ab:redes.txt                                                            13jan90

                       The Wiccan Redes

Bide the Wiccan Redes ye must,
        In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust;
Live ye must and let to live,
        Fairly take and fairly give;
Form the Circle thrice about,
        To keep unwelcome spirits out;
Bind fast the spell every time,
        Let the words be spoke in rhyme.

Soft of eye and light of touch,
        Speak ye little, listen much;
Deosil go by waxing moon,
        Sing and dance the Witches' Rune;
Widdershins go by waning moon,
        Chant ye then a baleful tune;
When the Lady's moon is new,
        Kiss hand to her times two;
When the moon rides at peak,
        Heart's desire then ye seek.

Heed the North wind's mighty gale,
        Lock the door & trim the sail;
When the wind comes from the South,
        Love will kiss them on the mouth;
When the wind blows from the West,
        departed souls have no rest;
When the wind blows from the East,
        Expect the new and set the feast.

Nine woods in the cauldron go,
        Burn them quick, burn them slow;
Elder be the Lady's tree,
        Burn it not or curs'd ye'll be;
When the wind begins to turn,
        Soon Beltane fires will burn;
When the wheel has turned to Yule,
        light the log, the Horned One rules.

Heed the flower, bush or tree
        By the Lady blessed be'
When the rippling waters flow
        cast a stone - the truth you'll know;
When ye have & hold a need,
        Hearken not to others' greed;
With a fool no seasons spend,
        Or be counted as his friend.

Merry meet and merry part
        Bright the cheeks, warm the heart;
Mind the threefold law ye should,
        Three times bad and three times good;
Whene'er misfortune is enow,
        Wear the star upon your brow;
True in troth ever ye be
        Lest thy love prove false to thee.

'Tis by the sun that life be won,
        And by the moon that change be done;
If ye would clear the path to will,
        Make certain the mind be still;
What good be tools without Inner Light ?
        What good be magic without wisdom-sight ?
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill -
        An it harm none, do what ye will.

----------
-Very well known (public domain). WCC has it. Published in Rhuddlwm Gawr's
 "The Way". Published in an pamphlet called "Ottawa Pagan Resources";   
 the pamphlet was organized/written by our very own Artos. Doubtless
 many other published sources.
-No reason to believe it's part of a "standard" Alexandrian or Gardnerian 
 BOS, but it has been copied by a lot of people.

