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Cousins Issue 03
COUSINS ISSUE #3 - February 1992
A place for the Witches, pagans, nature spirits, fey-folk, and assorted elder
kin of Sherwood to share ideas, challenges, dreams, and projects, and to stir
up a little magic of our own
contact Susan Gavula, sjgavula@terminator.rs.itd.umich.edu for more
information.
This Issue's Fun Word: TANIST
The successor apparent to a Celtic chief, usually the most vigorous
adult of his kin, elected during the lifetime of the chief. I picked
this one because Murry Hope's incessant references to "the Sun King and
the Dark Tanist" in his otherwise lucid and fascinating book Practical
Celtic Magic were driving me crazy! If you don't mind single-source
theory and constant attributions of legends and cultural traits to
Atlantis and Mu/Lemuria, check this one out. WARNING: Don't spend money
on the book if homophobia bothers you. There's only one example of it in
there, but it's a doozy! If you choose to borrow it, be warned - there's
a nifty little spell in there for getting back at people who don't
return borrowed books. By the way, where is Mu/Lemuria?
* * *
LETTERS
Kitty Laust-Gamarra
I enjoyed the contradictions in Ariel's article [Issue #1] - on the one
hand, she thinks Robin is too magical, heroes need to be more human.
Then she turns around and wants Robert to be more magical. The truth is,
the story divisions are logical. Those fans who are less interested in
magic gravitate towards Robert, whose episodes had less magic and more
action. Loxley fans are attracted to the mysticism and magic implied in
his episodes. However, I have seen action Loxley stories and magical
Robert stories. As to originality, this is a touchy area. What is
original? No matter what plot line you come up with, someone, somewhere,
sometime has done the same. And when you start with a preconceived
universe, similar themes and ideas are bound to come out. Perhaps we
come out with the same details or conclusions because they are implicit
in the show, which should be the only real "canon" in the fanfiction -
what was actually said or shown on screen. How you interpret that is up
to you as a writer.
Commentary on Issue #2:
I want to start off by saying what a great job I think Hilda is doing
with this letterzine. As an editor of two literary zines, I know exactly
how much work goes into a publication. Like Hilda, I will only mention
those points that my opinion either adamantly agrees with or differs
greatly, otherwise I accept what was put forth. Now, on to Issue #2.
Woodswalker: Yes! I agree wholeheartedly, let's not get too literal with
our interpretations. It would be far too restricting to say, Robin is
the Green Man, he can only act one certain way. It also is unfair to
Kip's creative abilities to force his characters into certain molds that
we desire. Perhaps he based them loosely upon archetypes, but they are
his own creations. Which brings me to the next point, making the
characters more than what they are in the show. Sorry, but as a writer I
strongly disagree here. (This goes for you too, Janet R.) These
characters were created by Kip and should remain within the bounds he
created. True, he does not have ownership of the legendary characters,
but as they are represented in RoS, yes he does. Generously, he has
given his permission for us to play in his universe as long as we remain
true to what he created (he told us this at Son of Herne's Con).
Therefore, a writer must tread very carefully when attributing to a
character abilities that were never manifested in the show. Robin had
"the sight" and invoked Herne to help him on occasion. He never
demonstrated any true "magical" powers on his own so it is wrong of
writers to give him the ability to read minds or call upon the wind to
help him, except when he asks it through Herne. Unless you keep the
characters true to the show, then you are creating your own characters
and panning them off as RoS.
Unfortunately, the idea of Robin as "god" perfect seems to have taken
over the fandom, at least among many Loxley fans. However, on the show
he did show insecurities ("Children of Israel") and he did make mistakes
("Witch of Elsdon" or "Alan a Dale"). Many of them were real lulus
("King's Fool/King Richard"). But he usually managed to get himself out
of any troubles that resulted on his own, calling upon Herne only as a
last resort. For more stories about Robin, try finding copies of the
older zines - they had more Loxley stories. They also had the more
negative Robert stories. (Suggestions if you can find them - Arrow
Flight, Tales from Sherwood, Sherwood Tunnels, or any of the earliest
issues of Herne's Son, Legend, Longbow, or Albion.)
As to Robert's reason for going to Sherwood, I believe what he tells
Little John in "Herne's Son" - he's seen injustice all his life and now
Herne has called upon him to right the wrongs. Perhaps we all overlook
Herne's abilities here, he has called Robert, mentally and emotionally.
The call of a god must be hard to resist, especially when that god wants
you to do exactly what you'd like to do. Isn't it possible that when
David refuses to help Marion, Robert finally sees that even as Earl, he
won't be able to help the oppressed? Wouldn't Herne's call then seem
much more attractive? Become a crusader for justice rather than one of
the oppressors he hates.
Janet V: Yes, yes, yes! Sherwood is the Mother, the Goddess. Even the
show tells us that "strange" things happen there, especially at night.
Isn't Herne really there to protect the forest and her creatures as well
as the old ways? Continuing on the female counterpart theme, I don't
think there truly needs to be one. After all, we don't see any of the
other male gods either. Possibly, Herne is the last of a dying race (or
the others have already given up on the humans who are turning more and
more away from them). But if there is a counterpart, she needn't have
horns, Tina, merely be a consort. The horns are symbols of his reign and
his consort would have different abilities.
Lynn: very good point about former Robin Hoods becoming Herne. After
all, the old man came from somewhere (remember the man is not Herne). As
he says in the first episode, "When the horned-one possesses me..." and
later, "We can all of us be gods". Is this a sort of school, gods-in-
training? In which case, any female the man had might not necessarily be
the counterpart of Herne. The same as Marion. There is no real reason to
assume that she is the goddess or any other counterpart to Robin. Nor to
think that she followed the old ways, none of the merries other than
Robin seemed too involved in that. In fact, they appeared to follow him
more than Herne. Perhaps this is why she didn't know when Samhain was,
there was no one to tell her. (Then again, maybe she was actually trying
to remind the priests without coming right out and saying, "wake up,
guys" - this was a very male-dominated world.)
Ariel: To lay to rest once and for all the 6' fairy point - try reading
any of the Irish stories about the Sidhe. Good references are A Celtic
Miscellany translated by Kenneth H. Jackson, Great Fairy Tales of
Ireland by Mary McGarry, Myths and Folklore of Ireland by Jeremiah
Curtin and even The Story of the Irish Race by Seumas MacManus. For the
Welsh version, read the "Mabinogion" which is talking about the "Fair
Folk". [And mightn't it be talking a wee bit like you? -H] Evangeline
Walton has done an excellent four part retelling of this great mythical
cycle.
Janet R: Certainly Beltein customs were performed, but knowingly? We
follow many ancient traditions without knowing where they came from or
what their original meaning was. The vast majority of peasants probably
celebrated the holidays their ancestors had because that's what was
always done, in the same manner that we put up a Christmas tree because
that's what you do around the 25th of December, not out of any attempt
to honor the gods for giving you fire.
As to Owen's brood, let's remember that these people are a mixture of
Celtic, Anglo, Saxon and Viking invaders. Each new group would
contribute to the whole and thus the "Anglo-Saxons" who were invaded by
the "Normans" would not be the same culture as the "Saxons" who came
over from Germany nor the "Celts" who lived in Britain at the time of
the Roman invasion. One society does not cease to exit completely when
invaders come over, but rather blends to create a new one. Even our own
culture is a mixture of various elements, each introduced separately.
