A Timely Death

Death occurred at 10 o'clock. As the departed soul of Mr. Magander, lifted by angel wings, began its journey, his friends could only stand around and keep vigil.  He died with his best suit one, suddenly and without a fuss as befit his stature in life.


His friends, memories over-flowing in their minds, regarded each other - a state of bewilderment having already set in.  It would be hard to imagine life without this pillar of their society, but what made him really special was the timepiece.


The day he brought it home for them all to admire, was the day he won their respect.  To be in possession of something so precious and to go to such lengths to purloin it, was a cause for celebration.  Even on a full moon they could, if they wanted to, still see it: its gold colour a burnished glimmer in the moonlight. It was a treasure beyond price and forever his... From that day forward, they would look to him to lead them and he would have his choice of the females.  It was only right.


"We must tell the gypsy," said the second in command.  'She'll know what to do."


"Where is she?" said another.  "Has anyone seen her?"


They looked from one to another.  Anxiety hung in the air as the clouds turned black in front of the sun.


"She washes her hair, down by the brook," said another of their number.


The gypsy saw them coming, upside down in her vision as her hair hung free and reached the water.


"What is it?' she asked as they flocked around her.


"We have a funeral to attend," they told her, their voices loud and in unison.


"Oh, I see.  Must I attend?"


"You must come. Please say you will; and scatter flowers round.  It's all we ask."


"I shall attend."


Mr. Magander's friends collected suitable matter for the funeral circle and the gypsy attended as she had promised.


Each friend laid a special wreath near the still body - a blade of grass, so gently laid and another and another.


The gypsy placed the time piece at his head and the chain reached to his feet: a circle of gold.


For a few precious moments, the friends stood still and said 'farewell", each in his own way and then departed. A flurry of darkened wings as they took flight...


When they had all gone, the sky seemed black, covered as it was by a cloak of magpie wings.


The gypsy, looking this way and that, stooped down and picked up the timepiece, putting it gently in her pocket.


Star

NB Magpies are said to hold funerals for fallen friends and even bring along wreaths.

For other Magpie Tales, click here to access Willow's  website.

Shells

Ostara

~Magickal Graphics~
We are nearly finished with March now.  It is going out with a storm moon tonight. We are finally saying goodbye to our long, long winter but we still have to watch out for some very strong winds and stormy conditions.  I am always tempted to put on lighter clothes on the first warm day in March, but have to tell myself to wait. It is wiser to wear layers at this time of year because it is possible to go through several changes of clothes before the day is out.
March is all about change and it certainly affects our pysche. Do you feel like a change? Perhaps you are feeling that you should be moving house or changing your job or your car?  Maybe you want to start a family or try out a new adventure.
We all need change in our lives in order to grow.  We don't grow if we stand still.
In the Wiccan calendar we have just passed Ostara.  This ancient pagan festival was overlaid by the Christians who changed its name to Easter.  They have adopted several pagan ideas, like the Easter Bunny to add to their own celebrations.  To Wiccans it is more about hares.  Hares are magical creatures and make wonderful familiars, if you can get to use one.  They have a very knowing look in their eyes, not at all like the cute Easter Bunnies we have got so used to seeing at this time of year.

Imbolg

Imbolg is a winter cross quarter festival. It is the time when the earth begins to wake up. Bulbs are beginning to shoot and the first snowdrops appear.

It is the time when we celebrate the maiden aspect of the Goddess.

At this time of the year people start to become restless, thinking about ways they can change their lives for the better and grow within themselves. We are all affected by the shift in the earth energy.

A good way to celebrate is with candles, lots of them. I choose white and red candles to put on the altar. You can do it too. Light the candles (mind the cat!) and meditate on new beginnings, both by clearing out old negative thoughts and by planning to try new adventures.

The celebration of Imbolg, which literally means 'in the belly' is sacred to Brigid, goddess of smithcraft, poetry and healing. Think about Brigid in her forge, welcoming you in with a wonderful smile and helping you to plant new seeds of positivity in your life today.

You may have noticed that the days have just begun to lengthen, so you could turn your mind to setting a few seeds in a pot. Nurture the seeds as they grow and at the same time, nurture positive thoughts in your head as you do it.

Have a great Imbolg.

Hecate

This is Hecate – Queen of the Night

Hecate is the Greek goddess known as Queen of the Night. She is the daughter of Zeus and Hera. Her name means ‘the distant one’.

At this time of the year, all things become dark. The nights are dark and long and the mornings too are dark. It is as if we are going down a tunnel: down and down we go like a bulb buried deep in the earth. Hecate comes with us for it is her time of the year.

Every woman has three important phases of her life - the maiden phase, the mother phase and the crone phase. I am now in the crone phase. I wish I was still in the maiden phase. I would like to go back with the wisdom I have now and do it all again: but with age comes wisdom and that is where I am. I need Hecate beside me to meet the challenges of this part of my life.

Hecate is often depicted as having three heads, each head looking in a different direction. It follows that she is known as the goddess of the crossroads. The heads are usually shown as a snake, a horse and a boar. With the wisdom of age comes the ability to look at a problem from three perspectives.

She carries a torch, a rope and a knife and is accompanied on her journeys by an owl. The torch is needed because she is the goddess of the dark. She has a luminous quality like a ghost or a willo-the-wisp. She walks in graveyards in the dark phase of the moon.

The rope and the knife are symbols of her willingness to help women in childbirth. The rope is symbolic of the umbilical cord and the knife would be used to cut through the cord allowing the child to take on a life of its own. She, herself, was not inclined to take a husband. The knife also severs the link between the spirit and the body at the time of death.

She is probably the most mysterious goddess, known as the Crone to Wiccans. She is the spirit of black magic with an ability to see into the underworld. She is the ultimate ‘wise woman’ and people call upon her to use her influence over ghosts and spirits who travel the earth, to keep the spirits out of their homes. It was customary to leave food for her at the crossroads where three roads meet. Ancient cultures revered the aged. I'm not sure it is like that these days.

Hecate takes care of the homeless and the destitute and is a protector of women, particularly during childbirth.

She is the protector of entrances. Barking dogs announce her arrival.

Her sacred trees are the yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar and willow. The leaves of the black poplar are dark on one side and light on the other, symbolizing the boundary between the worlds.

Sacred herbs associated with Hecate and at this time of the year are garlic, almonds, lavender, myrrh, cardamom, mint, dandelion, hellebore and lesser celandine. She is sometimes seen holding a pomegranate, the fruit of the underworld, eaten by Persephone.