| The Charming of the Plough 2000 written by Frodvard Adalbrikt Old Norse translation by Lisa (Being city folk, we don't have a traditional plough, so we blessed a roto-tiller instead.) (Introduction given before the rite) Godhi: Ours is not a faith of calm passivity, but one which allows us to stand and face into the wind as the storms of life rage about us. The Nine Worlds were fashioned tween the chaos of Muspell's fire and the stasis of the Ice of Niflheim, and out of such a firmament came the Gods and the Jotuns in both conflict and union. That is the stuff of Heimdall's children. Not a calm and perfect balance, but one of struggle like all things in the Nine Worlds, including the Gods. We meet here this night, standing between the land, cold and rime bound, and the fertility and warmth of the coming spring tide. It is a time when the plough will open the land as the shafts of sunlight warm it. This land which has remained without life since Winterfinding. It is a time when the fire of Frey's passion causes him to surrender himself to his love as Gerd too, will offer up herself into this union. Member: Let us start by honoring those Gods who after the Ice and Fire came together here to make Adhumbla and Ymir, and from Ymir's slain body made the world. Let us call out through the Nine Worlds in joy to them. The worlds of the Gods and Aesir and Vanir, The worlds of the Dwarves and the Dead, to strong Yggdrisil, Alfland and Ice Maiden, Folk and Wight. Hail Odin Hail Vili Hail Ve (repeat three times) Circle Casting: (Godhi or Gythia will cast the circle. When casting the circle, they may have the folk wait outside and welcome them over Bifrost or have members of the kindred help in casting the sections of the Aett) Godhi: This night we celebrate The Charming of the Plough and the return of fertility to the earth. First, let us call in our hearts to the land wights and those dwarves, disir, and others who would stand with us in frith this night. Member: Now let us call to Saga that she may guide us in the retelling of this tale: Gythia: (in old Norse leads the chant) Folk: ON: Saga bera med lysa tala Saga Bring bright the tale ON: Saga minna a okkar af Freyr's longun Saga Remind us of Frey's longing ON: Saga hjalpa okkar til sja gardr kaldr frost Saga Help us to see garth's cold frost ON: Saga syngja till okkar undrs af thessir elskhugi Saga Sing to us the wonder of these lovers Saga Let us know that we will drink this cup empty and it will always be full Saga Be one with us Godhi: (in a calming voice) Now take a moment to feel with your hearts….. See your heart as if it were as bright and mirrored as Frey's shining sword. See Frey as he stand in the fields. See Ingvi Freyr with his beard strewn with grain heads, eyes bright. Feel in your hearts that mirror and reflect to the world Frey's presence . Frey with us, Frey within us. When we hear of his tale feel it as well as see it. The Lay of Skirnir ( read by one of the folk) Frey went to Odin's high seat to look over all the Nine Worlds. On High Hlidskialf did he sit. Looking north did he spy a beautiful maiden, Gerd Gymirsdottr who was so fair that she lit the sky like the Bifrost Bridge (the Aurora Borealis). In an instant she was gone. She was like the fields which were frosted over and Frey made his way back to Alfheim falling into a love so deep that he wished her to be his mate. And, as with many a lovesick man, he became melancholy and absent minded. He acted so strangely that his father Njordh became concerned about his health that he called Frey's favorite servant, Skirnir, to discover what was troubling the Harvest God so. After much trying, Skirnir was able to learn what had him so vexed. Frey confessed his love and utter dispair for as Gerd was the Jotun (Ice Giant) Gymir and Angurboda's daughter and the sister of Beli (who Frey had slain) it seemed that she would never love him. So the Servant offered to plead Frey's case to her. Skirnir took with him eleven golden apples of youth and a magick golden arm ring. He took as well the Boar Lord's sword which some have called "Sunlight's Shaft" and others "Boar's Tusk" as well as Frey's fearless stead. But more importantly when Frey, who was now lifted in spirits, was not looking, Skirnir trapped his lord's reflection from a nearby stream into his drinking