The English language itself reflects the many and varied roots of
Britain's evolution. However, I do agree that Castle Clun could not be
typical of the Welsh at that time. I think Gulnar's influence over Owen
was perhaps the base of their strange behavior.
I strongly disagree about Marion's apparent breakdown. Remember, when
Owen kidnapped her she had to assume that there was no one to rescue her
- her husband was dead, his men scattered and her father without men-at-
arms. Who was left, the Earl of Huntingdon? He wouldn't even stand up
for her in his own castle. Later, she rallied and tried to do something
for herself, but her initial reaction is understandable. Besides, even
in first and second season she was known to cry ("Witch of Elsdon" or
"Enchantment") when things looked bleak.
Hilda: You wonderful person you. Such an eye for detail and so much
knowledge! By the way, the old meaning of maid would better translate as
"unlaid" than "unmarried" because once you had sex, even unwillingly,
you were no longer a maid (traditionally, only maids wore their hair
loose, binding it once they were deflowered). And wasn't the Green Man
story in an early issue of either Legend or Herne's Son? Help us out
here, Janet.
I disagree about the show's representation of black magic. Incantations
and the use of demon familiars is a practice that started in the Middle
East and was brought into England by the returning Crusaders, which
means it would have been installed sometime after the first Crusades
(the end of the 11th Century). Thus, it is perfectly reasonable that de
Belleme (who fought in the Holy Lands) would practice this type of magic
and he is after only one thing, personal power. If he must use Azael to
get it, then that's fine with him. Morgwyn wants the same thing. Only
Gulnar appears to be a fanatic about his god and then only when he's
trying to ruin Robert. Hmm, perhaps the old "I'll do anything for
revenge" scenario?
Great insights on Druids! The bardic tradition comes from them and yes,
it was oral apparently to keep the secrets truly secret. A lifetime was
needed to become a druid priest (shades of Herne being an "old" man),
training usually beginning at a very young age, as soon as one could
leave mother (probably around 6 or 7).
Believe it or not, in Spain people still use the "conciliatory
diminutives" for loved ones (Joaquinito is literally "little Joaquin")
and it definitely does not refer to size. [Ahem! Oh, we're not all-
ages? OK, as you were... -H] Anyone who is cared for deeply is called
"little". Perhaps this goes on in other European countries as well.
Which brings me to my last point (I thought I could be brief, ha, ha).
Does anyone have interest or knowledge about divining with a pendulum? I
know it's not in RoS, but I would love to discuss it and learn more
about it. In Spain the technique is called "radioestologia" and is
considered a science. In fact, throughout most European countries, all
paranormal studies have university courses (with diplomas) and are
widely accepted as fact. If you know something of the subject (commonly
called waterwitching), drop me a line.
...I had one more thought on the "Herne's Counterpart" debate. Celts,
and Druids in particular, associated magical powers with sexual prowess.
So, for one to be strengthened, the other was repressed. Most high
druids were solitary, celibate people (male or female) often living like
hermits (just like Herne). As a priest possessed by a god's spirit, the
old man was probably celibate so there would be no consort. It's also
quite possible there was no counterpart per se as the hunt and the
forest were "man's" domain. At one time, Rhiannon may have fulfilled
that role (back when the worship was still female oriented), but her
place was diminished as the male oriented society developed. Herne
protect.
Morgana
Dear COUSINS:
Loved the first two issues! What a packed house of info, speculation, &
plain ol' fun! My response this time has to do with some questions about
spirituality & symbols touched on in #2.
Janet: You're right; some places did consider the Sun feminine & the
Moon masculine. Most notably Akewa (Argentina), the Sun Goddess of
Arinna (Amazonian/Anatolian), Sun Sister (Eskimo/Inuit), Amaterasu
(Japanese) for the Lady. Also Tsukiyomi (Japanese), Bahloo (Australian),
Sin (Sumerian) & Yarikh (Canaanite) as Lord. In other cultures it's
always been the "typical" Sun God & Moon Goddess but Hilda's Man on the
Moon statement makes a lot of historical sense! [Even if it was Janet
V's... Nonetheless, He can moon me whenever He wants to! -H]
Tina: I've thought about it & researched throughout my 11 years in the
Craft but have yet to find mention of a horned female figure. Can anyone
else help?
Ariel: Ah, Earth magick...essentially it's the use of Nature & the
elements in ma@ick, everything from herbs to the stars. This type of
magick can help you change your life for the better but also help you
find out who you are & what your place is in the universe. In a way,
it's intensely Shamanistic as Shamans utilize all things Natural in
their medicine (magick). It's true folk magick, & since Loxley, his
companions, and the Wickham villagers are true peasants, this could lend
credence to Robin's use of this type of work.
Janet R.: Interesting what you say about the faerie! I've heard all
heights, tall and short. The faerie folk have also been referred to as
Nature spirits such as dryads (tree spirits) and those spirits of herbs,
rocks, minerals, flowers, etc. These apparently do and do not take on
human form. I've seen photos of dryads that were no more than white
light "blobs" for lack of a better word! (I myself have never seen any
fay folk but only sensed them.) In another idea, the green dye from the
alder tree was allegedly used to color the clothes of those remains of
the dispossessed tribes who took to the hills and woods for protection
against other invading tribes. This could be one explanation why Robin's
often portrayed in movies and other media as perpetually clad in green
(who could forget Errol Flynn?) Another tale puts Robin as a derivation
of Hodskin, and Anglo- Saxon wood sprite.
Hilda: Getting out my trusty dictionary, I looked up the etymological
meaning of "maiden." It means "young person of either sex" (??) The
suffixed form "magho-ti-" in Germanic "magadi" with Old English
"maegden," virgin. While on the subject, "virgin," aside from the
obvious sexual implication, also means "one who belongs only to
herself." The Goddess Artemis is often described in this manner, as
she's not dependent on any man for her happiness or well- being, but on
herself only. Maiden or Virgin has also been given to the Craft High
Priest's partner in the coven. Marion is certainly seen as Robin's
consort, and she independently decided to leave Kirklees for Sherwood,
and also to enter Halstead.
Just for the amusement of our readers, there are a number of Herne place
names in the UK. They are: Cerne Abbas in Dorset (home of that hillside
Giant), a few Herne Hills, two Herne villages, Herne Bay, Hern Drove,
Hernebridge, Herne Common, Herne Pound, and on it goes...
Here endeth the lesson. P.S. - Sorry I couldn't find anything on the
Rotary Club wheel!
Laura Woodswalker Todd
Dear Cousins, Greetings! It was great to receive the 2nd issue of
Cousins so quickly, and it was a fascinating read with the discussions
of human sacrifice, quaint British customs, etc. I advise you to check
out the book Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets if you already
haven't. Unfortunately this is a rather expensive book and hard to find.
But if you can find it, you'll learn the most incredible things (such as
the "goddess" origins of practically everything.) You say that "Robin"
is "Welsh male anatomical slang?" Well, this book refers to the rhyme
"Cock Robin" and says that the term "cock" means exactly what we think
it means. "In Cornwall, Robin meant...a penis. His surname Hood or Hud
referred to the symbolic pine log planted in Mother Earth as a sacred
pillar." So there you are!! There must be a side of him we didn't see on
HTV. Which reminds me: I just got a copy of Jan and Kitty's zine
Forbidden Forest, which sheds a little more light on this side of
Robin!! It's a great zine to curl up in bed with...good job, Jan and
Kitty! And it was nice to see some of you in print there.
