Halloween, once called Samhain, is nigh. In two weeks costumed children, as well as adults, will pass through neighborhoods or decorated trunk-or-treat parking lots with dulcet cries of “Trick or Treat.”
Halloween is the modern iteration of Samhain [pronounced SOW-wen] a Celtic festival that begins at sundown October 31 and continues into November 1. As customs changed over time, Samhain divided into Halloween and All Saints Day, with Halloween keeping up with ancient traditions. About this time last year, I posted a blog focused on Samhain. And my blog two weeks ago looked at the custom of bobbing for apples.
There are spiritual aspects to Samhain. One story reveals that the Sun God dies at Samhain and departs to prepare for his rebirth at Yule. The god’s death insures his people will live. After the Sun God dies, the Lord of Misrule takes his place, giving light without warmth in the winter months. Sometimes the Lord of Misrule is said to symbolize the power of looking at life from a different perspective.
Goddess Cerridwen
Goddess Cerridwen rules over transformations, rebirth, and inspiration. Every goddess or god has a role to play, even if it’s just to provide explanations to the inexplicable. A 16th century manuscript by Elis Gruffydd recounts one of the legends about Cerridwen and her progeny. Is it positive or negative? You be the judge.
Ceridwen and her husband Tegid Foel lived near what is now Bala Lake in North Wales. The couple had two children: a beautiful daughter, Creirwy, who was full of light and life, and an ugly, ill-tempered son call Morfan. Ceridwen wanted give her son wisdom and poetic inspiration to compensate for his appearance. So, Ceridwen used her magical cauldron and mixed a potion.
The mixture had to boil for a year and a day. Obviously, Ceridwen had other things to do, so she employed a blind man named Morda to tend the fire beneath the cauldron and a young boy named Gwion Bach to stir the mixture.
Now there was a secret to the potion. The first three drops of the mixture would grant the recipient wisdom and poetic inspiration. The rest of the potion was poisonous.
Just as the mixture was almost ready, Gwion had an accident. Three drops of the hot liquid fell onto Gwion’s hand. The lad put his burned hand into his mouth, thus gaining the wisdom intended for Morfan. Gwion knew he was in trouble and ran away. Ceridwen realized what had happened and chased him.
Using the power he received from the potion, Gwion turned himself into a hare. Ceridwen became a greyhound and chased him. Gwion dove into a river and became a fish; Ceridwen became an otter and swam after him. Gwion became a bird and flew away; Ceridwen became a hawk and hunted Gwion with a fierce determination. Finally, Gwion came up with the idea of turning himself into a single grain of corn. How could the goddess find him amongst the many kernels of corn scattered everywhere? Ceridwen became a chicken scratching amongst the kernels until she found Gwion and ate him.
You might think the story ends here, but no. When Ceridwen became pregnant, she knew the growth within her body was Gwion assuming another shape, and decided that when she gave birth, she would kill him.
But when she saw the babe, he was perfect, and Ceridwen could not carry out her intention. Instead, she sealed the child inside a leather skin bag and threw him into the ocean. Eventually, the bag washed ashore where a prince named Elffin ap Gwyddno rescued the babe and took him home. When the infant grew up, he became a famous poet known as Taliesin.
Time passed, and either Creirwy or Morfan had a child. The king, Tepid Foel, held a banquet with the best quality of food, wine, and entertainment to celebrate his first grandchild.
As the wine flowed, the harp player heard a small voice saying, “Vengeance will come.” As he looked around, he saw a bird watching him and followed it outside to the top of a hill overlooking the town. As the harpist listened to the bird sing, he fell asleep. When he awoke, the town and palace were submerged under a great lake and his harp floated on the surface.
It is said that if you walk near the edge of Bala Lake, you can sometimes hear a quiet conversation.
First Voice: Vengeance will come.
Second Voice: When will it come?
First Voice: In the third generation!
COMING SOON!
The Life & Times of Sarah Good, Accused Witch
Illustrations & A Few Sources
Bats, Haunted House, & Full Moon by Alexas Fotos; President George W. Bush on Halloween at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. 2006; Lord of Misrule 1887; Ceridwen by Christopher Williams; Print by J. E. C. Williams in the book ‘Y Mabinogion, 1901; Polygon illustration of hen’s head; Sculpture of Poet Taliesin in Pennal, Wales; Welsh Chaffinch by Holly Victoria Norval; Bala Lake by Mick Garratt. The Birth of Gala Lake. Amgueddfa Llangollen Museum. Samhain Lore. Angelfire.