constructions to test the athlete‘s metal filled the and began to correspond, not quiting, despite Mike‘s plain. Down below was Kobe at night, like a jewel box of difficulty in communicating in comprehensible sentences. sparkling diamonds wrapped in a velvety black shawl. 3. Nay, she seemed to thrive on it. 8. ―We will have a marvelous time here.‖ Mike did opine. 4. One knows not where the Druidic spark will flare up, but 9. From the bushes burst forth a raging, hairy porcine from you know it often when you see it. Celtic legends, bearing fangs, and followed by two smaller 5. Deep in the slopes, at a friend‘s hermitage, she did vigil, wild boars. not far from the garden, for bears did roam the woods, 10. The two Druids were sorely afflicted by fear, but bravely jealous of their preserve. sought to examine them more closely, from the top of the 6. It was cold, and then it was colder. Heat up it did not. And Jungle Gym. the air was thinner than thin. 11. The mighty boar did scoff at their cowardice and proceeded 7. In the morning, Mike did come by the power of Taranis, to eat their lunch with piggy abandon. and other visitors did come also. 12. Sated, the great scrapper did leave the Druids with a lesson 8. First of the guardian spirits was a golden dog with a long in humility. coat and wet tongue who did drool profusely, long did he 13. The following drizzle did not drastically dampen the duo‘s not stay. Druidic decorum. 9. Second of the spirits was a deer with a rack of points, 14. After a few more comforting words, Mike did leave Ikari, points that she wished the young Druid to learn and and did walk up into the chilly woods, to think himself on understand. what had been said. 10. Finally, there was a spider, who did weave a message for 15. The hours passed slowly, then stopped, and then started to her to learn. budge again. 11. Filled with a sense of purpose, and still pondering these 16. Lo!, but the sunrise across the bay approached like an mysteries, Alyx did undertake new responsibilities. arthritic man, and come it did. 17. Both shivering Druids did greet the arrival of Belenos and promptly began the service, and ran to catch the morning Chapter the Twenty-Sixth: Daniel trains to their respective hometowns. 1. Daniel, deep and demure Druid of the Pacific Rainforest. 18. Thus did Ikari add another achievement to his list of honors. 2. Long have been your journeys through Druidism, to many strange and diverse creeds. Chapter the Twenty-Forth: Stacey 3. What brought you to the Reform, if not for the simplicity that your complicated studies lacked? 1. Not all Druids are hasty in their progression into order, for 4. On all manner of groups, you have published information, some, the movement is one with the glaciers, carefully at a time, when I was modestly offering literature from my scouring the path before them, to smooth the way. own. 2. Such was the case with Sister Stacey, who spent seventeen 5. With your advice and guidance, perhaps it raised the years before entering the Third Order, so great was her quality of the ARDA by a few notches, more if I had patience and wisdom. listened closer. 3. As with most pre-arranged vigils, the weather of sunny 6. Immersed in wisdom, surrounded by beauty, betrothed to California had other plans, and a fierce storm joined her, diversity, raising the future; these are what all Druids wish the likes of which had not been seen in decades. for. 4. Larry the Lax guided and supported her vigil with all his 7. Well, it is that you came to Druidism, better has it become. might, but the battle did cost him dearly, and afterwards he spent a long time in recovery with doctors. 8. Deer also appeared and birds were heard. 5. Drenched, but Druidic, Stacey stepped forth to continue the 9. What projects will you delve it next? esteemed work of the powerful dynasty of the Live Oak Grove, publishing the Druid Missal-Any. 6. And with the wisdom gained from the long years, the Third Order‘s duties came easily and gracefully, as she assisted others in their paths. 720 Chapter the Twenty-Seventh: Steve Chapter the Twenty-Ninth: Mairi 1. Steve, young Steve, slender and fair, what could have 1. Oft did you wander the streets of Northfield when I was brought you there? visiting, and did partake of services, with you hard-headed 2. A vigil, a night spent all alone; your wits to wander, your concern for proper procedure; have I softened you, yet? goals to hone. 2. Not the way of student did you pursue, but a path of service 3. None could dissuade such youthful verve, and all criticisms at a place that dispensed food to hungry travelers. missed a nerve. 3. Much was I taught by you, little did I teach. 4. Engaged with fire, you gazed til morn, and thus a new 4. It was an uneventful vigil, wasn‘t it? A long night tending druidship was born. the fires with you flute music echoing into the walls of the 5. Patriarch of Hephastus, lord of fire, your path will apt go Arb‘s trees. higher and higher. 5. Gladly did you take up you duties when you left for the Capital of this country, where I would meet you again, by Chapter the Twenty-Eighth: Wolf the pull of fate. 1. Wolf, a hunter, seeking his prey, which must be of wisdom, Chapter the Thirtieth: Eric at such a tender age. 2. Long did you discuss matters, such that the elderly may 1. Clever Eric, wise Eric, ever studious, and yet showing up at never have reflected. services more often than not, to console this lonely Druid. 3. Piercingly straightforward, each word competently adorned 2. Your vigil was on Roosevelt Island, although the access with reason. was restricted, you crossed on a cloud of air, in the dark of night. 4. Oh, that I could also have known so much back at your age. 3. There by the statue of Theodore Roosevelt, and by the tidal 5. Riding a fiery beast from the cold finger lakes of the north, flats, and lonely paths, you did vigil; within D.C. and yet you did journey to the capital of this wide land. apart from them. 6. But all the temples of the departed leaders were closed to 4. Boats for pleasure and tourism passed by, not noticing your visitors in the after hours of vigiling. pondering image on the beach‘s rocky boulders. 7. Thus to a park, named Green Belt, for its circle of trees, we 5. Cars flew by overhead, as did air traffic, not unlike the both made straight lines of travel. turmoil of you soul, despite your placid demeanor. 8. There with my faithful dog Earl, and a cloud of mosquito, 6. Mike arrived at the official opening time and did greet you, did I meet the stocky Wolf. and the ranger did not notice that neither of us did leave the 9. Well your other Druid companions had taught you, for island by the bridge, for we had other ways of traveling. much learning did pass under me too. Chapter the Thirty First: Colleen 10. Off you went on a silent journey into uncharted woods, without light external, guided by your heart. 1. Col Colleen, ArchDruid of the great white northern reaches 11. Mike did also travel into the woods, but he also moved of Alaska. Wise were you to choose the midsummer to away from well-marked trails, and purposely spun around vigil, when the sun is longest, and your garden most fair. for to better test his ability to find his way back. 2. Would that I could have been present in person, but your 12. A test it was indeed! vigil went well, and we conducted it successfully via cell- phone. 13. Mike laughed. 3. A deer did appear, and then a new priest walked the Earth 14. Many hours were spent trying to feel the land, whether up Mother‘s green skirt. or down the hill would lead back to the camp. Chapter the Thirty Second: Mike 15. Until that time, Mike did realize how much creatures of comfort we humans are; unable to survive long in the wild 1. When word reached him that the mighty Ivan would reach without the most careful of planning. as far as his Nation‘s capitol, the newly elected Patriarch of Taranis knew that he must defend the mystic district and 16. With great delight Mike regained the path at a place choose that night for his vigil in September. unknown to him, and there he soon met Wolf, as if their paths were meant to cross. 2. For all the fiercesomeness of the storm, the greatest obstacle, yea, was the commonsense of his wife, who said 17. Who was checking on whom, I know not; but we were glad that tornados, lightning and punishing rain was not the to meet eachother again. proper climate for good Druids. 18. In the morning, it was more still than Mike had ever known. 3. Yea, his arguments that Druids are immune from the perils 19. The greatest of supplications could not raise the a fly‘s of weather, did sound weak even unto his own ears, and he breath of wind, although bugs did buzz and chirp, such that did relent, until she fell asleep and then he crept out, for one could not hear oneself talk. And this was taken as nay, he had no courage to battle with her, for unlike some sufficient sign. storms, her rage never calmed. 20. Such was his will power, that Wolf did not need sleep after 4. So in the comparatively mild hurricane outside he did battle ordination, but remounted his dragon and returned to the the elements, most heroically until they subsided in the icy North from which he had come. morning rays; whereupon he did cry out in the strong winds 21. Mike, weak from his elder years, did sleep a few hours, his desire to learn yet more of the mysteries of weather. before returning to the capital, chastened and enwisened. 5. The winds and distant rumbling did come from the directions called, lifting up the new Patriarch of Taranis. 721 Chapter the Thirty Third: Joss 3 Stories & 1 History by Irony 1. Joss, whose quirky smile, has enlightened my work desk over the last few years. Sent to a military academy in high school, you remained the artist you always were. Ein Tanz Dream (By Irony, 24-8-97) 2. Exploring the wilds of the forest and spirituality, you Dreams and Visions: Here are three dreams and visions that carved out a grove for yourself in most un-sympathetic struck me during the last three years. There is something of territory. druidism in each of them, though I have no way of saying what 3. You are no newcomer to vigils, having endured three days that might be. Take them for what you will... without rest, until reality and dreamworld became one on 1. ―A piece of sound and movement for the stage or the mind. your ranch. 2. Do not hear the words; they are just to show the dancers.‖ 4. To you, a single night vigil must be no hardship, merely a pleasant respite from the pressures of work and study. 3. It is night. Moonlight brightens the mist to a silver pall and distance is impossible to discern. 5. A rat did crawl by, foreboding great fecundity, cleverness in adaptation, dislike by the fastidious and certainly lots of 4. A small circle of lit candles surrounds a kneeling figure cheesy jokes. whose face we cannot yet see. 6. Birds, winds and clouds did grace your ordination, which I 5. Slowly a light begins, a soft glow that illuminates the hope will be graceful and memorable. kneeling man with the colors of a winter sun. He is a knight, heavy set, troubled, wrapped in a cloak the years have Chapter the Thirty Fourth: The Others gnawed like moths. 6. He has been praying, talking to his god, his hands clasped 1. Lydia, Lydia, Have you heard of Lydia, Lydia the OK before him. His eyes are closed, and his face animate. We Druid? May your vigil be memorable as has been your can see his every thought upon it. His lips move but no journey through life. Would that I could wait to write of sound escapes them. what will be an interesting vigil for a promising future. 7. A deep humming has begun as of great, sort, wooden horns, 2. Ian, may your years as a priest be as memorable as the Hill or the organ of a dying church. Figures, trees resembling of Three Oaks and Monument Hill on the annals of our people, and a number of small, folded boulders scatter the History. Our hope and trust remains with you. scene of our vision. 3. Will, has it taken so long to assume the responsibilities of 8. The knight‘s eyes have opened. He is still talking Druidism? Has the mantle finally caught up with you? soundlessly, now to the air, now to himself, always to his Wear it proudly, and fill your tenure with wondrous events, god. good conversations and life-changing realizations. 9. His hands have begun to move a little, gesticulating. 