Faerie Lore and Legends

Burns’ Tam O’Shanter, 1792 (1855 illustrations) « Sexy Witch.

Burns’ Tam O’Shanter, 1792 (1855 illustrations)

“Tam O’Shanter” is a ghost story written in verse by the great Scottish poet Robert Burns. Burns persuaded his friend Francis Grose to include a drawing of Alloway Kirk, in his Antiquities of Scotland (1791), which Grose promised to do if Burns would supply him with a ghost story to go with it. Burns wrote a brief version of the story in prose before starting his 224 line poem. Both versions have been quoted in the following account (see here for the prose and here for the poem).
The poem concerns a farmer, Tam. After a night of drinking and story-telling, Tam must ride home to Carrick through a heavy storm. As Tam passes Alloway kirk-yard it is “the wizard hour, between night and morning”. He sees a bright light streaming from the ruined church and, on investigating, he is “surprised and entertained, thorough the ribs and arches of an old gothic window … to see a dance of witches merrily footing it round”. As the dance grows “fast and furious” the women cast aside their cloths and dance in their “sark” (undershirt). Alone among the many “wither’d beldams, auld and droll” (withered grandmothers, old and comical) Tam notices a “winsome wench” in a “cutty sark” (short shirt). After some time observing the young witch dancing, Tam unwisely cries out “Weel done, Cutty-sark!”; at which, the music stops, the lights go out and all the witches give chase. Tam makes for the bridge (since a witch can’t cross running water): “the pursuing, vengeful hags were so close at his heels, that one of them actually sprung to seize him: but it was too late; nothing was on her side of the stream but the horse’s tail, which immediately gave way to her infernal grip, as if blasted by a stroke of lightning.”
The poem was immediately, and immensely, popular: it has been illustrated many times. Artists have shown particular relish in depicting Nannie (the young witch) dancing, chasing Tam, and grasping the tail of Tam’s horse, Meg (or Maggie). The three illustrations below are by John Faed (and engraved by Lumb Stocks and James Stephenson for the 1855 edition). These are some of the best and most frequently reprinted or copied illustrations to Burns’ poem. I have accompanied each illustration (or detail) with a passage from the poem.  (Follow link above or below for the author’s article to continue …)

http://sexywitch.wordpress.com/2006/09/15/burns-tam-oshanter/

Saturday, October 16th

The Feri Tradition (Witchcraft/Wicca)

The Feri Tradition, Witchcraft/Wicca

Among the distinguishing features of the Faery tradition is the use of a Faery Power which characterizes the lineage. It is an ecstatic, rather than a fertility, tradition. Strong emphasis is placed on sensual experience and awareness, including sexual mysticism, which is not limited to heterosexual expression. In this, as in the general spirit of spiritual exploration, there is more risk-taking encouraged than in other Wiccan traditions which may have specific laws limiting behavior, and there is a certain amorality historically associated with the Tradition. We see ourselves, when enchanted, as “fey”–not black, not white, outside social definitions, on the road to Faeryland, either mad or poetical. We are aware that much of reality is unseen, or at least has uncertain boundaries. — The Faery Tradition, by Anna Korn – http://www.lilithslantern.com/Faery%20Trad.htm

Most of this data came from a discussion between Pagan folk about what the Feri tradition is. Important facts and details are shared here for definition purposes.

The Feri Tradition, a tradition of Wicca and subset classification of the Neo-Pagan type of Witchcraft, came about through the work of Gwydion Pendderwen, Victor and Cora Anderson. Originally found only on the West Coast of the United States, in recent years it has spread into several parts of North America, and even overseas. The Feri Tradition is adamantly polytheistic, recognizing many manifestations of the Divine from many different places and times. The tradition focalizes its rich lore and practices around specific Feri deities and guardians it honors within the tradition’s rituals and liturgies. These rituals/liturgies are heavily invocatory, to encourage possession, which relies mainly on psychic talent or sensitivity to occur. The term “Feri” has come to replace the term “Faerie” or “Faery” in order to separate it from the various Faerie traditions that exist within the Neo-Pagan religious boom of faiths, beliefs, and organizations seen on the uprise since the late 60’s.

The Feri tradition refers to a belief structure composed of “lore” consisting of teachings, names, stories, tools, specific poetry, liturgies, rituals, and practices. Practices consist of the wide variety of tools the Feri use in the practice of their tradition, such as the “Iron Pentacle”, the “Pentacle of Pearl” (meditation tools). The tradition is influenced by works and passionate beliefs of its founders Victor (such as Huna/Dahomean-Haitian), Cora (southern root and folk magic), Gwyddion (Radical Faeries, Shamanism, Wicca), Starhawk, and other influential members.
They claim, like most Neo-Pagan Wiccan/Witchcraft traditions to not have been influenced by Gardnerian or British Traditional Wicca, owning its own evolution. It claims the traditional secrecy that so many Neo-Pagan witchcraft traditions do, though you can always seem to attend a class on the tradition or be exposed to its works without much difficulty. (I Met Victor and Cora at the Gathering of Tribes in Atlanta, Georgia in 1991 – and they did a workshop on this ‘secret’ tradition offered to all attendings of this public gathering. ) But they do hold strong on the use of oaths and the public view of being a ‘secret tradition’.

The Feri tradition does claim to have a small number of members, and that appears to be true, as is many lesser-known Wiccan tradition do hold true. Every student and member can still trace their lineage of initiation and training back to Victor and Cora. The Reclaiming tradition, spearheaded by Starhawk, is believed to have evolved from the Feri tradition.

http://www.feritradition.org
http://www.witchvox.com/trads/trad_feri.html