Oak King and Holly King

[Thorn]

I'm curious, does anyone know where this legend first began? Being of course of the Oak King and the Holly King who duke it out every solstice for dominance of nature, or whatever. It seems very prominent in most neo-pagan lore regarding the sabbats, but I'd like to know more about it. How old the story is, where it originated, etc. If anyone knows anything that would be great, thank you.

[Echo]

The Oak King, the Lord of the Greenwood and golden twin of the waxing year, rules from Midwinter to Midsummer. At Midwinter, he goes to battle with his twin, the Holly King, for the favor of the Goddess. He slays the Holly King, who goes to rest in Caer Arianrhod until they do battle again at Midsummer. The Oak King and Holly King are mortal enemies at Midsummer and Midwinter, but they are two sides of a whole. Neither could exist without the other.
Two themes run throughout the Oak King and Holly King saga. The first, of course, is the two great yearly battles between the two. The second is the sacrificial mating, death, and resurrection of each in his season. At Beltane, the peak of the Oak King's reign, he sacrificially mates with the Great Mother, dies in her embrace, and is resurrected. This is an enactment of the natural fertility theme of the season, and is not uncommon in other mythologies: Osiris, Tammuz, Dionysus, Balder, and Jesus are only a few other gods who die and are resurrected. (The Holly King on the other hand, mates, dies and is resurrected at Lammas.) This aspect of the Oak King and Holly King is not widely discussed, but is an important element in their roles as fertility gods.

It appears to be a Celtic legend, and the Celts were an Iron Age people, so it could date back as far as the first millennium BC. It seems to be a variant on the theme of Light and Dark, Life and Death, Fertility and Barrenness, that is common to many early societies as a reflection of the need to ensure survival and the attempt to understand, and possibly try and assist the natural and divine forces observed in the life of the land.

[Estariol]

The oak king and holly king duality has a strong physical basis with the seasons here in the UK. As a Thelemite my view is of dormancy rather then death and rebirth which certainly makes sense when we look around at dormant trees in the winter for example.

[Thorn]

Thank you for the information, that is very helpful. I find it a very evocative legend with its natural symbolism.

[Echo]

I always loved the legend. I met it first in a childrens book called 'Borrobil' by William Croft Dickinson, which begins with the children dancing round a stone circle at Beltane. My grandfather expanded on the theme, never being one to withold information just because I was a small child and of course, the strangely pyramidal hill nearby became, for me, the site of the Beltane fires. even stranger.. there was always the remains of a fire on its summit after Beltane

In later years, my youngest son made Beltane even more important for me, as he chose that day to come into the world

[Hestia]

This is a lovely story, and one I have always been familiar with due to Celtic background. My youngest daughter will be married on Beltane this year. That should be some celebration I think!

Thank you Echo for sharing this.

[Echo]

What a wonderful date for a wedding!

Brightest blessiings upon then, little sister!

[Celtaur]

In later years, my youngest son made Beltane even more important for me, as he chose that day to come into the world

This too is the day I came into the world

[Briony Haldane]

This is a lovely story, and one I have always been familiar with due to Celtic background. My youngest daughter will be married on Beltane this year. That should be some celebration I think!

Thank you Echo for sharing this.

Weddingd, births and Maypoles What a wonderful day. I too have found it to be tremendously inspiring. One of my story poems centres around Beltane May it come quickly!

[brifae]

Aptil30/May 1 to the full moon around this time
Beltane
green growing things
fertility and the time for something to come to you
Beltane ritual with a need fire:
http://www.paganlibrary.com/rituals_...ane_ritual.php