4. And may all the other vigilers of the next decade or two have great things happen at their vigils, and may they 10. He is telling a story, asking and answering simple questions remember to write of them to me at on his own. Preliminaries. mikerdna@hotmail.com! 11. A flute begins, soft and clear. 5. Now, I must put down my pen and rest. 12. One of the boulders moves, raises its head, suddenly, alertly, listening. There are the horns of a deer upon it. 13. The figure stands and it is that of a man. Only its head is antlered; only its movements deer-like. 14. The flute continues, the humming persists. The knight prays on, oblivious to it all. 15. The other boulders have begun to stir, grown antlers and bodies. They are dancing. 16. Their movements are those of wild creatures, soft, sure, quick and then hesitant. They are leaping, soundlessly, looking always almost as if they are about to strike, collide- then passing, between the trees, between each other. 17. Between the mist and the moon they are silhouettes alone. The light does not illuminate them. 18. The flute continues but the humming changes, drops a key. 19. One last boulder is unfolding, greater than the rest. It is a great stag with a cloak of leaves translucent in the mist. Figure 26 Paul Schmidt ordaining Beck Hrobak to Third Order while David Frangquist and Nikki 20. His movements are those of the king of the forest, of a lord amongst men, slow, stately, powerful. He is young and Lambert observe quietly on Samhain, 1993 wise, loving and beloved by all. The others rush forward, at the Hill of 3 Oaks on a chilly frosty morning. dropping to one knee, bowing their antlered heads before him. 21. He raises them graciously and the flock prancing behind him. 22. His movements now lead the dance, the others imitating, but now quicker, joyfully. 722 23. As the stag passes between two trees he reaches out to 20. The dark form passes behind them both. touch them- 21. Shock and pain are on the face of the knight. 24. And they move, become women, nymphs, their hair 22. The other returns, turns his back on the king and moves to encircled by crowns of leafs. They spin inward to kiss him claim the kneeling man. lightly, their movements those of laughter and passion. they spin outwards to join the dance, where they are perused by Chapter the Third stags. 1. The king stirs, rises slowly, and there is something in his 25. The knight is blushing now, confessing perhaps. hand; a branch of holly dropped and discarded by one of the nymphs in a happier time, held now like a sword in the 26. One by one the king awakens all the trees, and each hand of a god. performs the same welcome, kissing him gently, lips or cheek or hand, before darting away to find lovers of 2. He stamps his foot- soundlessly to us- and the head of the playmates amongst the others. other snaps in his direction. His hand pulls back a second time from within an inch of the knight and they begin to 27. Several couples have vanished, chasing each other beyond circle once again. our sphere of vision, the great king himself has gone, fading off alone while the others danced, when a change 3. The knight is now nervous, subliminally aware for the first begins. time that something is going on. He prays faster now, but with less concentration; his hands wring one another Chapter the Second unconsciously. 1. The knight has become more insistent, troubled, more 4. The king now stands to the right of the kneeler, the dark agitated. one looms above his left. 2. Finally he strikes the ground in anger. The flute stops mid 5. The hum has risen to an unbearable roar. note. The dancers scatter, fleeing. A horrible chord emerges from the hum. There is no other sound but the music; there Chapter the Fourth never has been. 1. The dark one stamps forward, hands poised to grab or crush. 3. The knight is as oblivious as ever. 2. The king flows forward in the same movement, a lunge or a 4. Slowly a great dark shape emerges from the mist. Huge, stamp, and strikes with the holly into the dark thing‘s eyes. horrible, horned in an entirely different manner from the 3. A terrible boom rolls out and away taking the music with it. deer it approaches silently behind the kneeling knight. 4. The dark thing stands twisted backwards, hands clawing at 5. The knight is angry, has become insolent in mien and his face; the king is a statue of revenge or deliverance; the manner. He glares at the sky. knight is framed kneeling between them, his body a study 6. Behind him the figure reaches out a slow dark hand- of horror and revelation fading slowly to an impossible calm as a slow silent flash begins behind them all, erasing 7. And pauses. everything from sight. 8. There has been a swirl in the mist to his right. Chapter the Fifth 9. The great stag has returned. Poised now for flight or combat he stands, tall and slender beneath the shadow of 1. The knight still kneels. the thing behind the knight. 2. His candles have gone out. The mist is now the gray of 10. For a moment they stand motionless, the one, arm extended, dawning instead of the silver of night, and there are rocks the other waiting. and trees about him bearing no resemblance to the figures 11. The knight stares upwards, perplexed, troubled. that moved before. 12. In the same instant the hand is withdrawn and the stag steps 3. Slowly he rises, knees creaking in the stillness, and steps forward. out from his circle. 13. A new dance has begun. The hum is persistent, pervasive, 4. He turns to go, then pauses, stooping. and accentuated now by the faintest of tapping, the tiniest 5. He raises the thing that has caught his eye. drumming of tension; rain on an old roof at night. 6. It is a single prong of deer horn, as dropped by a yearling 14. The stag and the other circle each other slowly; the knights stag. eyes are tortured, oblivious. The dancers are measuring 7. The morning breaks about him, clarifying nothing. each the others strength. 15. Finally there comes a time when the stag stands with his back to the knight, interposing himself between the circle and the great dark form. 16. The stag lunges forward, a feint or a thrust with his great horned head. 17. The other flinches back in surprise or fear, and then strikes. Faster than we have yet seen him move his right hand blurs forward catching the king in the side of the face. 18. He is thrown, and it is the knight‘s face that registers the blow, his body that twists as with a wound. His lips contort in a scream we never hear. Figure 27 Hill of Three Oaks, 1993. 19. The body of the king lies sprawled on the far side of the circle, his legs twisted, his head fallen on one outstretched arm. 723 5. There was a transfer. The crown burned, but did not burn The Winter King: A Dream him. Like a crimson Pleiades it was visible from the foot of the hill. (By Irony, c. 1998) 6. The king stood. The others stepped away. He raised his eyes, raised his hands. Chapter the First 7. Above him the clouds parted, cleared, dissolved into the blackness between the sudden stars. The last flakes 1. It seemed that I stood on a hill of oaks and the seasons vanished. changed about me. The first snowstorm of winter was 8. He lowered his arms. imminent. 9. The others bowed toward him, silent. 2. A circle of watchers, robed in white woolens sat all around the crest of the hill. In the center a fire had been built. 10. The outer circle stood. 3. About it sat four figures, hooded, showing no faces and 11. "Behold the King! " The shout rang out, and the power of speaking not. They seemed very old, though the curl of a the shout, and the power of the king rolled out and down young woman's hair showed beneath one hood. across the hills, filling all his realm. 4. Two other figures sat with them, facing each other across the flames. The one was a king who had reached the end of his reign and his power; the other was a king to be. Chapter the Second 1. When the fire was high, the old king removed his crown and set it within the blaze. It burned quickly and was gone, leaving no ash. 2. He then began to speak, quietly, carefully, telling his successor everything the other needed to know of the reigns and the country he was to command, all the secrets that could be learned only by reigning, and were not always to be known by others. 3. He recounted secrets of state, of practice and of power, secrets of identity, stories and lessons of his own hard reign. 4. He then related what wisdom his own predecessor had told him at his crowning, so many seasons back. Chapter the Third 1. He spoke quickly, choosing his words with care and precision for he had not much time. The fire could not be fed after it had consumed the crown, and when the last flame died the speaking would cease. Figure 28 Seat of the King, Lower Arb 2004. 2. Back and back he went, remembering and conferring all the wisdom of all the generations of kings prior to his own, repeating their words from the vaults of his memory, back as far as tradition could carry him and as time allowed. 3. The watchers were silent. 4. The clouds gathered. 5. The last finger of flame winked out, winked in, flickered, was gone. 6. The old king fell silent and the first flakes of winter swirled about them. 7. No one moved. Chapter the Fourth 1. The watchers in the inner ring now pored their attention into the coals, watching as one by one, they too died. 2. When only seven were left the four watchers in the center moved. Slowly, elegantly, they took the coals from out the Figure 29 Brandon Schields, Matt Cohen, Nikki ashes and strung them together to form a crown. Lambert, Erin Erskine, Diane Freed, Sam Adams, Paul 3. They stood then, the four without faces. The old king drew Schmidt, Mike Scharding in the Druid Den on a back, his role played out. st balmy August 1, 2003 before a sweatlodge. 4. The young chosen king stayed, kneeling at the now empty fire. The eldest of the Four came forth and set upon his head the crown of coals. 724 Chapter the Fourth The Wild Hunt 1. The horse continued to pay Velvet no mind, but sniffed me (By Irony, 8-30-98) curiously, as if weighing things up. 2. I eased Velvet past. The horse leaned down and grabbed Chapter the First my left arm with its lips between elbow and shoulder, gripping my jacket and the sleeve underneath. 1. Algonquin Park 3. I twisted out carefully and continued away. 2. Ontario, Canada 4. The horse stood in the road, silent as ever, watching us go. 3. I think I dreamt of the Wild Hunt. We rounded a corner. 4. Merri and I were riding Velvet, double and bareback, down 5. Something leapt from a tree like a cat, grabbing me from Stone road. behind with great awkward, furry arms. 5. I was seated in front and Merri had a dress on for some 6. I threw it of into the road before us. It landed on its feet reason and was flopped back against Velvet's rump resting. facing us- a lion. It had been careful not to use its claws. 6. Sometimes it was winter. 7. Then it too stepped aside and let us past. 7. We were riding quietly, enjoying the day, when we came 8. We rode on nervously through the perfectly normal woods suddenly face to nose with another horse. where it was sometimes winter. Chapter the Second 9. Only later did I wonder if that had been the Wild Hunt with only the riders away for the moment.... 1. Seated upright on Velvet's back my head was just barely level with its nose. 2. It was an enormous chocolate brown horse- I didn't note the gender- standing fully saddled with green saddle bags strapped on behind large enough to stuff a person into. 3. The horse‘s nose was flat almost to the point of being concave, and I don't recall seeing bit or bridle. It could look at you with both eyes at once. 4. Velvet bolted- the horse ambled along side keeping pace. Nothing could have out-run it. 5. We stopped and the horse came over to sniff me. 6. Velvet reared trying to bring her head on level with its. 7. I grabbed a skinny tree trunk to keep us aloft. 8. The horse ignored velvet and sniffed me again. 9. There was a masked disquieting air of intelligence about it. 10. The brace on the back of its saddle rose like the roll bar on our tractor. Chapter the Third 11. Velvet came down, pranced away, and reared again. 12. The horse had white hooves, I saw, and there was a bandage about its right front ankle. 13. When Velvet came down again I saw that there was another horse just as large tied to a tree somewhat off the road watching us quietly. 14. It too was chocolate brown with white hooves and had a flattened nose. It had antlers. 15. 'Are these saddled elk?' I thought. 