Back to Pagan stuff: Since it is so difficult to know what happened so
long ago, all this new information about ancient Wiccan connections
makes me wonder. The question has been raised concerning the "ancient
matriarchal religion": how much is true, and how much is the wishful
thinking of today's pagans? The same can be asked concerning Robin
Hood's Wiccan connections. To my knowledge the earliest source material
about Robin consists of a lot of ballads which tell of his fights,
scrapes, escapes from the Sheriff, etc. Little mention is made of his
"giving to the poor" in the way that our ROS heroes do, and no mention
at all is made of the Pagan connections. So how do we know? Is it
"wishful thinking?" After all, I recently heard someone came out with a
book stating that Gerald Gardner "made up" a lot of his "ancient
rituals." (Though some would say it doesn't matter, if people find the
rituals effective.) [And I say it's an outright lie - he swiped them
from Doreen Valiente! -H]
As to the Goddess in ROS: I think we are putting more baggage onto this
show than it actually has. I just don't see the Goddess portrayed in
ROS. I found this somewhat disappointing at first when I was looking for
Pagan references with a magnifying glass. Perhaps we don't see it
because even among pagans, patriarchy had dominated the earlier
matrifocal culture. Anyway...I wonder what "feminists" would say about
this show. Most likely it is not "politically correct." Marion is a good
character, but a feminist friend of mine remarked on the fact that she
is the only woman among 6 men, and therefore is sort of a token. She
asked whether that bothered me and I replied that if I wanted to watch
something "Liberating" for women I would watch something else; this show
appeals to other feminine impulses than the urge for liberation. (I need
not spell out which impulses I mean.) But to elaborate, prior to this
year I was very involved with Goddess and feminist things. All the major
characters in my stories were these super women. Then I discovered ROS
and found there were indeed a few males worthy to inhabit my fantasy
world!
As to magic in ROS: Some of it is pretty murky. What exactly was Gulnar
trying to accomplish in Cromm Cruac? If he just wanted revenge on Robin,
couldn't he have done something simpler? Then in Time of the Wolf Gulnar
is out to kill Herne. This makes me wonder about Herne's true nature. Is
he just a human who puts on a little magic now and then, and can be
killed? If he is a god, why does Gulnar believe he can be killed? Can
Fenris be killed too? What magical power does Isadora's Round Table
possess? Another interesting form of magic which hasn't been discussed
is the psychic visions occasionally seen through Albion. Does this
happen all the time, or just when it's a plot convenience? And what
about the Silver Arrow: exactly what does it do?
Are any of you into Tarot cards? I used to have the Hanson Roberts deck
and we would just go through and note which ones looked like various ROS
characters or were particularly apropos. The Ten of Swords was the all
too appropriate Loxley "death" card. "Magician" matched him as well. I
think the five of wands, showing a blonde boy battling a horde of
bullies, was the definitive Robert card. The "bullies" stand for all the
problems Robert has to overcome (mentioned in the last letter.) One time
I got the idea of designing a ROS tarot deck, but of course it would be
way too ambitious a project for me.
Another comment on the analysis of Robert/Robin. I just read a story
called Legend where Loxley's ghost visits Robert and "tells him the
score." In this story Robert seems definitely "at sea" when it comes to
magical ability. In a lot of other stories he is playing second fiddle
as well. Sometimes I wonder why he even bothers! (Oh, well, if he's No.
2, he "tries harder.")
Janet: Yeah, I'd like to have seen Robert speak of his reason for
becoming an outlaw. There was a serious credibility gap there. In
general the TV series seemed to not want to probe past the surfaces. Is
this a general failing of TV...they want the characters to stay the same
cardboard cutouts week after week? They seem to avoid any references to
past events, as if they're afraid to offend some viewer who hasn't seen
the earlier episodes. For instance--the series seems to want us to
forget there ever was a Loxley as quickly as possible: once he is gone,
no references are ever made to him. Oh well...the good side of all this
is that the very shallowness of TV plotting is what drives us to write
fan stories.
I suppose this is as good a place as any to put in a pitch for a writing
penpal. I would love to swap stories with other writers just to get
feedback on "does this story work, or is it full of stupid mistakes." So
if there are any of you who would like to get into critiquing
[Criticizing! "Critique" is a noun! -H] or mutual "workshopping," let me
know. After all, once the story is written, it sits around for months
until it finally comes out in a zine. So why not use that time to make
the story as perfect as you can get it! Herne protect.
Todd Parrish
Hello Hilda and everyone,
I meant to get something in for your first issue, but you know,
procrastination set in. Hilda, thanks for getting me involved in this
effort. It seems like a lot of fun. Like Kitty, I don't consider myself
a Witch. But I have been fascinated with "magic" ever since I was small
(it must have been an overdose of Bewitched -- I still watch it
faithfully, by the way). Being raised Mormon, I was taught that belief
in magic and Witches was evil. Completely. My father taught me that all
Witches were Satan worshipers. I didn't know the difference. They are
two completely different things. I discovered this, in the main, from my
involvement with RoS. From being in contact with people like you Hilda,
I realized that Pagans (Witches) were nice people just like everybody
else. I was so relieved that this cloud of confusion was dispelled and
that my interests could be attributed to positive rather than negative
influences. I have opened up a lot to other people and beliefs. I don't
feel uncomfortable now with discussing magic because I realize Witches
heal (Satan worshippers are another ball of wax -- ugh!) [Stuck full of
pins - ugh! -H] It is really neat to meet so many people with different
beliefs -- Janet Van Meter being raised Methodist... and other people of
traditional Christian or Jewish religions. I found Hilda's statement,
"... I am really glad that there are so many Christians, and Jews and
atheists and who- knows-what-all-else in our community, because they
give so many more cultural parallels and contrasts to enliven and give
texture..." really neat! One parallel that I found when reading about
Witchcraft was that some believed Robin and his men (13 according to
some legends) formed a coven, with Marion as the 13th, the High
Priestess. I find that the number 13 seems to be found in many instances
throughout History including Christ and the 12 apostles -- Christ forms
the 13th member, and thus, a coven. It is interesting for me to note
that the Mormon church has 12 apostles and the prophet is the 13th -- a
coven. This blew my mind! Why is the number 13 so significant? I know it
has something to do with numerology and drawing down the powers of
heaven. Anybody else with more insights? Also, the founding father of
Mormonism, Joseph Smith, had a "seer stone" (a crystal of some sort) and
found water with a divining rod. Early Mormons (especially Joseph Smith
and the Smith family) wore magic amulets, and they also built
astrological phases on the moon and sun (incl. pentagrams) into the
brickwork of their temples. Interestingly enough, which most Mormons
don't talk about, there is a secret belief in a Goddess too! I'm sure
people being raised in different religions have also found Pagan
elements in their own religions. It does seem sad though, that religions
have grown apart from their roots. Where magic and mystical spiritualism
used to be more accepted, in time, many religions wrote this chapter of
their history out.
