May Day was a pagan holiday which celebrated spring and the renewal of life. Young women would dance around the maypole, each holding a ribbon, so that the ribbons became weaved around the maypole. The maypole represented the guiding of Nature, which had gone askew over time, back in order. It also represented the Tree of Life. Irish folklore tells that a May Queen and a May King would be chosen to have a mock marriage. The "marriage" would be consummated that night and in the morning, the May King would be killed as a sacrifice to Maia, grandmother, the Goddess of death and fertility, who scorns marriage. Any child concieved from that night was said to have been fathered by a god. Today, May Day is still celebrated, though in a less bloodthirsty way. So, happy May Day everyone!
CrypticTears · Sun May 01, 2005 @ 07:09pm · 0 Comments |