LAMMAS 1991

SUMMONER: "HASTE! HASTE! NO TIME TO WAIT, WE'RE OFF TO SABBAT, DON'T BE LATE!"

WELCOME TO THE CELEBRATION OF LAMMAS!

HP: "Lammas has come to be the Festival of First Harvest. In older times, it was 
known variously as LUGHNASADH, LUGHNASANDH, LUGHANSADH, or LUGHANSANDH,
which have been translated to mean: LUGH'S FEST, LUGH'S FEAST, LUGH'S
MARRIAGE, or even LUGH'S WAKE.

ALL JOIN HANDS: "IN PERFECT LOVE AND PERFECT TRUST WE DO THIS RITE."

HPS: :In the name of the GOD and GODDESS and under their protection is this rite 
now begun."

STANDARD OPENING FOR MOON

HP: "It has become a very nice touch at Festivals lately - holding hands and 
going Sun-wise for 1/8th of a circle commemorating the turning of the Wheel of 
the Year. To mark the passage of the 1/8th of a year from Midsummer to Lammas, 
we'll hold hands, take tiny steps and chant:"

                              "AIR BLOW,
                               SUN SHINE.
                               WATER FLOW, 
                               EARTH DIVINE."

HPS: "We have put motion into the FESTIVAL WHEEL, the WHEEL OF LIFE. We have
now moved into the season of First Harvest."
HP + HPS: "Let us now go back to those thrilling days of yesteryear when our 
ancestors were still hunting and gathering; right before the time of the first 
harvest."  

CAST OF CHARACTERS:
BRIGID,  MOTHER GODDESS
LUGH, SUN GOD
AIR
FIRE
WATER
EARTH
WOMAN
MAN

MAN + WOMAN step out.

MAN: "My Dear One, have you heard the news? LUGH and BRIGID are to have a
Fest."

WOMAN: "Yes My Dear Husband, we shall go to the Fest, but what can we bring as a 
present that would be worthy of the GOD and GODDESS?"

MAN: "Between my hunting and your gathering we should just have enough to make 
it through the coming winter, but we surely have nothing worthy of the LORD and 
LADY."

WOMAN: "I know what we can do, let's go and ask the ELEMENTS if they can give us 
a gift that we could give."                                                      
MAN + WOMAN go to the East.

MAN + WOMAN: "MIGHTY ELEMENT, we poor humans beseech you for a present that
we could give to the GOD and GODDESS at their Fest."

AIR:                            
"I AM AIR,
THE EAST AND FUTURE IS MY DOMAIN.
I TEMPER THE HEAT,
I BRING THE RAIN."

AIR hands her gift to the couple.

MAN + WOMAN go to the South.

MAN + WOMAN: "MIGHTY ELEMENT, we poor humans beseech you for a present that
we could give to the GOD and GODDESS at their Fest."

FIRE:
"I AM THE SUN.
I SHINE AND GLOW.
I BRING THE ENERGY,
SO THAT ALL MAY GROW."

FIRE hands his gift to the couple.

MAN + WOMAN go to the West.

MAN + WOMAN: "MIGHTY ELEMENT, we poor humans beseech you for a present that
we could give to the GOD and GODDESS at their Fest."

WATER:                         
"I AM WATER,
THE WEST AND PAST.
I AM THE RAIN
FOR WHICH YOU'VE ASKED."

WATER hands her gift to the couple.

MAN + WOMAN go to the North.

MAN + WOMAN: "MIGHTY ELEMENT, we poor humans beseech you for a present that
we could give to the GOD and GODDESS at their Fest."

EARTH:                       
"I AM THE NORTH,
THE GRASS AND GRAIN.
WITHIN ME IS THE POWER
FOR ALL THAT DIE TO GET BORN AGAIN."

EARTH hands his gift to the couple.

ALL join hands and dance to the tune HASTE TO THE WEDDING until the reprise and 
then stop, inside the circle the MAN + WOMAN now dance until the end of the 
music carrying their gifts. When the music stops, the couple approach the GOD 
and GODDESS, who have now stepped forward.

MAN + WOMAN: 
"LORD and LADY, we poor humans come before you to honor you at your Fest. Since 
we have nothing of our own worthy of giving to you, we beseeched a boon of the 
ELEMENTS for a gift for you."
As they present the gifts they say: 
(With the gift of AIR)" AIR from which we capture the essence of blossoms, 
Fall's cut wood in a blaze. Grandmother's vegetable soup, puppy breath, a 
lover's familiar scent. Birds and clouds suspended as if by magic."

(With the gift of FIRE)" FIRE, combustion that rends wood into its elements to 
dry wool socks, explodes corn into puffs of deliciousness, brings new meaning to 
a marshmallow feast, lights our way home. The dance of colors warms the soul of 
our primitive self."

(With the gift of WATER)" WATER, we are caressed, cradled, restored in our 
element. Waves covered in moonlight icing. Aqua stillness. Tidepools of edible 
treasures."

(With the gift of EARTH) "EARTH, fragrant, rich, bountiful. Filled with promises 
of wildflowers, carrots, lilacs and heavy headed grains. Home to bugs and beasts 
in great variety."
LORD + LADY: 
"Children, We demand aught for sacrifice, for behold We are the Mother and 
Father of all things and Our love is poured out upon the Earth. We who are the 
beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars, the mystery of the 
waters, We call upon your soul to arise and come to us. For We are the soul of 
nature that gives life to the universe. From Us all things proceed and unto Us 
they must return. Let Our worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold all 
acts of love and pleasure are Our rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, 
power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. 
Because of your love and devotion We give you each of the ELEMENTS you so 
lovingly brought to Us and We also give to you the gift of the mysteries of 
husbandry and the growing and harvesting of grain. LET THIS TIME HENCEFORTH BE 
KNOWN AS THE FIRST HARVEST."

GOD + GODDESS, MAN + WOMAN: (Joining hands together) 
"MAY WINDS BLOW COOL, THE SUN SHINE WARM, THE WATER"S BRIGHT AND PURE, THE EARTH 
REGAIN HER FORMER GLORY, THE RACE OF MAN ENDURE."

HP + HPS: "In memory of that 1st FIRST HARVEST let us all partake in CAKES and 
WINE."

CAKES AND WINE  

ELEMENTS
CIRCLE RAISING
(Gods and Forces remain)
 
This Rite was written and presented on Lammas 1991 by R. Kane (73370,205) at 
Celtic Temple of the Wiccan Way in a southern suburb of Chicago.