'They're too big even for that- no one less that ten feet tall could ride them!' 16. I saw that the ground was littered with bits of normal antlers and bone, including what looked like thinly sliced vertebrae. I wondered if someone butchered things here. 17. There was a rustling in the woods to our right and a whole fleet of deer came tripping out. 18. They looked tiny compared to everything else and clustered around the legs of the giant horse. Figure 30 Above is the Gate to the Druid Den in Upper Arb and below is woods of Lower Arb, both 204. 725 7. Time passed, as is its wont. Teas were held in the Japanese The History of The Legitimacy Garden and in the Faculty Club Lounge. Great ideas were discussed regarding the purpose of life. Andrea the Fair did come often to these discussions, and shared much wisdom This being a history of the Carleton Grove during the years from from ages past. One Carlos Gonzalas, the wise doctor and Beltain 1996 until the summer 1999, as recalled by Irony Sade healer did visit and teach us many things. At the circle there after his retirement as Archdruid. Written on Dec. 31st, 1999. was music, dancing, and the observance of stars. 8. That Samhain a grand gathering was held. Two dozen SECTION ONE druids and associates met in the little grove round a roaring The First Spring of 1996: Initiation blaze to commune with the night. A talking stick was crafted of a strange twisted wood from the deserts of the west, and it was found to have strange powers over speech. Chapter the First 9. As the stick was passed from hand to hand about the blaze, 1. Michelle the Blond and Irony, who has been called the stories welled up from within its holder. Old grief's were let Glowing, were ordained by Mike the Fool to the priesthood go, old wrongs forgiven, old stories told, and Death of Dalon ap Landu after vigiling the night of Beltain 1996. remembered. Letters were burned from relatives to the dead. 2. There were few at Carleton at that time who still called 10. After a time the stories changed to those of Life, marriages, themselves Druids, and fewer still who were not leaving at and hopes. This was taken as a sign that the year would be the end of the year, and Michelle and Irony did wonder reborn, however dark the winter might become, and it was much what it was they were to do. good. 3. Shortly after their vigil there came to pass a gathering of 11. There was much dancing, and a sweat lodge was held. The many who had led the Druids during their times at Carleton. day came at last and there was much rejoicing. Andrea the Fair, Mike the Fool, Misha, Joe, and others 12. That winter the teas continued and there were many rituals. were present, and it was determined that a sweat lodge was A Candlemass observance was held, and a Self-Hater in order. banishment performed. 4. This lodge was held on the sandy spit in the lower Arb, just 13. The subsequent grounding of cakes and ale was beyond the pylons, and was graciously visited by the supplemented by massage oil, and Andrea the Fair Security Guards twice during the night. introduced the Druids to the delights of the Meltdown. 5. From it the young Archdruids learned many things. Be 14. It was a time of great peace and contentment among the friendly with the Security Guards, all ye that read this; their Druids, for they did not know what was yet to come. favor saved many a ritual in the years that followed. 6. The rest of that spring passed in a flurry of confusion as the Chapter the Second two young druids struggled to understand what had gone 1. All that year the circle of stones beyond the Hill of Oaks before. had called to the Druids and they had answered. 2. However cold the weather one could always find an offering of flowers placed amongst the stones. But it was SECTION TWO not to last. The Second Year 1996-1997: The Year of the Circles 3. One night late in the winter as Irony was wandering in the upper Arb, he discovered that the stones had been torn from the womb of their mother and lay tossed and scattered Chapter the First about the field. 4. A great wrath fell upon him, and he did assay to repair the 1. When the Druids returned to Carleton the next fall they shrine, but found his strength too small. discovered that Mike the Fool had left them to spread the word of Druidism in the land of the rising sun. 5. He descended upon Goodhue in search of any druids he could find to assist and found them all absent. But he did 2. They discovered too that a circle of stones had find a number of the Accidentals, who were friendly with miraculously appeared just North-East of the Hill of Three the Druids at that time, and they did agree to aid him, for he Oaks. They did not visit it at once, however, for it was felt that the stones should be righted by sunrise. occupied by a couple of the most amorous nature. 6. Before the dawn he did return to the circle but found no one 3. This place became a haven of all things Druidic, and was there to help. Then did Irony call upon the strength of the loved by many. Earth-Mother and rolled back the stones with his bare 4. That fall equinox the tradition of marriage bread was begun. hands. Two loaves were baked, with a ring in each. These were to 7. At that time all but the center stone had been moved, for it be divided amongst the celebrants at the equinox, and those was a passing great rock, and well frozen to the earth. who found the rings were to be married the next Beltain. 8. Just as the sun rose there came one to whom he had spoken 5. But Lo, it was a young and foolish tradition, for these were the night before, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, but the young and foolish druids, and they did not think until too work was accomplished, and Irony was sore for a week. late that the loafs should have been segregated by sex. 9. It was not long after the beginning of spring term that 6. And it came to pass that David the Apologist and Andrew Michelle the Blond and Irony were out wandering the Arb the Mad received the rings. There was much confusion, but together when they came upon the circle behind the hill and they were good sports, and it was decided that they should found it desecrated a second time. be married that May. 726 10. A great wrath fell upon them both, for this time every stone Chapter the Fourth had been uprooted and rolled about. They did gnash their teeth and wished to curse the evil doers, but recalled the 1. With Beltain fast approaching it was suggested that the wisdom of ages past and decided to relent. grove with the lady might be a suitable site for the festival, 11. Nor did they attempt to discover the identity of the anti-for it was little known and far removed from the drunken druids, for they saw that as the beginning of the path of revels surrounding the concert. vengeance. 2. But there was concern on several fronts. 12. Instead they did set about repairing the damage as best they 3. The Arb director decreed that there should be no fires there, could, and their combined strength was sufficient to move for it was an old prairie remnant and must not be burned, every stone but the one in the center. and this condition was agreed to with some regret. 13. That was a great stone, full half man sized in height, and 4. Another concern arose- for there was the legend of BOB in their strength availed as naught against it. those days, and it was thought that there might have been 14. These two arch druids did then descend in fury upon his abode. BOB was rumored to be a malicious spirit and Goodhue, and there did conscript David the Apologist and had chased many good pagans from the upper Arb at night. Jared the Roommate, and the strength of these two and 5. Then did the druids Michelle the Blond, Amanda the Irony combined proved sufficient to move the stone. Beautific, Andrea the Fair, and Irony seek to discover the 15. But the circle had been destroyed one time too many, and presence or hiding place of BOB, but they had no success. was never the same again. 6. Then did Irony undertake a second vigil to find if BOB was 16. At this time a plan did begin to fester in the mind of Irony indeed buried in the Lady's Grove, for he was a mighty fool and he wrote concerning it to the president of Carleton. But and confident in his strength, having turned away demons the paper wheels were ever slow to turn, and it was many before. weeks before aught came of it. 7. And he set himself within the grove with cloak and candle, invited any spirits in the place to visit him, and commenced Chapter the Third to wait. 1. The time of Beltain was fast approaching, and the Druids 8. He had no wish to do battle, but wished merely to talk with had carved a Maypole, but they lacked still a place to erect BOB, if he was there, and see what arrangement could be it, for the Spring Concert was to occupy the Hill of Three reached. Oaks, and Mai Fete was taken. And they did ponder this 9. Then night was long, but nothing came. At length, to stave matter much. off sleep the vigiler did take a brief walk and found himself 2. About this time Michelle the Blond was wandering about once more beside the circle. the wilds, when she discovered that the statue of the Lady, 10. The night was dark, but he could see that all was not well, carved of gray wood by unknown hands, that had stood all for while the outer ring still stood, the great center stone that year and the one before it just south of monument Hill had been toppled and thrust aside by unknown hands. had been thrown down into the mud. 11. There was no rage in him this third time, but a great weight 3. She was disturbed, and righted the Lady at once, and told of sadness, and he lifted the stone lightly and set it back in the other druids about it. place. 4. Shortly thereafter Amanda the Beautific did come upon the 12. Then a great shock took him and he stood as if stunned, for Lady again, and found her once more fallen, and she did he had tried many times before to move that stone with no right her a second time, but moved her slightly to hide her success. somewhat. 13. Then did Irony thank the Earth-mother for lending him 5. Then did Irony seek out her new abode the next day, only strength, and he walked back to the grove with trembling to find the Lady face down in the muddy path with tire legs, for he had never been possessed of such magic and it tracks across her back. was a strange and terrifying thing. 6. Then did he skip class to carry the Lady far across the Arb and hid her in what was then Three Bird Grove, or the Chapter the Fifth Faculty Picnic Area. 1. With no further objections from BOB the Lady's grove was 7. Then Michelle the Blond and he did dig a great pit, and chosen as the site to host Beltain, and at last the day arrived. buried the feet of the lady in the mold so that she stood man 2. Then was there feasting and merrymaking, music and song, high. and the may-pole was danced many times. 8. They did pack the earth about her and charge upon her the 3. Musicians came from the twin cities, including Matt the blessings of the Woods, and there she stood firm for many Harper, who was blind, and played upon a great double seasons, and was loved by many. strung harp. There were fiddles and pipes, drums and 9. Irony did also make her a necklace of amethyst, but it was accordions, and there was much rejoicing. soon stolen. 4. Amanda the Beautific did invent the Doughnut Tree and it hung above the path to the great amusement of passers by. 5. This event has since passed into Druid tradition, and involves suspending doughnuts from strings and having people then attempt to them eat without their hands, while being tickled. It is a difficult sport involving much madness and little sustenance. 6. A tiny passing dog won the game, leaping full into the air, and snatching a powdered doughnut from its string. 727 7. At last David the Apologist and Andrew the Mad did step Chapter the Seventh forward to be wed. But here the Druid's nerves did fail them, and it was decided that there should be two weddings, 1. The Circle was charged on the last full moon of spring, and and brides were quickly selected for the lucky men. it was dedicated as a place of peace and power for all who would respect it. 8. Why this thing should be so is no longer remembered, for in later years the Druids had no such qualms, and two 2. For it was not built for the Druids alone, but for any soul or women were later joined at Beltain 99. spirit that desired a place to rest, study, or simply be at peace. 