From my understanding, Christians (mainly Catholics) needed to unite and
represent the negative, so, they used Pagans as a scapegoat for their
aspirations of expansion. So, many positive beliefs, such as Herne the
Hunter, became the devil. I found out that the horns really symbolized
our connection with nature and the animals. It is sad that the horns
became something evil and eventually ended up on Lucifer's head as a
mark of wickedness. I am not attempting to slam Christians (including
myself despite I don't subscribe to any particular religion now,
although I'm becoming more "Pagan" day by day), but studying history has
been very helpful in sorting out my feelings about Paganism. I am so
glad that I am no longer prone to judge all Witches Satanists: Witches
are Witches and Satanists are reversed form of Christ worship. It became
clear that Paganism has nothing to do with the concept of a traditional
Christian god, so how in the heck could they be Satanists? Beats me!
Ariel, I was reading about Witches when I discovered that wearing a
garter meant that you belonged to a coven. Also, a silver buckle means
that you are a coven leader. True? I think that the history behind this
whole legacy was interesting... especially the founding of the saying,
"evil to him who thinketh evil." Apparently this happened when a noble
woman showed her garter at formal function and the count coined this
phrase indicating that he too was a Witch. I'll have to rewatch my
episodes of RoS to see that shot of Loxley's knee... hmmm, might be. Is
Kip Carpenter a "Pagan"? He was wearing a pentagram around his neck at
son of Herne's Con. However, he does sure seem to know a lot about the
Old Religion due to his research. Could he have incorporated this into
the show? He might just think we are reading things into the series, but
I don't know -- is it just a coincidence?
Ariel, when you talked about Marion having to ask about Samhain (Cromm
Cruac episode) and that if she were a practicing Wiccan she should have
known about it -- Isn't Wicca a relatively new and encompassing form of
Paganism? Not all Pagans are Wiccans, from my understanding and
according to Scott Cunningham's book: Wicca, a solitary guide to the
practitioner. Just a little minute point I thought I would bring up.
Wow! I just read that Barbara Walker wrote a woman's dictionary of
symbols and sacred objects. I was actually looking through this book and
was thoroughly fascinated by it. As it turns out even though I was
unaware of it, I purchased a Barbara Walker pack of tarot cards. I felt
very attracted to them. Cool.
Why should I read The Spiral Dance? Why is this book a must? I read that
several people mentioned this.
I'd better close. Hilda, you might not want to print this epistle. Well,
at least, this is an epistle for me I usually scratch just a few lines.
Blessed be the tie that binds!
Phil Kramer
I have a viewpoint that some people might share, based on Richard
Carpenter's Robin of Sherwood series.
Robin Hood was chosen by his God (Herne) because of his abilities, his
strength, and his psychic powers. He became his "son," working to end
injustices for those who couldn't fight for themselves. Robin was able
to hand pick people who could best aid him and he didn't discriminate
against their religious beliefs. I feel that being pagan means treating
all religions as One, getting along to the best of my ability with all
races and creeds and living in productive harmony.
Robin Hood is more a title than a person, and I feel this was a position
filled by various people, as needed.
In a sense Robin and Marion are the Father and Mother of workingclass
England, and beyond. They represent the fight of Good against
Corruption, as well as the belief that if we were all to treat each
other fairly there would be peace. Blessed be.
Julianne
Dear Cousins, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to send my response in. As
some of you know, my life is more than a bit hectic. I just wish the
universe would EASE UP! Well, at least this gives me the chance to
respond to issues 1 and 2 at once .
ISSUE #1: Raven - I absolutely agree with you about the Goddess aspect,
but as I believe someone remarked, "Goddess" is a wordy dirt to the
masses, [To the what? Convince me that wasn't intentional! -H] so we get
a woman lead who isn't as strong as she could be. Also, according to
Marketypes, Marion is the "Flower Bride," like "Blodeuwedd" in Welsh
mythology - not that I necessarily agree with Mr. Ryan here. I tend to
think of Marion as fulfilling all of the Goddess roles - Maiden, Mother,
and Crone - for don't we all take on different aspects of Her to meet
different situations?
Next topic: I, too would love to chase down those references to Craft
groups who use "Robin Hood" as a tradition. I recommend reading D.J.
Conway's Celtic Magic and The Witches' God by Stewart and Janet Farrar,
as well as The Western Way, Volume 1 by Caitlin & John Matthews. All of
these give some information about the background, but you're going to
have a rough time making connections with any active groups. Jan & I
have been trying to reconstruct a tradition based on Robin Hood, and
we're using the characters from the show. The Quarters are easy and fun:
in the East we have Nasir - it's where he's from, after all. South is
obviously Scarlet. A more fiery individual would be difficult to find.
West is Much for emotions and North is Little John's towering strength.
And for those of you who use a 5th point, Spirit, that's obviously Tuck.
Which leaves Robin as Young Lord and Marion as Maiden (so, we're
stretching a bit.) Herne would be Father, but who'd be Mother? As for
Sage & Crone, we're open to ideas. Rituals - haven't figured any out
yet. Speaking of which, Jan and Hilda and I have been discussing a
"celebration" at "Weekend in Sherwood," incorporating some elements from
the show, like the blessing bowl, and possibly a guided meditation into
the Sherwood in our hearts (which I have yet to write) or a spiral dance
and/or some singing. We'd welcome any input from anybody on this idea!
One last thing. I've done a bit of work with the RoS folk as foci. These
tend to take the form of inner promptings. Robin has been known to help
me get un-lost in the woods across the street from my house faster than
I could have...or even when I wanted to go the other way!
Mary Ann - Since nobody took on your questions in #1, I figured I'd give
it a shot. As far as I can recall, the word "witchcraft" comes from the
Anglo-Saxon "wicce" meaning "to bend." Don't ask me what this has to do
With modern-day or even RoS religion. I don't have a clue. Early
paganism and early Christianity got along rather well. Note: paganus
(Latin) means country-dweller. Christianity was generally a religion of
cities, where churches could be built. More than likely, there weren't
churches in each village in the 1100's. There was probably a "circuit
priest," like there were "circuit judges" in the Old West. As for
getting along, there's an encyclical letter from some early Pope (I
forget which one) which explicitly states that institutional
Christianity should a) build churches on sites that were already
considered holy by local people, and b) take over local feast days,
which is why Christmas and Yule coincide, as do Easter and Beltane,
Candlemas and Oimelc, All Saints' Day and Samhain, etc. In short, the
missionary priests made sure that pagan holidays were subsumed into
Christian holy-days. Most of the villagers managed to keep their old
traditions alongside the new. From my reading, it seems as though there
are some isolated villages in England which still manage this feat. As
for what the Church called "witchcraft," I rather like Hugo's
description from the show: "As long as they have their children baptized
and are married and buried as Christians, I don't much care what they
get up to." He was smart enough to know what he was dealing with. It has
been said that the God of the Old Religion becomes the Devil of the New.
It certainly makes sense in this case - horned god...Of course,
occasionally accusations of the "w" word were excuses to gain lands,
money, whatever, because an accused and convicted witch's property was
forfeit to the lord (or state.) At least England was relatively
civilized. They never burned anyone at the stake. Sorry, I'll stop
ranting. I suspect that there would have been people who worshipped
Lucifer/Satan, but they would not have been Witches (whatever the Church
called them.) They would have been ex-Christians reacting against
Christianity by choosing to worship the Christian principle of Evil,
something Wiccans/ pagans would not do. Still with me? I know - it's a
matter of historical record - that there was a "witchcraft plot" to kill
James of Scotland, and I seem to recall that the French nobility were
into the Dark Arts, as well, but they were pretty barmy from being
inbred. Anyway, there is a basis in history for Evil practitioners.
