To support my work as a folklorist and storyteller, please consider making a small donation on Patreon: / thestorycrow
Imbolc or 'Saint Bridget's Day' is a traditional Gaelic festival day. One point in the 'Wheel of the Year' and usually falling on 1st of February.
This is 'Groundhog Day' in the USA.
In the Celtic and pre-Christian traditions of Britain and Ireland this was one of the feast days and is still celebrated by Wiccans, druids and contemporary pagans. Its history is far older though, with neolithic henges and burial mounds often being aligned to sunrise on this cross quarter day between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
Imbolc is usually translated as 'Ewe's Milk' or 'In the Belly'. It means that spring is coming.
In this story, spring is embodied by a goddess, Bridget, or Bigid, or Bride, whereas winter is embodied by the Cailleach; Beira the Queen of Winter - mother of all the gods, the oldest of the old, the great mother goddess as witch and Crone.
This story also features the humble snowdrop - the first flower to appear in northern Europe and thus the herald of spring.
Негізгі бет Imbolc. The story of Brigid, the Cailleach and the coming of spring (Celtic Folklore and Mythology)
Пікірлер: 55