9. So Andrea the Fair was wed to David the Apologist, and Michelle the Other was wed to Andrew the Mad. 3. A dance was danced about the circle, a twining, spinning dance of charging and awakening: five people walked 10. The weddings were performed by Michelle the Blond, and deosil about the outer ring, while five traced out a great here was included for the first time the 'chastity within pentacle inside it pointing to the North, each walking the marriage' clause, and there was much amusement. line of the star until they had passed their beginning three 11. The couples then led a dance about the pole while the times. musicians played, and all was well, till the Druids did rush 4. The Circle was awakened, and many are the strange and suddenly upon the nuptial pairs with a great ribbon and wonderful sights that it has seen. bind them all to the pole, where they were tickled. 5. So ended the second year of this chronicle, and it ended in 12. So ended the first Beltain, and it was reckoned a great doubt and wonder, for the Archdruids had learned a thing success. or two, but had meddled much with things they did not understand, and none were certain where the group would Chapter the Sixth go. 1. Then at last did the plans of Irony see fruit. 6. Irony was especially concerned, for the building of the 2. The destruction of the circle of stones had angered him Circle had left him drained, and it would be nearly a year greatly, for it was well loved by many people. But its before he returned again to Carleton. proximity to the Hill and its malleable size invited vandals, 7. At this time Amanda the Beautific was made second order, and it had been destroyed three times in as many terms. and she was to join Michelle the Blond in the running of 3. Then did Irony undertake a great sacrilege, for he wished to the grove. preserve the circle, and yet strengthen it. 4. And so he destroyed it utterly, and transported the largest of the stones away to the Grove of the Lady and brought SECTION THREE with them eight others of the largest stones he could find, The Third Year 1997-1998: The Year of Amnesia and caused them to be erected in a new circle there in the Lady's Grove where the Maypole had so lately stood. 5. And this circle was five lengths across, sheltered by Oak Chapter the First trees, and well hidden from the rest of the campus, while 1. There followed what is now known as The Year of the great table and altar in its center was a limestone Amnesia, for those that were there say they remember little triangle six feet to the side and two feet thick. of what was done. 6. But this great slab was supported by the three largest stones 2. Irony was gone for the fall and winter, and only rumors from the old beloved circle on the hill, for theirs was the reached him. place of honor, and the great center stone of the old circle was set deep into the earth at the southern quarter as the 3. The College cracked down on public nudity that fall stone of life. It is a powerful stone still, though its size be following a walking streak of Parent's Weekend by the much diminished. cross country teams, and Michelle the Blond did warn the Druids at the sweat lodge that Samhain was not to be 7. All this was done in the month of May, and so great was his indiscreet. resolve and persuasion that Irony did convince the College to pay for the creation of the shrine. 4. Andrea the Fair was present however and felt that nudity was a sacrament, and not to be repressed. 8. The Circle was laid by Irony and Michelle the Blond, and the work was accomplished by he, she, Amanda the 5. There are some who say she flaunted the warning, and Beautific, Andrew the Mad, and Jenette the Tall. there was much bitterness between her and Michelle the Blond. 9. Irony and Dennis Easly did summon a great monster and constrained it to do their will. 6. The ceremony of Marriage bread was performed again at the equinox, but there were too many pieces for the druids 10. It was a foul creature that belched fumes and bellowed, and present to consume, and they were slow to eat them. with its inhuman strength was much accomplished that could not have been done otherwise. 7. It then fell out that two non-druids were passing and saw the bread, and they did ask to eat of it, and great was the 11. But its great claws tore at the earth, and none were sorry to surprise when they found the rings, for they did not know see it go. It grumbled as it was dismissed, for the altar top what they had fallen into. had weighed two and a quarter tons. 8. Their names were Michael Pouland and Shelia Anderson, 12. There were many who were angered at this thing, for Irony and they did not know what to do, for they had no desire to had destroyed the first circle more completely than any be married, having each a sweet-heart of their own. vandal, and had broken many a tradition of the Druids. 9. An interest in Tarot reading was developed and cultivated, 13. They did call him mad, foolish, arrogant, and uncaring, and and a stenciled face that some thought was John Lennon, those words ring ever round his head. But the deed was done, and only time can tell its worth. 728 some Albert Einstein, and others Irony, appeared in paint might get out of hand, for Irony was known to wax serious upon the face of the North Stone in the Circle. at times, so before the ceremony he went to his old roommate Jesse the Brown, and gave unto him a great 10. Some were angered at this, and some were amused, but no powdered doughnut. one seemed sure what to do with it, for it was quite resistant to scrubbing. 12. "If I get too serious," he told him, "throw this at me." 11. At this time also did Michelle the Blond begin to have 13. Michael and Jessica did emerge from across the lake each doubts about the Druids and her own Druidism, but for wearing a crown of willow and flowers made by the other, what cause none can say but she. and they did cross the island down an avenue of druids. 12. 'The Druids are nothing but a ridiculous joke,' she wrote to 14. Before the fire they came to Irony and David the Apologist, Irony during that winter, 'We should disband them entirely.' master of ceremonies for the night. The vows were read against the sunset, and each agreed to abide by them. 13. Irony was greatly disturbed at this, for he felt no Archdruid had the legitimate power to end the movement, nor did he 15. Bread was exchanged, and honey wine. But just as the believe it could be done. bride was about to drink Irony spoke again. 14. He begged her to wait until he returned in the spring before 16. "Last year we included another clause within the vows, and doing anything of the sort, then if she wished to retire from that was of chastity within marriage. It meant you could the Druids there would be someone to carry on. sleep with whom ever else you wanted to, but not with your spouse, so long as the marriage held." 15. Of the year of Amnesia nothing more is remembered until spring, unless it be by another hand. Michelle the Blond, 17. There was a startled stillness as people wondered if he Amanda the Beautific, and Brian the Atheist were there at jested, and the bride looked at him with violent eyes, the the time, but they have spoken little of it. chalice of mead at her lips. 16. That March did Andrea the Fair depart the Twin Cities for 18. Then came a roar of laughter, and Jesse threw the doughnut. the West Coast, and the last of the 'old Druids' was taken He threw with more force than necessary, for he and Irony from the grove, so far as they knew. had been ill matched as roommates, but his aim was poor, and the pastry hit the bride instead. 19. Then the couple lead a dance as the fire was built up, and the Druids were much impressed, for Jessica and Michael Chapter the Second knew what they were about and requested a proper jig, and 1. It was spring before Irony returned, for he had wandered there was much applause. long, and had studied the arts of blacksmithing in Germany, 20. Then came the Ordeal. It had been discovered that there the arts of sailing and oceanography in the Caribbean, and was an ancient game of Beltain wherein couples would join had slept on top of Glastonbury Tor. hands and leap together through a blazing fire as a 2. He returned with a harp he could not yet play, and found prophecy for their year together. many of the druids he had left had vanished. There were 21. If they cleared it unscorched and unsevered, the year new faces, as always, but as ever he missed the old. would be prosperous and fine. 3. Rob Harrison, a great friend and councilor did emerge from 22. If they landed scorched but together, it would be hard, but Northfield during this time, for he had long sought out the each would stand by the other. Druids, and had been referred by Isaac Bonewits to the 23. But if one were to leap while the other held back, woe grove at Carleton. should fall upon the pair, and it was doubtful they would 4. He was swiftly to become a great resource and co-last the year. conspirator. 24. As the flames reached chest high the Ordeal was called for, 5. That spring Beltain was held on the island of Mai Fete, and its terms and meaning explained. where years before more secular festivals had been held. 25. Michael and Jessica looked much askance, for they were 6. The Maypole was unearthed from its hiding place and was not druids themselves, but had fallen into the affair by danced innumerable times, until the dancers did pause from chance, and there were many who doubted the two would dizziness for fear of fainting. jump. 7. This year there was a fire, and much music, and many 26. But Jessica, who wore a long dress of the richest green, did dishes were brought for a feast, for there were to be two twist and knot it up about her thighs, and seizing hands they weddings. Shelia had fled to spend the weekend with her rushed upon the blaze. real boyfriend, so Michael's sweetheart Jessica stepped 27. With a mighty leap they sailed through the flames and forward to take her place. landed on the grass unscathed and still together, and there 8. In addition Harriet Erwin, the secretary of Religion, was much applause and admiration for their courage. Philosophy, and Classics, did arrive unannounced with her 28. They dropped hands quickly and looked abashed, and some boyfriend to be wed. This was a surprise to him as well as did wonder what this foretold, but as of this writing, they the Druids, but was well received by both parties. were still together. 9. There was doughnut fishing, for there were no trees near at 29. The wedding of Harriet and her much astonished lover was hand for the usual sport, and it was well enjoyed, and there more subdued, but pleasant. The Maypole was danced a was storytelling late into the night. final time in their honor, but when the Ordeal was 10. Just at sunset the weddings were performed, and they were described and proposed they both demurred. beautiful. Their terms were to last for a year and a day, and 30. This was reckoned as an ill sign, and by the next year they as the couples had a natural fondness to one another they had parted company. were more serious than those of the previous year. 11. Irony performed the ceremonies, and read vows from the Anthology before the couples. It was feared that things 729 31. Late into the night the singing and storytelling ranged, as 13. The drinkers did stand as if frozen, and looked on him with the sky grew dark and the fire dim. Then, as the stars began blank astonished stares, but he was used to this, and to gleam the heavens burst forth in glory. thought nothing of it. 32. A great display of Northern Lights did cover the world- at 14. "Who will help me stamp it out?" he asked, for he was least at Carleton- and there were pinks and greens amongst barefoot, and did not relish the idea. None moved. the stars, and lights rippled above the wispy clouds as 15. Then did Irony take from the altar the flaming brands and sunshine does beneath a clear pool of disturbed water. cast them upon the grass free ground, explaining calmly 33. Great beams and fingers of light washed clear across the where fires could be had, and why, and how sorry he was to sky. Some reckoned it a gift of the gods, and some were spoil their fun. scientists, but all did aver they had never seen the like. 16. The logs removed, he gathered up the coals from off the 34. The Druids had great command of the weather in those rock with his bare hands and barefoot, began to tramp them days, but they had never called for this. out. 35. It was indeed a most marvelous celebration. 