You brought up Druids. Now there's a whole different kettle o' fish.
Wish I knew more about them. Nobody really knows a great deal, because
their traditions were transmitted orally. Also, they likely wouldn't
have been around in the 1100's, because some Christian saint earned his
sainthood by eliminating the Druids' College on an island in the 900's -
I think. [The island was Mona, now called Anglesey, but the culprit's
name escapes me. -H] For Beltain customs, I suggest you check out A
Witches' Bible Compleat by the Farrars or West Country Wicca by Ryall.
Good sources of interesting info, if you can get around the emphasis on
sex. Pity we had censored Beltain customs on HTV...
Dear Nansi - I love "nerdopagan!" That's what I sit there and yell at
stupid shows - "they wouldn't have done it that way! Grrowl!" Hello,
kindred spirit!
Janet - and everyone else. In case you couldn't tell by the above, I'm a
halfbreed, caught between my Christian upbringing and adult vows and my
pagan feelings. Christ said and did some very fine things. I have no
quarrel with him. The institutional Church is a very different
matter...Anyway, it's nice to see someone else like me.
ISSUE #2 - Whee! This is FUN!
Amber - Check out my answer to Mary Ann about pagan/Christian customs.
Laura: Wanna giggle? You know that rag on Robin's pants that we all
thought was a garter denoting rank in the Old Religion? Get this. I have
it on good authority that Michael's legs were so skinny they had to
stuff his pants. The "garter" was to hold the stuffing in place!
[Sob...sniff...Julianne, I won't edit out what you're saying about
Michael, but you owe me an ice cream! Naah, I don't need any extra
padding...-H] So much for garters, even though it makes a fine
coincidence. Coincidence? Ain't no such animal. I'm glad you mentioned
writing and artwork as forms of magical practice. It seems those are
among the few types I have time for, these days. Thanks for pointing it
out. Your point about all the RoS characters being human beings as well
as archetypes is well taken. I think most of us forget this in the joy
of working with and writing about and playing with them. Making any of
the characters more "magical" gives the writer a chance to explore
issues in a slightly different light - as well as being just plain fun.
Magic is fun to fool around with in stories. You can do all sorts of
things you can't do in real life. [Or at least on a limited special-
effects budget! -H] It's a great way to get around and over problems, as
well as taking guesses at what a human mind can do. I wonder how many of
us like Lord of the Trees as an episode. Personally, it's one of my
favorites. I love the laidback air which permeates the pagan elements.
Translation: it feels relaxed and easy, natural, part of their lives.
You asked about "good" witches - well, there's Jennet of Elsdon in
episode 2, but she seems more of an herbalist. I think it's hat "bad"
witches are so much more available to the common mind. We can all think
of rotten things, and good folks fighting horrible things make good
stories. Maybe, the prevalence of "bad" witches is because our entire
group of "good" folks are under the leadership of Herne, who is
portrayed as Good. Interesting, because the mythological Herne who leads
the Wild Hunt is not exactly a comfortable being to deal with and the
only hint we get of this aspect is in LoT. I'd love to see you expand on
your ideas about why Robert would leave his comfortable home to become
an outlaw! Maybe a story? I think the notion that Robert isn't as psi-
null as a log is coming into being in the fandom, as is the idea that he
must have been exposed to the Old Religion. As has been noted, even the
nobility may have been only nominally Christian and may have secretly
kept their traditional ways. It's times like those that make me wish I
had a time machine so someone could go check!
Janet Van Meter: Hi! Neato idea about the Lady being Sherwood. Hey, why
not? She is the Earth Mother, after all.
Tina: Also neato! I'd never heard about any female horned figures. I
hope someone out there has more info on this topic. Bless you for
mentioning the Matthews' upcoming book on Robin Hood. I can't wait to
see it. I've written to them about a RH esoteric tradition - I even
enclosed International Reply Coupons -but I received no response. I went
through the publisher. I hope someone else has better luck getting
through, 'cuz I bet they have some good info to share.
Lynn: You have a fascinating perspective on magical partners and
initiation. I'd never heard of "a year and a day" in Craft tradition,
but I'm primarily a solitary, self-taught. There's a bunch of stuff I've
never encountered. I look forward to learning more all the time. I would
have liked to have seen Robert paired with a magically-talented woman. I
really would like to see a story where the Goddess takes precedence in
Sherwood. Any takers?
Ariel: I'd like to disagree with you about paganism in Robin's time
probably being male-oriented. According to my research, the first
religious impulse in humanity was directed towards the Mother picture.
And even then, agriculture was considered the work of the Mother. I
think it more likely that paganism was more balanced, with Mother
Goddess and Father God, by whichever name they were called. Besides,
didn't Herne go on and on about balance in the series? Do feel free to
disagree with me. I love to argue, er, I mean discuss all points! Next
topic. I think we've read the same book suggesting that the nobility may
have retained touch with its roots. I strongly suggest reading Lammas
Night by Katherine Kurtz, an author I trust to do her research properly.
She discusses the foundation of the Order of the Garter, as well as the
possibility of the Sacred King cycle persisting into this century. She
makes some excellent points in this book. It's well worth reading. I
have a copy I'm willing to loan out. Druids by Stewart Piggot is a good
source for info on them.
Janet R. - Hi, again, Geez, you're good at putting together lots of neat
info. Note: you misted a "rig" reference: "Ard Righ" or in modern
English "Ardry," which means "High King." Ever read Patricia Kenneally?
Where did you ever find out it's "Carnun" in Gaelic? The books I have
don't mention the Gaelic, only the Latinized version; and they never
mentioned to whom the Gundestrup bog was sacred. Hmf. Selective editing
by scholars. How annoying. Interesting idea. Robert Graves said that the
cult of the Virgin "fulfilled a goddess-shaped yearning." The men who
ran the institutional Church realized they were missing something that
the common folk picked up on, so they began to write the Lady into
Church stuff. She wasn't fully accepted until 1880, when the doctrine of
Immaculate Conception was...er...ratified. But she's still supposed to
subordinate to God the Father/Son, which is where the institution would
like to place women. On another note, I picked up a cool book at
Christmas Revels this year, called Customs and Ceremonies of Britain by
Kightly, which mentions a bunch of the stuff you discussed. Fascinating
reading. Also, thanks for reminding us that ancient peoples weren't too
terribly much shorter than we are. Common misconception.
Hilda - Last word, eh? Only a few notes. How would an Egyptian Priestess
of Bast offer a glimpse of the Divine? I'm not up on my Egyptian
pantheon. Who/what is the Lindow Man? We read the same book about
"Little People," "Good Folk," etc. being intended to conciliate the fey
folk who could be tricksters and not very kindly disposed towards
humans. I believe it was also intended to be used (by humans) to
diminish the threat they felt from faery. Calling the "Fair Folk" by
that name tends to reduce one's fear of them. The Composite Pagans from
Wherever are an incredible group: Thor, Fenris, Arianrhod and later
Cromm Cruach...Gee, guys, can't make up our minds which country's
god/desses we want to worship? Let's be promiscuous instead and pick a
bunch of deities, any name, shape, or form, so long as they fit the
current needs. They're a bunch of religious opportunists, who likely
wouldn't get the full effect of any deity, since they kept pantheon-
hopping so much!
Mike Morton
...Although I have not seen RoS (yet!) I am a Wiccan, and my special
area of interest is collecting and studying the lore and traditions of
Wicca and Paganism in the British Isles. I am especially interested in
Celtic mythologies, the Arthurian legend and Grail cycle, Robin Hood,
and other related areas.
