By Ash, Oak and Thorn: the perfect cosy read for children, chosen as one of Countryfile's best books of 2021

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I suspect this was the volume Burne-Jones sent to Kipling. Going by the British Library catalogue, the first edition was published in 1848, and there were numerous reprints.[D.H.] Wow. Wow. Wow. What a beautiful, profound, and hilarious story! It made me so nostalgic of my childhood, which I often spent collecting frogspawn, birdwatching and climbing trees like a feral cat… The story follows the journey of three little people – Moss, Burnet and Cumulus, as they travel from the relative safety of their home in the garden of 52 Ash Row (Suburbia, Ash), to the dangers of The Hive (City, Thorn) via the springtime countryside (Oak).

Irish-American Witchcraft: Oak, Ash, and Thorn – the Irish-American Witchcraft: Oak, Ash, and Thorn – the

I really appreciated how the story was written. The descriptions of the wild world, the animals met by the Hidden Folk, etc. were both very precise and true yet whimsical. Daniel Hadas adds: ‘The refrain shares the rhythm of that of the carol on the Seven Joys of Mary, with “good sirs” where the carol has “good man”. Kipling had already imitated that carol, again with “good sirs”, in his ‘ A Carol’ So this poem is a sort of pagan counterpart to the Christian original and Kipling’s imitation of it. “Oak, and Ash, and Thorn” are a Trinity of sorts.’ [D.H.And so the cycle continues. Because though we have forgotten much in England, we don’t have the option of leaving the past behind. No-one ever does. Weirdly, obtusely, at the margins and from the corners of our eyes, the old myths can still be seen. A hundred years on from Kipling, the long barrow on the ridgeway near White Horse Hill is still known as Wayland’s Smithy; the old smith, it is said, will shoe any horse left there overnight if a coin is placed on the stones. The third day of the week is still Woden’s Day, the green men on the cathedral ceilings receive coats of fresh paint, and every May Day, even now, the strange green dance goes on in crevices and byways while most of the nation is driving to the out-of-town retail park.

Oak and Ash and Thorn | The Longest Song Wiki | Fandom Oak and Ash and Thorn | The Longest Song Wiki | Fandom

Before the Normans arrived in 1066, and began to unravel the English sense of self at the tip of a sword, everyone in the country would have known the story of Wayland the smith. Along their journey, they meet lots of animals and other creatures, but also notice how much change there has been in the countryside.OAT is based on the popular Rider, Waite, Smith format, making it easy for anyone familiar with Tarot to use, and you can use most Tarot books to help with understanding the cards and their meanings if needed. Reference Cards I’m still not sure I entirely understand the concept behind the so-called fairy triad, of the oak, ash, and thorn, but it is clearly a belief that has value to many people and which many have seized onto and incorporated into their own spirituality. There is something about the idea of the three trees that appeals to people on what can only be a deep level, in the same way that other newer beliefs appeal to people. Whether it is new or old oak, ash, and thorn together have become an important concept in many different traditions, and for the people who believe in its value, ultimately, its source should matter less than its efficacy. References The pome fruit and tree of the apple is celebrated in numerous functions in Celtic mythology, legend, and folklore; it is an emblem of fruitfulness and sometimes a means to immortality. Wands of druids were made from wood either of the yew or of the apple. The Brythonic Avalon in Arthurian tradition in certain medieval narratives, attributing Welsh origin, is translated as Insula Pomorum; 'The Isle of Apples'. One gloss of the name for the magical Irish island Emain Ablach is 'Emain of the Apples'. In the Ulster Cycle the soul of Cú Roí was confined in an apple that lay in the stomach of a salmon which appeared once every seven years. Cúchulainn once gained his escape by following the path of a rolled apple. An apple-tree grew from the grave of the tragic lover Ailinn. In the Irish tale Echtra Condla (The Adventure of Conle), Conle the son of Conn is fed an apple by a fairy lover, which sustains him with food and drink for a month without diminishing; but it also makes him long for the woman and the beautiful country of women to which his lover is enticing him. In the Irish story from the Mythological Cycle, Oidheadh Chlainne Tuireann, the first task given the Children of Tuireann is to retrieve the Apples of the Hesperides (or Hisbernia). Afallennau (Welsh, 'apple trees') is a 12th-century Welsh narrative poem dealing with Myrddin Wyllt. The Breton pseudosaint Konorin was reborn by means of an apple. The Proto-Celtic word was * * aballā; Old Irish, uball, ubull; Modern Irish, ubhal, úll; Scots Gaelic ubhall; Manx, ooyl; Welsh, afal; Corn. aval; Bret. Aval. [5] Hazel [ edit ] The journey is made in an attempt to discover if they are now the last of their kind or if the persistent rumours that more Hidden Folk are alive and well in the countryside are true. Along the way, they meet many wild creatures and overcome many obstacles and they are transported by rides from deer and pigeons. Moss tells us that the rides were

