
                     A SAMHAIN RITUAL

[older woman to older man]:
                One-eye, Wanderer, God of wisdom,
                Hunt-lord, hail, who leads the hosting!
                Nine nights hanging, knowledge gaining,
                Cloaked at crossroads, council hidden.
                Now the night, your time, is near us --
                Right roads send us on, Rune-winner.
[older man to older woman]:
                Every age your eye has witnessed;
                Cauldron-Keeper, hail wise Crone!
                Rede in riddles is your ration --
                Wyrd-weaving at the World-tree's root.
                Eldest ancient, all-knowing one,
                Speak secrets to us, send us vision.
[younger woman to younger man]:
                Lord of Life, hail Land-Master!
                God of grain that grows and dies
                And rises reborn, full of richness;
                Fallow fields shall yet be fertile --
                Spring sap runs as stirs your phallus
                Bless barren earth, let it bear again!
[younger man to younger woman]:
                Snow-shoes striding, hail swift Huntress!
                Wild one, free and willful Goddess
                Bow and blade you bear beside you,
                Finding food to fend off hunger --
                Winter will not leave us wanting;
                Give good hunting, grant us skill.

        USHERING IN THE NEW YEAR:
                Welcome winter, waning season,
                Now with night the new year comes;
                Hail the horse's head with blessings --
                Blessings be on those who bide here
                And indeed on all the world!

        SCRYING:
                Wide are the worldgates,
                Sights to be sent us;
                Ready for rede-gifts,
                We wait for your wisdom.

        OFFERINGS/THANKSGIVING:
        Grateful, we give now, gifts of our own
        Heart-work and hand-work the hearth shall grace;
        Happiness, harmony,  health in the new year,
        Send to the world and we in it, we wish you.

        DISMISSAL/OPENING:
        To watching winds we wish fair travelling;
        To sleepless dead sweet rest we send;
        Gods and Godesses, go with praises --
        See: the circle is severed thus. [cut with sword at east]

The horse's skull is a primitive form of the Mari Lwyd (Grey Mare/Mary), 
a Welsh folk traditional hobby horse that goes from house to house at 
the calendar New Year, but she's such a bizzare and macabre beast that 
she was almost certainly a Samhain leftover.  There's interesting 
material about her in Trefor Owen's WELSH FOLK CUSTOMS.  
                             *