There seems to be a lot of interest in whether Robin and his group were
a coven of witches, and in Issue 2, Ariel points out that Margaret
Murray discusses this in The God of the Witches.
Her books are controversial, and have drawn a lot of criticism.
Unfortunately, while most of her materials are excellent, her detractors
tend to want to "toss the baby with the bath water." Unfortunately, one
of her pet theories was that Europe was filled with covens that met
regularly for Sabbats. There is little to substantiate this position
above and beyond the confessions made under torture by the victims of
the witch hysteria that raged in Europe. However, this does not mean
that all of her works are wrong - nor that isolated groups did not
gather on occasion to celebrate the pagan festivals that still ran in
the hearts and blood of the people. In spite of her detractors, I still
find her books very worthwhile and recommend them highly. In her century
long life, she left us a legacy that demands our respect - and
gratitude.
Other references I have found to Robin Hood in relation to Witchcraft
are in The White Goddess by Robert Graves, The Witch's Bible Compleat by
Janet and Stewart Farrar, and most recently, an article by Amber K in
the 1992 Llewellyn's Magic Almanac. I believe Starhawk also refers to
him in The Spiral Dance.
I have read other references and will try to research them. Also, I had
read about covens that use the traditions of Robin Hood as a basis for
their activities. I looked through my collection of books - and am still
looking - but will send all of this information along as soon as I find
it.
Janet Reedman
Amber: It was definitely not 'Christian only' in the 12th and 13th
centuries! For many centuries the Church was still decrying those who
worshipped idols, stones, holy wells, etc. Of course, many Christian
rituals absorbed pagan ones - some of this may have been an attempt by
the Church to lure converts who weren't too eager to give up time-
hallowed ways.
Laura: 'Lord of the Trees' was also one of the first episodes I ever saw
of RoS, way back in '84. The pagan aspect was one of the things that
captivated me from the start (besides Michael, that is!) I was impressed
that the paganism was actually presented in a positive manner - I was
used to seeing fantasy programs where the 'pagans' were portrayed as
'blood thirsty devil- worshippers,' where there were evil wizards but
not positive magic-men (save Gandalf-clones) to counterbalance.
I, too, tend to flee the screen when Gulnar comes into view. He's just a
bit too 'over the top' for me, and doesn't feel authentic. I prefer
Belleme, for that he seems to me the 'classic' medieval sorcerer.
I also agree with what you say about Robert needing 'intense personal
factors' in order to make his sacrifice and become the Hooded Man. I
really wish his motivation had been strengthened in the series.
I have also noticed that Marion doesn't seem to get a fair shake in some
of the fanfic. I'd be interested in others' opinions about why this is.
Janet: You're absolutely correct about the sun being considered feminine
in some cultures! In Norse mythology, the sun was considered feminine,
the moon masculine. The sun was also known as 'Glory of Elves.'
Prehistorian Aubrey Burl also suggested some of the Neolithic peoples
may have considered it this way also - and sacrificed to a grim 'man in
the moon' at the recumbent stone circles such as Loahhead of Daviot
(Scotland.)
Tina: I wouldn't hesitate to think for a moment that Herne is the
equivalent to Cernunnos, a name whose remnants survive in 'Cerne Abbas'
(site of a gigantic hill-carving of unknown origin.) This figure was
probably sacred all over Europe at one time, as evidenced by 'Dhul
Khurnain' (the two horned,) the name of (I believe) a Moorish sect, also
'Cornovii," an early British tribe.
Yes, I have no doubt that Odin/Woden and Herne bear some similarities,
and over the centuries one may have assimilated the qualities of the
other. The oak was certainly sacred to both. Robert Graves,
incidentally, derived the name 'Robin Hood' as coming from 'Rofbreht
Whoden,' 'Shining One of Woden.'
Lynn: I believe your theories about Herne and the Sacred King sacrifice.
Maybe Robin of Loxley's death wasn't literal, either - after there was
no body. DeRainault's excuses weren't plausible - even if he thought the
peasants would believe Robin alive no matter what he did with the body,
King John would demand some physical proof. After, Herne did not tell
Robin he was going to die - he said 'meet the Greatest Enemy.' Facing
death doesn't necessarily mean dying. Perhaps Robin must make
'sacrifice' to eventually assume Herne's mantle...
Ariel: By any chance could you/would you lend me Margaret Murray's God
of the Witches? I'd pay for postage, etc. and return it promptly. I've
been searching for that book for years and can't find it in town!
As for Lammas being a time of sacrifice, I would guess it probably was
at one time. William Rufus, an early Norman king hated by the church
(and suspected of being 'heathen') for his mannerisms and very long
hair, was killed under strange circumstances in the New Forest on Aug.
1, 1100 (auspicious both because of the Lammas date and the fact it
happened in a new century.) He was shot in the heart by an arrow fired
by one of his own men. Apparently a mysterious antlered buck leapt out
before them, and he turned to William Tyrel shouting, "Shoot, for the
love of God, shoot!" Tyrel shot him in the chest. The hunting party
immediately fled, leaving Rufus lying in the forest. He was found by a
local carter who put his body on his cart and took it to Winchester,
letting blood drip on the road as he went. (Local legend says the roads
still run red with Rufus' blood!) Interestingly, a nephew of the King
died in hauntingly similar circumstances earlier that year in May. The
king was supposed to have been on that hunt, too, but he begged off
sick.
There is some evidence of Beltaine human sacrifice as well. The bogmen
of both Britain and Europe have had the pollens/grains of springtime
meals in their stomachs when analysed. In most cases, these men are
found to have eaten a ritual bannock before their demise.
Hilda - Absolutely right about all those saints. Many, many saints were
in reality pagan gods and goddesses - most of the weirdly-named Cornish
'saints' are of spurious derivation at best, and 'saints' such as St.
Clair and St. Ann came from Sinclair and Santam, Sacred Light and Sacred
Fire. 'Robin' is indeed a term for a part of the male anatomy in old
Welsh and Cornish.
'Robin' is of course also a name for the 'God of the Witches,' and in
depictions of the time he appears naked and horned.
I'm not surprised the home of the Lindow man was a place where witch
burning never caught on. In its day it was very remote, bordering on the
edge of the Peale District - where people still die on the moors in
winter if they're not careful and wanderers in caves often end up
disappearing down uncharted potholes... The 'old ways' seem to have
lingered here longer too - the Castleton 'Green Man,' the Well
Dressings, the Celtic place names of Mam Tor, Fin Cop and Lindow (Llyn
Dhu - Black Lake, or even Darkmere!)
Well, I guess that's about it for this time! Take care!
Hilda
Kitty - But how do you judge who's simply rejecting overly restrictive
archetypes and who's violating the basic essence of one of Kip's
characters? Where do you draw the line? One of the most wonderful things
about RoS is that the characters are simultaneously well- defined and
appealing to the imagination. What if Tuck never turned to the saints
for help during the perilous situations portrayed in the episodes, but
found time for a pilgrimage when times were easier? What if Marion were
too spooked by the Sight to use it until Herne accused her of
endangering the others by refusing? "What if" is our lifeblood, and even
if you're AB+ and I'm O- I'm still not in a position to tell you that
your "what ifs" are less valid than mine. Kip certainly doesn't seem to
mind, as long as we stay away from out-of-character slash. If your
conjectures are just too far off the wall, you'll get your triple
bounce-back in the form of incredulous laughter or the dreaded LoC. And
if I send you a poem in which Robin calls upon the wind to help him and
you think it's ridiculous - don't print it!