17. At last a few of the drinkers moved and came to help, but they were slow, and little was left for them to do. 36. Though the festival was well attended the numbers of regular druids seemed to be few, and while teas were held 18. When the last coals were out Irony did invite them once there was little discussion of note. again to retire to another site, but they preferred to stay. 37. Amanda the Beautific had been ordained third order during 19. They promised there would be no more flames, and that the winter months, but she was drawn ever away by her they would clean the place upon departing, and the two studies, and Michelle the Blond did drift even further away wanderers left satisfied. from the Druids. 20. When they were out of earshot Ginger laughed, for the two 38. After much discussion the face of Lennon was effaced from had been conversing on the proper uses of magic. the North Stone, but it was accomplished only with the 21. "It never works if you are showing off?" she asked him, most vile of substances, and with the aid of Glen- the laughing, for those had been his recent words. master of the paint shop at Carleton, and it was never 22. Then he looked at her dumbfounded, for he realized completely removed. suddenly what he had done. 39. Even now when the stone is wet a ghostly face can still be 23. For he had handled live coals and trod upon flames seen. barefoot, yet when he looked at his hands and feet he found no burns or blisters, but only a smearing of ash. And when Chapter the Third he washed this away he found not even the hair was burned. 1. There is little else to be told of that spring, save for one 24. This was reckoned the second miracle at the Circle, and it event that happened nearly at its end. was more astounding than the first. 2. Irony visited the Circle often during that time, for he had 25. The drinkers did keep but half their promise. There was no put much of himself into it and had missed it for a year. more flame, but their smashed and broken bottles were all about the stones, and several had not been emptied. 3. So it was that on one venture late in the spring he found the place bestrewn with bottles whole and broken, and found a 26. Further, and this may have had nothing at all to do with fire had been built upon the altar and the rock was cracked them, the statue of the Lady that had long stood near unto and discolored. the Circle had vanished. 4. That there be no fires there had been one of the conditions 27. Her hole stood empty and the path approaching her led up of its building, and the Druids had taken it upon themselves to nothingness. A scrap of her dirt was found within the to see that this was met. circle, and that was all. 5. Indeed they had buried an existing fire ring in that grove- 28. There was much sadness at her departure, and so far as this there is a tiny mound over it, just beyond the South-East chronicler can tell, she has not been seen by any druid from Stone. that day to this. 6. This occurrence disturbed Irony, and he did inform the rulers of the Arb, and cleaned the mess as best he could. 7. He had a feeling, though, that the perpetrators would be back, and kept more than his usual watch upon the place. 8. Thus it came to pass later that week as he and Ginger (who was a freshling that year, and who's name describes her well enough) were walking at night that they came upon the Circle and found the altar in flames. 9. There was a second fire upon it, and many revelers about in various stages of drink. Irony and Ginger did walk into their midst, and the drinkers appeared astounded. 10. Then did Irony address them, saying: "What is going on here? This is not a place for fires; the prairie is too near and too sensitive to flame. Figure 31 Altar Stone at New Circle, c. 1998. 11. There are only four spots at Carleton where fires are permitted and this is none of them. 12. I can show you another if you wish to move your party there, but this fire must be extinguished now-" 730 Chapter the Fourth SECTION FOUR 1. For the Equinox that fall the Druids learned a Morris Dance, The Fourth Year 1998-1999: The Year of Growth descending upon the Folk Dancers in a great crowd and not leaving till they were taught. Chapter the First 2. Michelle the Blond came to the dance. It may have been the last event she attended. 1. In the history of the Reformed Druids, each changing of the 3. Marriage bread was baked, and Irony and Ginger found the guard has been accompanied with a near reversal in policy rings. But then a peculiar sub tradition came into play, for and practice as the new Archdruids rebel against the ways though the point of the ceremony is for those who receive of the old. the rings to be married at Beltain, in actual fact this had 2. This has saved the Druids from stagnation, but has also never happened: Dave and Andrew married Andrea and curtailed their growth, for if each new generation abandons Michelle instead of each other; Michael married Jessica the teaching and wisdom of the old, then they must begin instead of Shelia. anew and waste much time relearning basic matters. 4. This time too the original pair was split, for there were 3. Irony knew this well, for he had spent his first two years many feelings involved in many directions, and it was felt discovering and relearning the basics of Druidic leadership that even as a mock union the match would bring trouble. and felt that he had now laid the foundations for growth. 5. So Ginger gave her ring to Merri the Wanderer who was 4. He hoped to spare the next generation the lost time of Irony's true beloved, and took upon herself Merri's relearning so that they could build upon this foundation, roommate, Chloe the Cuddleable, as her bride. and hoped too that with the proper sort of leadership there 6. Teas were held in Prentice House lounge that fall, and there would be no rebellion when he left. were discussions and sweat lodges. 5. But these foundations resided primarily in the minds of the 7. For Samhain the Druids carved no less than fourteen Archdruids and would be lost and useless if they could not Jack'o'lanterns and carried them in a singing procession all be passed on, or if the next generation chose to rebel through campus until their arms fell off. against the ways of the past four years. 8. There was a mummers play in the little grove, and it was 6. Furthermore, Irony was now the last of the Archdruids. well attended. 7. Amanda had retreated into Neuro-psychology, and during 9. The fall passed quickly, as it always seems to, and Irony the summer Michelle the Blond had kicked herself out of did endeavor to draw the younger druids into roles of the Druids, and out of the order of Dalon ap Landu. leadership so that they might learn the in's and out's of 8. She returned to Carleton calling herself a Discordian Witch, dealing with the college. and figures little in the history of this year. 10. It quickly became apparent though, that his wishes concerning the next Archdruidcy would come to naught, as Chapter the Second indicated by one fairly dramatic event. 1. Irony, who has been called many things, returned to Carleton early that fall hoping to catch young freshlings Chapter the Fifth during New Student Week when their minds were 1. At the beginning of each fall, and toward the end of each impressionable and their schedules unformed. spring the Circle must needs be cleared of grass, thistles, 2. He also brought with him two druids from his home. These and vines that grow up within it. were friends of his with whom he had long discussed 2. For some this is a nuisance, for others an act of devotion. In Druidism, and who now elected to attend Carleton. the past it has been done by hand, and takes for bloody ever. 3. Their names were Merri the Wanderer, and Chrissie the 3. This fall, Irony, Chloe the Cuddleable, Merri the Wanderer Very Intimidating, and Irony hoped to train them up as the and Chrissie the Very Intimidating set about this work. next Archdruids so that no knowledge or time would be lost. 4. The three younger druids were new to Carleton, and had 4. Thus you can see there was much he did not know, for this not made up their minds what they thought of Druidism yet. is not the way succession works among the Druids. Strange things shortly began to occur. 5. The gods have a say in who is chosen and will not have 5. The Circle spoke suddenly to Merri and set her a challenge- their choice usurped. Archdruids emerge. she was to clear a specific path within it, alone, and in spite 6. They are not to be picked by leaders of the past, but merely of an illness she had which made her faint and woozely in noticed and encouraged. the heat. She set about this and accomplished it. 7. The Druids knew none of this at the time, but it soon 6. Chrissie, meanwhile, had no interest in being there, and became apparent. was doing so because she felt it was required of her by 8. Many of the core druids of the Year of Growth emerged Irony. during New Student Week. Ehren the Eerie, Chloe the 7. The Circle seemed to pick up on this, and sent swarms of Cuddleable, Chris the Fey, Dan the Rabbinic, and several ants and spiders after her wherever she sat, though they did others. not seem to bother the others. 9. Amanda was present on occasion, and Rob, Brian the 8. Chloe was there primarily because Merri was her roommate, Atheist, and a few others from past years were still around. and though she worked as hard as any, she felt she did it for 10. Things took off at a great pace. the wrong reason. 9. Irony was unaware of any of this, and cleared in a clueless state of bliss. 731 10. In the days that followed Chrissie and Chloe felt that the 9. As they throw, each calls out a specific sin or grievance for Circle was punishing them for serving it for such reasons as which their marshmallow is a punitive strike. they had. 10. These can be real or ridiculous sins- 'for being a gay man 11. This was not an unjustified feeling, for they each developed with straight tendencies!' or 'This is for molesting young the nastiest sort of blistering rash that any one there had sea birds!' seen. 11. Then, if the charge strikes the interest of the throwers, the 12. Chloe was unable to sit or sleep for days, and nothing marshmallowee may be called upon to confess the details seemed to help the inch long blisters that rose upon her legs of the charge, even if their crime was a complete and arms. fabrication! 13. Merri developed a few spots, and Irony was basically 12. But beware in the throwing, if ever you try this, for if the untouched. The others did make much of this, and there marshmallow misses its target, the sin rebounds and settles was tension, and no small resentment. upon its thrower. 14. It was latter determined that the source of these blisters was 13. It is by all accounts a ridiculous tradition, but seems well a plant- Wild Celery- which contains a photosensitive loved, and serves in some small way to keep the group poison. On skin alone it is harmless; once sunlight hits it, together. blisters develop. Chapter the Seventh 15. Why Merri and Irony developed it not was a matter of much conjuncture, and no final story was ever accepted. 1. Winter came, and freezings began. 16. The incident served to push Chrissie away from the 2. More and more responsibility fell upon the young druids as potential Archdruidcy, and made it clear to Irony that his Irony became gradually consumed by Comps. will in such matters was not to be done. 3. Just after Imbolc, Merri the Wanderer left Carleton for a 17. This incident also signaled the beginning of a very strange time, and founded another grove in New York. thing, for there were many who began to attribute an 4. It was during this time that various energy experiments agency to the Circle itself. "The Circle did this," they were carried out, and designs were made for scientific tests, would say, "it wants such and such." but the results were inconclusive. 18. People began to feel that the Circle itself was sentient, or 5. It was made known by some of the past druids and that there resided within it some being synonymous with associates that these things had been tried before with the thing itself. similar results, and interest gradually died. 19. This feeling became more pronounced as independent 6. During this time too the druids set up a Caucus conference. corroboration's began to emerge, but all felt it was The old Druids_Notes had died. It was in the keeping of benevolent. Michelle the Blond and seems to have been deleted. 