Moonstone New Age

25th November-22nd December

Ruis (Elder, Sambucus nigra)

The black horse represents Pryderi, son of the Horse Goddess, Rhiannon and Pwyll, God of the Underworld.  Pryderi was born on the day of the winter solstice and was abducted soon after his birth becoming the celtic Saturn.

The personality of the elder tree was thought to come from the spirit of the elder mother who lived in the tree.  No woodsman of old would touch elder, or cut it without asking the elder mother's permission three times. Many people even now show respect to the elder, by touching their hats as they pass. 

Legend states that witches would often turn into elder trees. One famous tale of the Rollright stones in Oxfordshire, tells of a witch who saved England from invasion .  A Danish king and his army were marching to fight for the crown of England, when they met a witch and asked her what their fate would be.  She replied -

Seven long strides thou shalst take,
And if Long Compton thou canst see,
King of England thou shalst be..

He was almost at the top of the hill, so after hearing this he became excited, he strode forward but at his seventh step a hill rose up in front of him and hid Long Compton from sight. The witch continued -

'As Long Compton thou canst not see
King of England thou shalst not be
Rise up stick, and stand still stone,
For King of England thou shalst be none,
Thou and thy men hoar stone shall be ,
And I myself an Elder tree.

The Danish King became the King Stone standing apart from his men. His loyal soldiers became the King's Men Stones, set in a circle around him, and those that questioned him stood together, apart from the others, and are known as the Whispering Knights.

Elder has superstition attached to it, interestingly appearing to have stemmed from the church. According to the early church, the only thing an elder was good for was witch finding.  In pagan times the elder was used for divination and had great healing properties. It symbolises life, rejuvenating after being cut by growing shoots at its base.  This tree teaches us the cycle of death and re-birth

' we are born we live we die we rest within the arms of the mother and we are reborn ever eternal”', an apt tree for Yule, 21st December the longest night, when the Oak and Holly Kings fight again, the Oak King of summer winning this time, signifying the beginning of lengthening days and shorter nights.

GAELIC
The November to December period is known as DUMANNIOS - The Darkest Depths in the Coligny Celtic Calendar.

NOVEMBER - an t-Samhain. This translates as summer's end. November first is the of the festivals of Samhain or what we call Halloween or All Saints Day. It's also the beginning of winter.

DECEMBER - an Dubhlachd. The dark season. In Old Celtic dubo means dark.

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