Virtually all tribal societies transmit tradition through the medium of songs. In this Season of the Ancestors, we remember the Mothers and Fathers by gathering to tell their stories and sing their songs.
Green Grow the Rushes-O has been part of the Younger Witchery since the early 1960s at very least (some would say for much longer than that); Robert Cochrane, father of the modern Old Craft movement, mentions the song in his letters. This version, which I learned from Feri elder Alison Harlow in 1980, functions both as riddle-song and teaching-song. (Any teacher can tell you that making the student figure things out for herself is the most effective heuristic.)
The mysterious Eleven Words of Power are said in witch legend to be, in fact, the very basis of all existence; but of this I should probably say no more.
Green Grow the Rushes-O
I'll sing you One-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your One-O?
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Two-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Two-O?
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Three-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Three-O?
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Four-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Four-O?
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Five-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Five-O?
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Six-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Six-O?
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Seven-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Seven-O?
Seven for the seven Stars in the Sky,
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Eight-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Eight-O?
Eight for the Celebrations,
Seven for the seven Stars in the Sky,
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Nine-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Nine-O?
Nine for the Months of Waiting,
Eight for the Celebrations,
Seven for the seven Stars in the Sky,
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Ten-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Ten-O?
Ten for the able Dancers,
Nine for the Months of Waiting,
Eight for the Celebrations,
Seven for the seven Stars in the Sky,
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing Eleven-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What's your Eleven-O?
Eleven for the Words that Nobody Knows,
Ten for the able Dancers,
Nine for the Months of waiting,
Eight for the Celebrations,
Seven for the seven Stars in the Sky,
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Twelve-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Twelve-O?
Twelve for the twelve Great Houses,
Eleven for the Words that Nobody Knows,
Ten for the able Dancers,
Nine for the Months of Waiting,
Eight for the Celebrations,
Seven for the seven Stars in the sky,
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
I'll sing you Thirteen-O
Green grow the rushes-O
What is your Thirteen-O?
Thirteen proud White Ladies,
Twelve for the twelve Great Houses,
Eleven for the Words that Nobody Knows,
Ten for the able Dancers,
Nine for the Months of Waiting,
Eight for the Celebrations,
Seven for the seven Stars in the Sky,
Six for the six Directions,
Five is the symbol at your Door,
Four the Shining Watchers,
Three the Triple Goddess
(I'll sing you)
Two, two, the Two-Horn God
in shining gold and green-O,
One is all and everywhere
and ever more shall be so.
Alison Harlow 1934-2004
In Memoriam