20. It would, it was felt, inflict a certain pain on occasion, but 7. During this winter too were many young druids questioned always in the interest of driving a person on to further self-and made second order. These included Merri the development. Wanderer, Ehren the Eerie, Dan the Rabbinic, Chris the 21. At the time no one really understood what was happening. Fey, and Rob the Elder, for they answered their questions For all I know they still do not. well, and were confirmed by signs from the wild. Chapter the Sixth Chapter the Eighth 1. At some point during this fall that two peculiar customs 1. Spring came at last, and with it Beltain, and Merri came emerged, and they were these. back, and Mec returned from the Land of the Rising Sun 2. At each of the sweat lodges, and at many of the other night and offered himself as a Beltain slave to the druids he gatherings large cauldrons of stew were made. These were found, so that much work was accomplished that would flavored with various herbs and spices, and served hot from have been difficult without. the fire. 2. But there was much discussion between him and Irony, for 3. At some point it came into being that whosoever it appeared that Irony had abandoned many of the traditions discovered a Bay leaf in their portion of stew was required of the Druids, and Mec would know the reasons. to kiss the cook in whatever manner was mutually 3. It came to light, for instance, that Irony and Michelle had agreeable. been the last priests to be consecrated to Dalon ap Landu, 4. No one is entirely sure where this practice emerged, though and that Irony had not taught the younger druids about him. some do credit it to Erika the Chef, who took it upon 4. This was the last tradition that had survived the thirty-six herself to do much of the cooking. years since the beginning of the reform, and Mec was 5. She is possessed of a playful manner and an open mind, so puzzled and disturbed that it had not been passed on. it is conceivable that she was indeed the source. 5. Then there was a long and tense debate between these two 6. The second tradition which emerged was imported with Archdruids, past and passing, for they had both thought Merri the Wanderer and Chrissie the Very Intimidating, long and hard on such matters, and both had years of and it was the ceremony of Marshmellowing. druidry to draw upon. 7. This ceremony is called for when grievances have 6. But at last Irony answered him saying 'I am a priest of the developed, or a spectacle is required of one or more of the Druids, and a faithful servant to that to which you druids. It is like a stoning, but gentler. consecrated me. I have even met, on occasion, a being which seems to be the Lord of the Groves, and it is good- 8. All the Druids gather in a circle about the culprit with but it has never named itself to me, and I cannot in good marshmallows in hand, and throw them one at a time at the conscience force a name upon it, nor teach others an empty marshmallowee. 732 name to distract them from the living being that you and I druids, for Mec and Irony were pulled away through design, both know.' accident, and foolishness, and time passed them by as they lay alone and palely loitering upon the cold hillside. 7. Then there was a great sadness between them. 8. For Mec perceived that the Druids had changed in form, if Chapter the Tenth not in spirit, and he loved tradition, and was loath to see it go. 1. That spring there was one final celebration of the full moon, for that occurrence was welcomed and met on every 9. And Irony was sad, for he had never wanted such a break occasion. with the past. 2. And again there was music and dancing. 10. But both had done what they thought right, and they ended with understanding and friendship between them. 3. A large orange moon rose in the east, and a fire upon the hill. 11. And when the Third Order Vigils were performed that Spring, the Lord of the Groves was not mentioned, and 4. There was lightning to the south, and mist and fireflies people were ordained only as priests and priestesses of the about the woods and fields that surrounded the Hill of Druids. Three Oaks, and such was the beauty and the strangeness of the sight that those who came late or looked back thought 12. The old ritual is still there, and may well come back into perchance that they had stumbled into Faerie. practice some day. 5. At midnight the rains came, and the druids that were left 13. Till then, the spirit that guides the Druids is nameless, and threw off their cloths and ran dancing through the Arb in each sees in it something slightly different. delight and celebration. Chapter the Ninth 6. Thereafter power, responsibility, and the strange title of the Archdruid passed to Chloe the Cuddleable, Chris the Fey, 1. Beltain was held at the Circle that year, and Mec later said and Ehren the Eerie, and Irony told them all he had left to it was the best Beltain he had ever witnessed. tell about the leading of the group. 2. The Maypole was raised and danced, the Donut tree was 7. He told them farewell, and said good-by to the circle that hung, there was music, and dancing, and feasting without he had raised. end, and Jim brought his Tarot cards to read. 8. He had poured much of himself into the group, and was, 3. There was piping and harping, and no less than three when he left, the longest standing Archdruid the Carleton couples were married. Grove had seen. 4. Kirsten of the many smiles was wed by Irony to her boy in 9. And as he left the Druids, Carleton and Minnesota the absentia. A good friend stood in for the groom, as they Druid Sigil he had long worn about his neck fell from its were unable to locate a cell phone, and they underwent the cord, and he wept, for he knew that that chapter of his life ordeal together. was at an end, and it was as if much magic had suddenly 5. Then Chrissie the Very Intimidating joined Chloe the gone out of the world. Cuddleable and Ginger together, and theirs was the most elaborate and beautiful wedding that had yet been seen, for Here ends this book of the History of the Legitimacy. they had a best man- Liz, and a Bridesmaid, who was Chris -Irony Sade in green lipstick, and they exchanged gifts and vows in a New Years Eve, 1999 ring of friends and druids while harps sang in the wind for their joy. _ 6. Then as the sun set Irony and Merri were joined by Mec- who is also Mike the Fool. But as they were processing down a arch of arms they were trapped suddenly and subjected to a Marshmellowing, for there were many with real and ridiculous sins to level against Irony that day. 7. Then were they joined in a hand fasting rite to last a year and a day, and they were very happy. 8. The festivities lasted long into the night, and there was a mummers play, and singing, piping, and storytelling, and a good number of the druids wrapped into a blanket pile and slept beneath the stars. 9. The next night Merri the Wanderer and Dan the Rabbinic vigiled for third order, and they both chose the walking vigil and met with strange sights, for the horned piper wandered the woods that night and met and spoke with them both. 10. They were ordained on the Hill of Three Oaks, and endured their questioning well and bravely atop the Center Stone of the Circle as the sun rose behind them. 11. Shortly thereafter a sweat lodge was held, and Rob the Elder and Ehren the Eerie vigiled and were similarly Figure 32 Irony at Old Circle, Samhain 1997. ordained. 12. They too acquitted themselves well, and they were questioned under the direction of Merri and the younger 733 The Poems of Irony (These are the druidicaly inspired poems The Spring of Irony Sade, Archdruid at Carleton 1996-1999.) By Irony Sade The flowers shine like ivory upon the forest lawn Sands of Time The sky is lightly tinged with pink before the early dawn The trees are black and high they raise their lofty towering By Irony Sade crowns, And in the stream there is a pool in which all worry drowns. I met a man in Mittengrad While walking down a street. The larks and nightingales sing of restfulness and sleep The snows of several winters gone The lilies on their lily pads are floating on the deep Were swirling round his feet. The pebbles show their colors and the trees are dripped with His cloak showed signs of recent rains, green It's tattered edge told tales The waterfall it plays a song of notes not heard but seen. Of nights spent 'neath the starlit sky, And bramble ridden trails. The ivy creeps it's way around and up the trunks of trees He nodded as he greeted me, The flowers dance a reel to the buzzing of the bees And quirked an eyebrow to; The butterflies they sit and fan themselves with jeweled wings As if to say in some strange way, The stream it parts around a rock on which the wood nymph 'I think that I know you.' sings. "We've met before, now haven't we?" He spoke the tongue I knew, Then vanished while I stood and stared. And soft the cold wind blew. I met myself in Mittengrad, The Pilgrims Lament A thousand years removed. The Sands of Time had bleached my hair By Irony Sade And left some wrinkles smoothed. My scowl faded clean away, If the world is only illusion, A knowing mien he wore. Just the fabric of Maya wherein nothing is real, What source of surcease had he found, If the soul of the all is the only existence, Through what unopened door? Why does it hurt so much? If the seeker has thrown off temptation, Hypnosis If desire is stifled and pain is repealed, If the peace that we've found is worth all that we've given, By Irony Sade Why do I feel this loss? Light and shadows ever-mixing The god's of my peoples are too many, Twisting turning and betwixing The truth's of the ones I see here too few. Stone and sky from which the rain comes If the god's cannot offer the keys to our heavens, Falling steaming hissing screaming; What can the soul look to? I am walking through a valley, being tripped by fallen angels. I look to myself I see only confusion. When I look to the world I see heartache and pain. While beneath the ground is shaking I look to the god's- I see nothing but silence. Bouncing bounding laughing quaking What is there there to gain? Fires leaking trees are creaking All around a voice is speaking; Yet the sunset still offers me beauty, I am walking through a valley, being tripped by fallen angels. Caresses still fill me with love. The ground at my feet is still there when I'm weary... And above the sky is turning Need we find aught above? Swaying praying clouds are burning Hawk and Phoenix both are slaying Close behind the hounds are baying; What if there's naught above? I am walking through a valley, being tripped by fallen angels. Straight ahead the Elves are singing Clear their voices high and ringing On the hills a storm is climbing In my ears a bell is chiming; I am walking through a valley, being tripped by fallen angels. 