As Tina Evans mentioned last issue, Herne as portrayed in the show
(rather than Cernunnos or any broader archetype) may be primarily a
local deity, and he could have been the only male deity we saw because
Sherwood was his sole territory/consort/whatever. How apt that Gulnar
the raving fanatic is the one who can't decide between Arianrhod and
Cromm Cruac! In answer to Woodswalker as well, it seems obvious to me
that Gulnar is a howling loony - kind of a motivational wild card, and
the sort of character Richard O'Brien can bring to life as no one else
can.
Wanna meet a really cool Druid? His name is Vidorix, and he's the sole
survivor of the Romans' destruction of Mona. You can conjure him via
Dangerous Times, c/o Evolution Comics, P.O. Box 1028, Gracie Station,
New York, NY 10028 ($11.50 for 6 issues, back issues 1-4 $2.00 apiece.)
You wouldn't believe the situations he ends up in while trying to
protect the 13 Treasures of Ancient Britain! Definitely someone to have
on your side. Tell them you saw it in Cousins!
Morgana - the only Horned Goddess I can think of is Hathor, whose lunar
horns cradle the Sun Disc in the familiar symbol of Isis (of whom She is
an aspect, as well as a Goddess in Her own right.) I've heard that there
are certain kinds of sheep whose females also bear horns, but I guess
it's only natural given animal examples that most horned deities are
male. After all, neolithic artists never see me in the morning before I
comb my hair!
Yet more musings on the name "Herne/Cerne" - how about "kernel," for
seed? Or "Kernow," the old name for Cornwall? Alexei Kondratiev, in his
article "Basic Elements of Celtic Ritual" (Moonrise, 1:3:29, Lammas
1989) elaborates on Cernunnos as the "cornuto" or cuckold: "The antlers
are a very rich and multi-layered symbol, but one meaning is 'wearing
the horns,' the mark of the cuckold. He is dismissed by the Goddess who
takes somebody else - the Summer God...In summer he is deprived of his
female counterpart and he is forced to find this counterpart within
himself." As Janet VanMeter might have advised Him... perhaps while
combing His blond hair and gazing wisely into His grey-blue eyes...
There's a thought, Robert as the Sun King deserted for the Dying God, or
His Israeli equivalent! Anyway, anybody who would like a reprint of this
fascinating and fact- filled article, send me a SASE. It's guaranteed to
give you a whole new perspective on the Celtic worldview!
Woodswalker - "Hood" meaning a sacred pillar reminds me of this excerpt
from the New Moon Musings by Joann Keesey, December (of I think 1987 or
1988, but the year's not on here anywhere. It's the third issue,
anyway.) Here she describes the Lincolnshire Haxey Hood Game:
"The 'hood' is a very rough kind of football. It's a length of thick
rope encased in leather, and may originally have been the head of a bull
sacrificed in an agricultural fertility ritual. The bull, so sexually
energetic, is a particularly potent source of fertility, and just as he
could fertilize cows, so his blood could fertilize the earth. The 'hood'
as a fertility symbol, might well have been the bull's penis, his most
vital organ. This fits with the similar associations to Robin Hood."
What do you think of that, Jan and Kitty?
What do you get when you combine a bunch of illiterate and often drunk
storytellers, a few exaggerated accounts of a ballsy and much-admired
highwayman, and a downtrodden people's need for a hero, and mix it all
up in a cultural cauldron forged in the ancient flames of
sylvan/agricultural fertility magic? Mmm - it sure tastes good! Now, I
happen to like the magic part, so while nobody's looking I'm going to
throw in a few hawthorn blossoms and some oakmoss, and Ariel here's
going to stir it with a sword, and Helen and Laura are over there in the
corner flipping madly through the cookbooks to make sure we don't make
it blow up... We're letting our imaginations run away with us. Giddyap!
You don't have to create a Tarot deck alone, you know. I have a
wonderful deck called the Fantasy Showcase Deck in which each card was
designed by a different artist! It's available from Elayne Pelz, 15931
Kalisher St., Grand Hills, CA 91344. Just send $19 ($15 plus $4 postage
and handling.) Talk about the bargain of the century! Hint: Wayland fans
will really like it.
Todd: Glad we dispelled your cloud! And a twitch of the nose to you for
sending me your letter on a MACINTOSH FLOPPY DISK!!!
Thirteen is, among other things, the number of lunar months in a year.
It's also just a really good number for group dynamics - big enough so
that a clique or two won't destroy the group, but small enough so that a
Lone Wolf doesn't get lost in the shuffle. (For more on Lone Wolves,
Stars, Clowns, and the Rock of Gibraltar, check out Starhawk's Dreaming
the Dark - a nice practical look at the psychosocial dynamics of working
magic in a group.)
What's the Mormon Goddess' name? The Christians had Sophia, who got
restyled the Holy Spirit (and represented as a dove - a creature sacred
to the Goddess since way back,) and the Jews had the Shekhina. Bring out
your living! Goddess-worship, with its acknowledgement of the divine
feminine principle within all women, and mysticism, with its emphasis on
individual participation in the Divine, could probably make things
difficult for an artificially created upper class. When the nobility
dropped divine responsibility but clung to divine right, or later when
industrialists sought to use other people's labor to their own benefit,
hierarchical religions denigrating to the individual probably proved far
more convenient to those in a position to enforce religion. The moral?
Experience divinity whenever possible, I guess. We're all on the God
Committee, but it's up to us to decide whether to show up for the
meetings!
As to whether Kip Carpenter's a Pagan - he's confirmed for Weekend in
Sherwood. Ask him. (And while you're at it, ask him if he thinks Cousins
is silly! Not that I care...)
Barbara Walker has written A Woman's Dictionary of Myths and Secrets and
A Woman's Encyclopedia of Symbols and Sacred Objects. I have the latter,
as I'm stubbornly holding out for when Dictionary comes out in hardback.
Encyclopedia gets a regular workout! Check out Woodswalker's letter.
Personally, I find Ms. Walker's Tarot deck too cataclysmic for comfort,
and I don't like her use of color, but the book that accompanies it is
unparalleled for historical and cross-linguistic parallels.
The Spiral Dance is well-organized and entertaining, and covers all of
the basics without being too vague (as I'm afraid I find Cunningham) or
too insistent on form (as, say, D. J. Conway). It's also a smallish
book, and affordable; and she illustrates her points with examples.
Julianne - Groan...another person who likes D. J. Conway...I'm afraid I
find her accessible, well-organized, and hardly Celtic at all! Half of
the time she doesn't even specify whether she's using Celtic or Wiccan
correspondences (with the exception of directional colors,) and although
the one poem she includes in her book is lovely, her rituals just don't
incorporate the dance of rhythm and alliteration that I almost need to
get me back into Celtic space. Her ideas about stones, wands, jewelry,
and the like are good solid foundations for working magic - but Celtic?
Sorry.
I personally don't like using specific characters from the show as
directional spirits - it's like cramming them into shoes that don't fit
(although Will and John look comfy enough.)