horn. With these things he rode into Jotunheim . He passed Gymir's watchdogs whose howling is the whine of the north wind. He rode Blodng-hofi through a wall of fire which surrounded Gymir's hall. But when he was brought to Gerd she was unimpressed with him. Dressed all in white, she felt that he was in some way connected to her brother's murder. "Are you an Alf or one of the Gods" she asked. "Neither, but here is my Lord Freyr", he said pouring out the visage from his horn . I have brought you eleven of the Gods' golden apples of youth, "and if you give yourself to Freyr they are yours" Skirnir replied. Coldly Gerd responded "No one buys my love with golden apples or promises of youth. No matter how long I live, Frey and I will not share a roof". Trying again Skirnir said" I have brought you Draupnir the magick arm ring of gold that every ninth night has eight rings of gold drop from it of it's own weight". But she rebuked him saying that her father had gold enough to spare. Then did Skirnir threaten to relieve her head from her neck with Frey's sword. Yet she was unmoved realizing that to do so would rob Frey of her companionship. Then did Skirnir threaten to carve runes into his staff and with it's touch would she pass into unending torment condemning her to eternal celibacy only to be taken by the Rime Thurse whom she could never love. Then did her eyes lose their icy stare and did they fill with tears. "Never did I think that I would swear to love a Vanir" she cried. Then looking up she said "welcome are you here Skirnir, take mead from this frost cup. I will meet your master in a forest grove which is peaceful and green in nine nights time. There will I give myself to him." Quickly did Skirnir return to Njord's son and when asked if he brought anguish or joy he told him of the meeting with Gerd in nine nights time. "One night is long, two are longer, but three…. How can I be filled with a desire such as this that lasts so long." said Frey. But like the long winter which lasts nine months long in the far north, the marriage of Frey and Gerd brought forth the fruits of the land and to them a son, Fjolnir. Gythia: Now as the Boar taught our people to dig the earth and make the seeds fertile, so we learned from Frey the use of the plough. We ask Frey and Thor's blessings on not only this plough, but also on those things that in our modern world represent our fruitful works. (Gythia makes the hammer sign over the blessing bowl and also the Runes INGWAZ and FEHU. She then takes the evergreen branch, Rosemary in our case, and flicks the water at the plough and other objects held by the folk ) Gythia: Here are Frey's and Thor's blessings. May your work be fruitful. (Then from the east comes a Beggar.) Beggar: Good Folk, what have you to give to me? The road is cold. The winds at winter's end is cold still and the earth still held by frost. What can you give to an old beggar? Godhi/Gythia/ Folk: What have you brought with you in the wet wilderness way you have traveled? You are far from your home. The winter has locked the fruits of the earth to you. Yet a gift asks for a gift. What do you hold? Beggar: Good folk, fros and fowes, I carry seeds, which I have gathered on the way. The roots from where they come are unknown to me but weal shall spring froth as Wyrd turned it. Godhi/Gythia/ Folk: Then give us your seeds and take our seeds in turn. (The Beggar gives each some seeds and they give twice as much in return.) Beggar: Now may the Gods and Goddesses bless you all! May the Vanir and the Aesir all look upon you kindly and may your planting bring a harvest of weal to you all. Folk: May the Gods and Goddesses bless your travels and bless the seed you bear with you. Godhi: Since last Winterfinding we have had a corn mare which we invited the wights of the land to over winter in. Now is time to release these wights so that they may help with the growing of the grain. (Taking some of the wheat berries from the corn mare's head the Gythia goes to the south to plant them. Then returning the Godhi and Gythia place the mare on the fire of Muspel) Gythia: Go now wights, and make the land fruitful again. Symbel: (Usual fashion: first round to the Gods, second round to a hero or ancestor, last round is a "bragi") Closing: Closing with the bringing down of the circle. Back to Writings |