734 Untitled Poems from Foot Prints By Irony Sade The German times; August and September, 1997 Irony Sade Gorbeling his gillerthumbs, The Glabberbeast of Gallermums I Spied a lazing Olgerumph Upon the forest floor. Delighting in life the lark flits above me Where the rain drips down through the boughs of the Passing through the Pumplefronds pines, He pounced upon her tumblemonds. Delighting in the rain the grasses run silver, "Dear sir!" She squeaked, "You're squiggling Their laughter the wind as it rustles my hair. My oomtingles with your zore!" Delighting in the wind the pines shiver slowly- The goddess is washing the dust from their beards. Delighting in the goddess the deer leap before me- But the ground has since sunk on the grave of the king. II Solitude By Irony Sade 25.4.98 The forests have buried the barrows of others And webs are now woven where tapestries hung. No more questions. The spider stands sucking the life of her mate No more stories. On a hill o'er a cairn, o'er a pile of bones. Ask of me no songs. The bones of the deer now litter the forest No more oak leaves drifting in the stream beside the Where the timid folk wander on pathways of stone. moon, The wander watches the death of the grasses Nor lightning without thunder in the April muted hills. Ground up in their greens by a growling machine- And let there be no bitter wood-smoke seeping through But the heather grows green on the grave of the rain. the king. For there is no more wanting in me. Nor fear. Nor any love of challenge. III But give to me a single petal from which a drop of dew has fallen and another has yet to form- Now buildings are build where the badger once burrowed And the lark 'lights no longer where the lumberjacks For there is some desire in me still for which I have no name. lean. Now bricks are laid over the green growing grasses, And the Oak is hewn down for the imported corn. Now the ships are of glass and the soul of the sailing Is nailed to the mast of the scorekeepers dome. Now the rain runs in rivers through the sewers of cities On Wind Driven Raindrops And the forest, forgotten, frowns over the wall- But someone burns candles on the grave of The rains from the skies the king. are the tears that my eyes never shed... * * * * * While the leaves in the stream The candles in their candle-sticks are hanging on the wall. are the drops that my heart's The jacket and the dripping jeans are hanging in the hall, never bled.... The clouds are hanging in the sky, the rain is on the stone, And I am at the table slouched, drinking tea alone. All the words that I've read- All the songs in my head- All the pain that I dread.... For the ghost in my bed...... What am I weeping for? 735 Upper Arb, Spring 98 Merri‘s Druidical By Irony Sade Mumblings in the The summertime was dying And the autumn grasses sighing. The drifting leaves were lying Form of Poetry Like the waves upon the sea. Sand Dreams I was in a field standing When I felt my soul expanding By MerriBeth Weber, c. 1998 And I heard a voice commanding That I call it back to me. Dusk At the edge of the world, And I thought I saw a glitter Dust As of eyes both glad and bitter. Wild round me swirled, There was mist upon the litter Sand That was lying next to me... Beneath me sank, Silence As deep I drank, Voice Called out my name, "Who?" I cried, insane. Answer I was never told, Tongue So strange and old, "Tell!" I plead in tears. Veil Thin between the years. Silence. And I wake. Musings in a Colorado Hotel By MerriBeth Weber, c. 1998 Who am I on this precipice, This cliff above the world, Looking out o'er this great expanse, This majesty unfurled? Figure 33 Camilla Ammirati at Old Circle, 1996. What eyes are these, to survey so The trials of beasts and men? What lips have I to speak so of These things beyond my ken? Am I so wise a knowing thing To explain with proverbs grand, To nod sagely and lisp along As though I understand? Figure 34 Michelle Hadjer, Jenni Melmed, Charles Schmidt & Irony Sade, Nov 1996. Figure 35 Merri doing an anti-marriage rite, 2003. 736 Northeast Stone Untitled By MerriBeth Weber, c. 1998 By MerriBeth Weber, c.1998 Silently in death I lay The silence broken only by the sound of falling snow, That death before the birth, the forest holds its breath. From nothingness, from there I came Standing cloaked in my calmness, I prepare now for earth I wait. Sleeping, floating, pondering The sun, a silver disk, The silence of the spheres strains through the clouds, Inside are placed my gifts whiter than angels' wings. And my allotted years The world's face softened by a snowy veil, This memory sings to me the quivering bride of winter When I'm asleep at night stands with me I listen, rapt with wonder, in silence broken only by the sound of falling snow. Till I'm touched by morning's light The forest and I hold our breath. Now I find myself again Chill fingers reach to caress my eyelids. At the point within my dreams The Mother's arms are open, Where I must prepare myself her child falls grateful into her warm embrace. To cross uncharted streams Stillness. This is a rebirth for me The silence broken only by the sound of falling snow, A time for me to choose the forest holds its breath. Who I wish to be and What path I wish to use Walking With Dad By MerriBeth Weber, c.1999 The Storm By MerriBeth Weber, c. 1998 Swaggering across hummocks of grass, Man style. It stormed, thunder and lightening crackling in the sky, Delicately balanced in one hand, and in the air. A structure of a diminutive nature. I ran through the rain, leaping and dancing, Blackbird, he says. like a young wild thing discovering for the first time Only the ash have survived the swamp. what rain is. You can tell them by their bark. I stood in streams of water, drinking from the sky, Memory rests for a moment in childhood. atop the Center Stone. Regrettable that the walks were solitary. With each crack and flash I felt the power growing, Learning waits till now. within me and without of me, Now that I am woman grown. until they both were one. The breeze was my breath and the thunder my heartbeat. The Dance I lifted up my open hand to the heavens in exultation of this life, By MerriBeth Weber, c.1999 and the sky cracked. My other hand came up to join the first, There is a dance within my soul and it cracked and rumbled again. A Dance A Dance My laughter was lost in the wind, became part of the storm. Throbbing in my head, beating in my heart The circle spun around me, A Dance A Dance Alive. Moving in my limbs, the rhythm A Dance A Dance My love, my love. I dance dance a dance dance catlike, Lost in my reverie, we found a rift between us. slow, controlled, the rhythm beats Later, under the raindrops, his words brought forth an anger. faster, the power grows numbing, exhilarating A strength within me rose. Dance Dance Dance A woman I didn't recognize. Who's is this? Stop. She brought him to the church and spoke with him. A knowledge, a knowing, to be gained in the dance. She sees clearly. From Whom? Her thoughts are sound. dance dance Dance Dance DANCE! God's words may pass her lips, I'm walking, I'm avoiding she fears them not. I won't dance dance dance Roles reversed, they converse, until he leaves the scene. I don't know yet, I'm not certain of this And all in awe I venture forth, into the chapel dark. dance dance dance The pews are empty but hymns are heard, Of the Father or the dark one is this humming from the walls. dance dance dance I kneel in prayer before my Lord and ask to understand. What knowledge? This knowledge. What knowledge? Dance Dance In the meadow, in the forest, by the stones Dance Dance 737 I must dance dance dance. I must know. Mississippi Mud Sister, if I go astray By MerriBeth Weber, c. 2000 Please keep all the rest away. Moonlight on naked flesh Dance. Rain on the river Laughter rippling Circle Building Young voices cut the night So good to be young, to be free By MerriBeth Weber c.1999 Living my dance Dancing alone Mother, am I doing right? Feet sure between the stones Does this soothe your pain? Water yeilding and supporting I'm lining stars up in the night The way is open And wondering if I'm sane. The road so long and Mother, is this path I tread Traveled so quickly Leading me to hell? Standing a‘tremble I cleared away those lying dead. The droplets beaded on my skin Am I doing well? Only the moon to light my path There is a focus in this place, And the clouds come and go A power swelling deep. But now and then the Father's face, It haunts me in my sleep. Untitled By MerriBeth Weber, c. 1999 Dragonflies are droning in the dreary dusk of day, Heralding the harper who in Faerie's halls will play. Bellowing and trumpeting the bullfrogs bounce along. Fairies find their fellows as the harper starts his song. ' Remember rolling meadows And grasses wet with dew. Nights black as black And skies of pure blue. Remember golden silence. Remember waters clear. The world we knew is fading The end is drawing near. ' Elven cries of anguish echo eerie in the wood. Cries that carry farther than the fairies thought they could. Unwitting I was walking when wails were wailed aloud And the satyrs' song slipped my mind from its mortal shroud. Untitled By MerriBeth Weber, c. 2000 The morning sun sifts through my window. I watch the light and shadows playing on the wall. Quietly wondering why I am allowed such contentment. Can it be that this peace is what is intended And the rest is all dreams and folly? Figure 36 Chris Middleton & Merri Weber, New Circle flying a kite, Beltane 2001 738 The Poems of Chris The Poems of Brad Chris Middleton was an odd quiet sort of Druid who enjoyed 10/20/98 mummery and plays and eccentric little talks with puppets at night. Dear Irony, Your letter inurted me to send anything of interest to you, the Something to Look Forward to enclosed facsimile copies are the nicest things (to me) I've seen on Druidism, Hope they are of interest. By Chris Middleton, Carleton, c.1999 Sincerely, Brad Norris I was eating a rather bland breakfast When suddenly I died Moments later my spirit was wheeling from the experience The Seven Precepts of Merlin My vision blurred as the room about me spun into a crazed mix of colors Strive for knowledge, for it is power A blender full of the rich hues of every fruit Seek virtue, for it brings peace Every berry. Abhor vice, for it brings evil on all Soon all reality and the bowl of oatmeal below me dipped and Obey those in authority in all just things, so virtue may be exalted sank into the thick syrupy afterlife When in authority decide reasonably, for thy authority may not My spirit was now sticky with the great beyond- last Tastes like blueberries- Bear with fortitude the ills of life, remembering that no mortal Then a darkness, more liquid than coffee, washed over me as I sorrow is eternal ascended to the light Cultivate the social virtues, so that thou shall be loved by all men Could this be death I wondered as I drew my hands through a stream of caffeinated Hereafter The Gorsedd Prayer I thought of all the orange slices, the Mandarin, Naval, and Tangerine Grant, o Duw, thy protection I recalled the Grapefruit and Melons And in protection, strength Those distinct memories of Kiwis, Sandpears and Mangos And in strength, understanding All those times I had feasted And in understanding, knowledge Those times when I had refused to take a single citrus section And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice It was there that I came to a Toast Point And in that knowledge of justice, the love of justice I landed gracefully near a sea of tranquil raspberry jam And in that love of justice, the love of all existence's Along the toasted beach, the waves kicked up a froth of pancakes And in that love of all existence's, the love of Duw People wandered in bedclothes holding hands and holding Duw and all goodness newspapers I knew I had reached the land where breakfast never ended Stolen Child And sighed deeply, turning to English muffin thoughts, and knowing that I‘d never have to go to early morning Spanish again. Where dips the rocky highland Of sleuthwood in the lake, Lies a leafy island Untitled for Obvious Reasons Where flapping herons wake By Chris Middleton, Carleton c.1999 The drowsy water rats There we've hid our faerie vats Three men are seated at a table in Purgatory Full of berries They are silent And of reddest stolen cherries Around them are thousands of silent, caged, parrots Just as in heaven, just as in hell (Chorus) Come away, oh human child In heaven the parrots learn words and continue the conversations To the water and the wild When the people are silent With a faerie hand in hand In hell the parrots learn words and For the world's more full of weeping Interrupt whoever speaks Than you can understand In Purgatory the parrots learn words, But are always silent The three men in Purgatory Do not know this 739 Where the wave of moonlight glosses The Poems of Corwin The dim grey sands with light By far off furthest crosses Corwin Troost got these poems to me from Carleton at the end of We foot it all the night 2002, but I‘m not quite sure of the year of authorship. But he‘ll Weaving olden dances be there until 2005. Mingling hands and mingling glances Till the moon has taken flight To and fro we leap Utter blackness And chase the frothy bubbles By Corwin, c. 2002 While the world is full of troubles And is anxious in its sleep Utter blackness Just a second (Chorus) When bright light winked out. But in that second, Where the wandering water gushes I could see nothing. From the hills above Glencar The world was gone. In pools among the rushes That scarce could bathe a star All too soon, We seek for slumbering trout A spot of light emerges, And whispering in their ears And the world returns. Give them unquiet dreams But I always know Leaning softly out That for a second, O'er ferns that drop their tears It was gone. Over the young stream (Chorus) Bear Me Up, O World Away with us he's going By Corwin, c. 2002 The solemn-eyed He'll hear no more the lowing Bear me up, O world. Of the calves on the long hillside Bear me up, support my weight with your lightness. Or the kettle on the hob In your silence, I can sing; Sing peace unto his breast Your cold envelops me, Or see the brown mice bob And stillness is my loyal companion. Round and round the oatmeal chest Your tiny rain is my ambrosia; For he comes the human child The scent of the grass, the seeds, the decaying leaves— To the waters and the wild All your smallness feeds me. With a faerie hand in hand Your immensity, your grandeur, gets more praise, For the world's more full of weeping But your little, secret ways— Than he can understand The soft rhythm of crunching snow W.B. Yeats The midnight pale brightness of a snow field A single star pushing through the clouds— Lovingly linger with me, Always waiting, just for me to notice. You give me everything But that I could know it all! Bear me up, O world Let me be another tiny, forgotten Lovely thing. Transcendence By Corwin, c. 2002 I feel her I feel through her I can feel the back of her neck Yet I face her front, And feel that too. I? We feel. Where does I end and she begin? I am not sure. I am not I Figure 37Charles, Cammilla Ammirati & Irony, I stretch beyond my form Old Stone Circle, Nov. 1996 And these beautiful, loving bodies Fall to pieces Of universe. 