Ahem - about that celebration at Weekend in Sherwood - HAS ANYBODY
MENTIONED IT TO CHRIS AND DENISE? If not, this will be the umpteenth
time something goes out on the grapevine before they hear Word 1. This
isn't just by way of information to Julianne, dudes and dudettes! We've
been offered a precious gift in Spirit of Sherwood, and like any magical
tool would, it's getting less and less predictable through disuse. I set
a fine example by being too paranoid to send them a Cousins flyer at the
outset. I hereby resign as Role Model.
My first teacher, Andras Corban Arthen, suggested that the name "wicce"
was a reference to bending or twisting reality (kind of like working
wicker), but then he's a shaman. I personally like the idea that the
name Witch describes us as people who bend or redirect the currents of
living energy in the universe (as opposed to celebratory Pagans, who
seem largely content to simply ride them).
I'm not much of a biblical scholar, but I once heard from a local fellow
named Mark Amidon that there's no real description of the Devil in
actual scripture, except that he is said to have wings (as an evicted
angel, that does seem to suit him.) I expect that if most of the
indigenous gods of the lands conquered by Rome had been aviform (bird-
shaped,) we'd have lots of classical art depicting the Devil with a
beak! But it looks like the first persistent local divinity with whom
the Romans had to deal was Pan.
I saw Herne in RoS as being more concerned with balance than with Good
per se. This would fit well enough with the Wild Hunt coming around to
pick up the souls of the year's dead, or at least the ones who kind of
got lost in the shuffle and are still kicking around acting confused or
angry or sad. In RoS Herne struggled incessantly on the part of Good
simply because at the time things were, well, rotten. Good had to bust
tail just to keep up.
I can just see it...Nottinghamshire Courier headline: "Horned God On
Sabbatical, Leafy Lady On Rampage. The not-particularly-bereaved
associates of the late Sir Guy of Gisburne report..."
A Priestess of Bast would lift her skirts to show her congregation the
Divine Portal of Life.
The body of the "Lindow Man" was found in 1983 in a bog near Manchester.
His stomach contained scorched grain and some mistletoe pollen,
suggesting that he'd eaten a bit of burnt bannock and had a mistletoe
drink before his evident triple death by having his throat slit, his
neck broken by garotting, and his head struck three times with a narrow-
bladed axe. He had the moderate musculature and neatly-trimmed
fingernails of an aristocrat and the heavily seamed brow of a scholar,
and he wore only a band of fox fur over his shoulder. Perhaps his triple
death corresponded to the Druids' three elements of air, land, and sea
(fire was more of a direct aspect of divinity for them); or perhaps he
was simultaneously dedicated to the Celtic deities Taranis, Esus, and
Teutates. I learned all this from the Celtic History Museum, a
fascinating shareware HyperCard stack compiled by Michael Newton (40522
Eady Lane, Boulevard, CA). For those of you without computer access, Mr.
Newton suggests The Lindow Bog Man by Lynn Sibley (Reaction Times,
1991), The Elements of Celtic Tradition by Caitlin Matthews (Element
Books, 1989), and The Life and Death of a Druid Prince by Anne Ross and
Don Robbins (Simon and Schuster, 1989).
AHA! The Green Man story I was trying to locate, which took place in
Hathersage, was Green Magic by Janet Reedman, in Legend 2. Thanks,
Janet! I have an idea as to why Marion so seldom gets treated fairly in
the fanfic, by the way. Aside from pure envy, Marion is in many ways a
Mary Sue. Fanfic readers have met many female characters in the RoS
universe who not only weep occasionally when their lives and the lives
of the ones they love are endangered - they act as we would, and
occasionally fall apart completely when they're tortured or when their
families are cruelly slaughtered before their eyes. Marion is not only
an unusually strong character; she was raised an aristocrat. Given her
circumstances, Marion is working with considerable advantages. If a fan
writer wanted to live the RoS story through Marion, that writer would
have to really mess her up to come up with anything even half-familiar.
This is obviously the biggest problem with having only one persistent
female character. She has to swing all of the female archetypic stuff on
her own. To avoid slighting female viewers, she has to be not only
skillful and clever; she has to be loving and nurturing, and also wise
and experienced. If only feisty Meg or world-wise Margaret or honorable
Isadora or Mab with her secrets had spent more time on the screen, poor
Marion might have been spared some of her superheroine status in the
original plot and a lot of compensatory denigration in print!
I can more easily see Robin losing to the "Greatest Enemy" than leaving
Marion for anything. Perhaps he survived to take up the Horns, but not
knowingly (at least at first,) and not without a lot of divine
intervention!
Editor's Notes STAND UP AND BE COUNTED! Woodswalker asks: "What's your
favorite RoS quote?" Let us know!
PLEASE, FOLKS - I can be a bit slow (but not a halfwit) at figuring out
what's personal correspondence and what's intended for publication. If
there's something in your letter that you'd like me to print, please let
me know! RoS folk are always so clever and full of ideas that I've been
spoiled by brilliant correspondence and might not automatically
understand that you're talking to all of us and not just to me. Put
asterisks or arrows or something on the parts that are for general
consumption, and you'll see them in these pages! Thank you.
Also: Please feel free to photocopy Cousins as much as you want and give
copies to people who you think might enjoy it. I only ask that when you
give someone a copy, it be a copy of a whole issue so that people can
get a good solid feel for what we're about and have the address in case
they want it; and PLEASE cover the "Who We Are" section with a sheet of
white paper when copying. Herne, Lord of the Trees, doesn't want us
encouraging unsolicited mail!
I listed the addresses of Friends of Robin of Sherwood and Spirit of
Sherwood last issue, but (gasp!) f-f-f-forgot to include the address of
the letterzine Herne's Stepchildren: c/o One Handed Press, 3628 Tibbett
Ave., Riverdale, NY 10463. This is definitely not one to miss - and they
(unlike your Scroogely cousin Hilda) will accept the occasional poem or
bit of fiction. In fact, they hogged a good bit of the available
exceptional poetry in Issue #8.
So exactly what does Broom-Hilda deign to print? Letters, requests for
books/reprints/ information, book reviews, announcements (text only, no
graphics), and addresses. Anything else small within reason will be
considered. I'd rather have Cousins be a pointer to text resources than
reprint each source in its entirety. Brevity is not only the soul of
wit, it's a lot easier on the budget!
Case in point: For all of you Herne fans, Julianne Toomey has sent me a
copy of her article Just Who Is This Herne, Anyway (first printed in the
Journal of the Friends of Robin of Sherwood, Issue #1.) Send me a SASE
if you'd like a copy - she explores many facets of both Herne as
presented in RoS and his cousins (!) in folklore and art through the
ages. I found it fascinating.
Also available for the price of a SASE is Alexei Kondratiev's article
Basic Elements of Celtic Ritual. I can't recommend this one enough.
Check out my reply to Morgana for a sneak preview!
Anyone else who wants to offer copies or reprints of articles, I'll
gladly list your address and what you have to share. But please get
written permission from both the author and the publisher first! And
tell me that you got both OK's so that I can print your listing without
stepping on anyone's toes or invoking a plague of lawyers. Even if your
best friend wrote it for your mother's zine, get written permission.
People take such things surprisingly seriously. Well, no matter what I
do, this issue seems to come out 13 pages long. Here's a special welcome
to those Cousins carrying Y-chromosomes who finally offered to grace us
with their presence. May your participation serve the Balance! And may
we all continue to enjoy the dance that is learning. Blessed be.
