A new Witch-Dance is Come...
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Gerald Gardner writes of "a New Wicth-Dance". Whether or not he's
quoting a seventeenth century source, the passage is quite evocative. |
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Oh you who dance with light all to clothe you as you fly and chase the noon of night fast across the starry sky - come freely to the dance, as lovers or by chance come freely to the dance, as lovers or by chance. A sacred trust now bound draws the moon within its pale, The worlds are wrap'd around as the circle thins the veil, far more than human mind, within this space confined. far more than human mind, within this space confined. The figures danced tonight are all woven in this place; and set the world alight now, as mystery and grace shine radiant on your skin, all from the heart within. shine radiant on your skin, all from the heart within. The rapture here below in the circle made of love; The candle's dusky as it mirrors all above; The time of cakes and wine and of the joy divine. The time of cakes and wine and of the joy divine. |
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In Gerald Gardner's "Witchcraft today" he mentions the dance as a way of raising power, then he 'quotes' someone three hundred years ago (that'd be 1650) saying 'a new witch dance hath come into France out of Italy and it is all the rage, everyone is doing it'. Later on the same page, he quotes a set of 'verses found in a witch's book'... |
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Twilight is over and the noon of night
Draws to its zenith as beyond the stream
Dance the wild witches, fair as a dream
In a garden, naked in Diana's sight,
Flaming Censers on the sweet altar, light
Gleams on the waters, drifting vapours teem,
Laughter and swaying white shoulders gleam.
Oh joy and wonder at their lovely sight.
Sounds a bit like the late and much lamented Doreen Valiente to me, though...
copyright © pithukuf, 1998