740 Infinity in an Open Plain Historiographies of the By Corwin, c. 2002 Books of the Latter-Day Druids I am so used to walls, Trees and Horizons I have never stood upon an empty plain Gazing out into wide forever Without anything to hold me up The Dead Lake Scrolls Beside or above, just the ground below. I look from out this train window; It is worth noting than in the originals, I put in pictures, I wonder—without this steely guardian fancy fonts, amusing titles and other items, which would make Without cities, walls, and dams, distribution difficult. They have therefore been removed. With In a world without the exception of the Book of Paul, all are authored by Michael Man‘s constructed obstruction Scharding with advice from his friends. This book is mostly to Would I be borne up by infinity tell Carleton Druids of their past and to record the events of Stretching my limbs and my sight Scharding's ArchDruidcy of May 93 to May 94. As far as they could go, Or would I, alone, isolated, The Book of Introduction Be crushed by its weightlessness? As the contents suggest, this book is setting the purpose Spent and mood for the collection. Another CD The Book of Years Another thing As some of the gaps prove, this was written early in my Another, another, and another research on Reformed Druid history. The titles for their different Why must I buy periods are my own and are of little relevance to other people. It sounds It tastes The Book on John Burridge It feels and looks So good During his brief time at Carleton as a staff member, John So why has my life—my energy— Burridge made a lasting impression on the Druid community. Gone? following those This book was written to honor his memory. The Orange House Measly little bills? referred to was one of the focal points of Druid life in the campus. I am drained I believe it was torn down in 1992. It was kitty korner from I feel sick. Berg house. You can buy happiness, The Book of Opposition But like rich food If you take too much The atmosphere at Carleton since 1984 was getting more It is vomit, diarrhea; and more conservative. Incidents of proselytizing increasingly Disgust. became annoying to Carleton Druids. Now looking back on this I enjoy not spending, book, I am slightly embarrassed by my paranoia, but it was the I enjoy frugality, first time that I had ever been religiously assaulted. Many aspects Taking little, and only cheaply. of my life changed as a result, and much of my ArchDruidcy This lettuce and celery joy after the event was dedicated towards increasing inter-religious Gave way to that of mousse and steak. understanding among the Druids. Most of these precautions listed I feel ill; I mustn‘t eat. were commonplace before I came to Carleton in Fall 1989. I feel Later I shall eat slowly, that I've mellowed a bit since then, and now count it as a moment Rich or poor, of enlightenment. And avoid this sickness worse than hunger. The Book of Post Scripts: Part One This recounts Carleton's 30th anniversary picnic and ritual held at Monument Hill. It also recounts the stages preceding the re-establishment of the official ArchDruidcy. Sam and I became ArchDruids of Olaf and Carleton, before entering the Third Order (officially) although we did vigil like Third Orders before the initial assumption of the Archdruidcies. My official ArchDruidcy began at Andrea's Third Ordination in June, when she passed the title on to me. Figure 38 Ehren Vaugh, Merri Weber & Steve Crimmins in a Druid Cloak Tamale, Beltane 2001. 741 The Book of Paul: Part One The Dead Bay Scrolls Written by Paul Schmidt, it tells of the special ceremony Using the Dead Lake Scrolls & Druid Chronicles as a that we two performed to give greater strength to the new Third model, Stephen Abbot (Archdruid of Hazelnut Grove) wrote a Oak on the Hill of Three Oaks, to ensure it wouldn't die. It was history of the California Druids since 1980 up until the Thirtieth one of the more complicated ceremonies I had done up to that Anniversary of Reformed Druidism. The common parallels of point. Paul was a good preceptor and I always enjoyed his tongue-in-cheek humor and faint whiffs of paranoia are intriguing. support. Although Stephen wrote all these following words, I put them into biblical notational format, for easy reference. This is one of The Book of Haiku the few NRDNA documents that was not written by Isaac, and it I can't seem to get enough Haiku, and I consider it one of is therefore a good tool for understanding the various attitudes the most effective ways to teach other Druids. Each is a quick within the NewRDNA. and simple lesson, with little verbiage. Its tri-fold nature is also dear to my Celtic proclivities. Das Edda Todvolkfortgeshritten The Book of Post Scripts: Part One This poem describes the disastrous ritual leading up to the This book provided a basic understanding of how the Third Grove elections at Samhain 1981 in the Berkeley Grove. Order had disappeared from Carleton, and explained why I Difficulties in finding the ritual site, along with Isaac's strong wished to revive it. There was some distrust of the Third Order, platform of changes should he be elected Archdruid, and a and being disinclined of hierarchy myself, I chose to be very disagreement about voting procedures caused an eruption of careful of the uses of the office in my upcoming ArchDruidcy. discord in the Grove. Not long after this pivotal moment, Isaac Most of the Druids did not know of the other Druid groves across left to found ADF, the Live Oak grove schised from Berkeley and the country, or about ADF, so I told them about this. I hoped to everybody stopped talking to each other. The leader of the Death convey their participation in a larger community. The 1985-1993 March was Joan Carruth. The Co-ArchDruids mentioned were Druids had gone on field trips to Pagan Festivals, but we never Stephen and Tezra of the Hazelnut grove. got around to organizing such an activity, to our own loss, I The Book of the Boring Times believe. The Book of Vigils A clever pun on the Neo-Pagan term "The Burning Times" (the Inquisition). I assume the place of the Orks is a military base Despite some early reluctance to reviving the Third Order, in the San Francisco bay. As we can tell from this book, Stephen once I entered it under Richard Shelton, there was a veritable moves around alot and has worked at many types of jobs. horde of requests to enter the Third Order. I suspect more people The Book of Mr. Boring were ordained in those 6 months than in 3 of the most busy years in the Reform. Such frequent vigils, with all the necessary In some fashion, this work almost seems to be a conversion preparations, brought the community together for a good sized story about how Druidism can change even the most boring camping party. Strangely enough, poor weather was the rule person into an interesting thinker. when it came to Vigils, but this appears to be a historical constant. The Book of Games The Book of Cattle Raids More discussion about the passing of spare time during the Basically a wild tale of Sam and Me at the PSG festival of Boring Times. 1993 in Wisconsin. It was the first time that I had run into the Henge of Keltria and during this trip I discovered that several The Book of the 30th Anniversary NRDNA groves still existed. The author was Anderson, a prominent Wiccan author. The The Book of the Great Dream Terlach referred to here is Robert Larson, the founder of the Berkeley Grove. It also tells of how Jeff Sommers was ordained Like the April Fool day proselytizing event, this Dream, in and founded the Tuatha De Danaan Grove in the Bay Area. This May 92, was one of the great inspiring events before my book gives a little insight into the attitudes of the NRDNA to the ArchDruidcy. Having returned from Scotland, I was intrigued by role of the Third Order. It also has a rare reference to a person the Dalriada group and the international scene of Druidism. I've being previously denied entrance to the Third Order, but always had interesting dreams, with some degree of autonomy eventually entering in time. It is a difficult area to deny entry, as I within them, so this type of dream was uncommon but not rare. discuss in my General History. The Book of Stones The Book of the Laundry Think-Tank A collection of myths and stories about Carleton stones; A good overview of the planning of group activities in the handed down to us from time immemorial. I find the story about Hazelnut Grove. the Hadzi particularly doubtful. The Book of Fire A basic collection of fire-related customs at Carleton during my College days. 742 Addendum to the Ordination of the The Book of Exile, Part Two Second Order Irony made a trip to Germany and then spent two years in Tonga for the Peace Corps. These are some of the letters he sent This is unusual, to add to an traditional ordination to me in exchange for care packages and Druid reading materials. ceremony. The fact that they required extra meditation by the Candidate seems to confirm that the NRDNA were less interested The Book of Stones, Part Two in hierarchy than in personal growth. Written to commemorate Irony‘s feat of getting the College The Book of Samhain to build a gigantic stone circle. Like my own Book of Oppositions, the Hazelnut Grove was having their own problems. The Book of Vigils, Part Two Gosh, there have been a lot of vigils, that I‘ve attended lately. Of course, there are others that I couldn‘t attend. The Dead River Scrolls Ein Tanz Dream 2003 Introduction The Winter King: A Dream Mini-Epistle of Michelle the Dark The Wild Hunt Michelle was one of the triple ArchDruidcy of (Becky, Ann The three dreams by Irony. & Michelle) which lasted from 1994-1997-ish. This epistle was drawn from the waning days of the Vax Notes Conference. The Epistle of Amanda Amanda helped run the grove in the 1996-1998 period. I believe Irony was away and Michelle was in a blue funk. The Sigil Letters Strange that more was not written about Sigils before this. Ian Friesland was a scientific friend of mine, an environmentalist, who was really enthused by receiving the Sigil before going on a world-wide research trip of some type. Robert Harrison wrote his letter soon after his vigil at Carleton. The Book of Exile, Part One Written by the young Irony just into his Archdruidcy in Figure 39 New Stone Circle winter c.2001. 1997 to Mike who was exiled to Japan for four years. The Tree Epistle of John Another letter, this time from John Burridge (who appeared in the Dead Lake Scrolls) pulled out of the Vax Notes conference just before it was closed and replaced by a new bulletin board. The Book of Q Written by my dog, Q, in Japan, who was a favorite at the Grove meetings in the Akita Grove. They tended to pay more attention to the dog, rather than my meditations. The Book of the Sermon Okay, so I sometimes ramble a little bit! This was written by Pat Haneke, who I ordained in Japan, and later succeeded me to the Archdruidcy of the Akita Grove that I established there. He is married to Nozomi Kibou and is a bit of a recluse and luddite. Figure 40 Jon Nauert, Heather Gruenberg, Mike Scharding & Margot Adler (Author of Drawing Down the Moon), Jan 10, 1992 in Great Hall. 743 Ye Olde Scratch Paper 1 Ye Old Scratch Paper 2 Thus Endeth Part Nine of ARDA 2 744