A Tree Song poem - Rudyard Kipling - Best Poems A Tree Song poem - Rudyard Kipling - Best Poems

In Proto-Celtic the words for "oak" were * * daru and * * derwā; Old Irish and Modern Irish, dair; Scottish Gaelic, darach; Manx, daragh; Welsh, derwen, dâr; Cornish derowen; Breton, dervenn. [2] Ash [ edit ] Verse 2, line 5] New Troy Town: According to Geoffrey of Monmouth (ch. xvii,) Brutus built his capital on the Thames and called it Troia Nova, New Troy. In the time of Julius Caesar, it was rebuilt by King Lud and renamed Lud’s Town, which became corrupted into London. It's the kind of book that makes me want to go outside and try to notice and take care of every little thing surrounding me.Shelley is a Canadian born Witch, from an old English family. I have been practicing my craft for over 30 years and come by it very naturally. My family has a long heritage of being witches. My grandmother in particular was very gifted. When she passed very suddenly and unexpectedly, the next day a bouquet of flowers arrived for me. They were from her with a note that said, “I have a feeling you are incredibly sad about something and I wanted to send all my love. Love Nan“. This was just one of many instances of my grandmothers incredible abilities. Andrews, W.(ed.)(1897) 'Antiquities and Curiosities of the Church, William Andrews & Co., London 1897; pp. 256-278: 'Amongst the ancients the yew, like the cypress, was regarded as the emblem of death. Simple and slow can of course be good things where there’s a nuanced philosophy or world to explore but Harrison’s feel basic. We follow Moss, Burnet and Cumulus, three little creatures known as Hidden Folk, who have started to become invisible. They decide to search for an answer to what's happening to them, while also looking for other Hidden Folk, as they haven't seen any in a long time.

By Ash, Oak and Thorn by Melissa Harrison | Waterstones

There are several recorded instances in Irish history in which people refused to cut an ash, even when wood was scarce, for fear of having their own cabins consumed with flame. The ash tree itself might be used in May Day ( Beltaine) rites. Under the Old Irish word nin, the ash also gives its name to the letter N in the ogham alphabet. Together with the oak and thorn, the ash is part of a magical trilogy in fairy lore. Ash seedpods may be used in divination, and the wood has the power to ward off fairies, especially on the Isle of Man. In Gaelic Scotland children were given the astringent sap of the tree as a medicine and as a protection against witch-craft. Some famous ash trees were the Tree of Uisnech, the Bough of Dathí, and the Tree of Tortu. The French poet who used Breton sources, Marie de France (late 12th century), wrote a lai about an ash tree. The Proto-Celtic for 'ash' was * * onnos; Old Irish, nin; Irish, fuinseog; Scots Gaelic, fuinnseann; Manx, unjin; Welsh, onnen; Cornish, onnen; Breton, onnenn. [4] Apple [ edit ] It arrived with a seed paper tag attached to the cover and I was soon happily engaged and following the instructions – Plant, Water, Sun, Grow – and potting the seed paper. I have been promised flowers and I hope I’m not disappointed.

Author notes

I am listening to the audiobook which is full of lovely nature sounds and makes the story even more magical! In her Note from the Author, she tells us that “ the only creature that’s forgotten how to communicate with the Wild World is we humans.” Thankfully her tone is never preachy or overtly political; she makes her views known clearly and firmly and you are never in doubt as to where she stands.