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What beautiful art!

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poem by: Ing who was Chief Bard of CoR when written

The Oak King wore a crown made of deer antlers

intertwined with leafy branches of oak and mistletoe

bearing its white berries.

The Oak King was majestic as he strode through the

forest. He was following the sun, and he was finding

the path colder day by day.

Each time he crossed a stream, the Oak King would

take a drink. Each time he did, he began to see that

he was growing very old.

Soon the Oak King found it difficult to continue.

His old and stiffened body could not carry him much

further.

As he pulled himself to the edge of a calm, clear

spring, he said to himself; “Each day grows darker;

soon I shall die.” The ancient Oak King bent to take

a drink. As he looked at his reflection, he saw ice

forming on the surface of the water. The Oak King

felt the darkness. The ice was closing his vital

drinking space.

Just as he was failing, the Oak King looked again at

his reflection in the spring. This time he saw the

ice melting away. The antlered crown of the Oak King

began to change. The rounded oak leaves became sharp

and pointed. The white mistletoe berries became red

as if the life fluids of all animals flowed into

them.

The Oak King lifted his head and felt the life force

grow strong within him. As he looked into the

unfreezing stream, this time he saw holly leaves

with red berries instead of oak and mistletoe.

The former Oak King, now the Holly King, leapt from

the stream bank, and pranced through the forest. He

now follows the sun on its upward course. With each

step the Holly King takes, he melts the ice, leaving

the ground ready for the Goddess to awaken her tiny

plants.

Winter Solstice Blessings! )O( 🌲 🤗

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Hail to the Oak King, the Holly King, and all Goddesses! :-)

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Indeed, so mote it be 💚 Have a blessed Yule my friend!

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