Another Witch's Chant

Some time ago I blogged about Doreen Valiente's classic "Witches' Rune," and the difference between the version that I was taught in my BTW days and that used by my friends of the American Folkloric Witchcraft tradition. There's another version of it given in the book Charge of the Goddess, a compendium of Doreen's poetry; it lacks the references to certain of the BTW "eight tools" and is shorter and simpler. I reproduce it here as it appears in the book:

          Darksome night and shining moon,
          Hell's dark mistress, Heaven's queen,
          Hearken to the witch's rune,
          Diana, Lilith, Melusine!
          Queen of witchdom and of night,
          Work my will by magic rite.

          Earth and water, air and fire,
          Conjured by the witch's blade,
          Move ye unto my desire,
          Aid me as the charm is made!
          Queen of witchdom and of night,
          Work my will by magic rite.

          In the earth and air and sea,
          By the light of moon or sun,
          As I pray, so mote it be.
          Chant the spell and be it done.
          Queen of witchdom and of night,
          Work my will by magic rite.

For my personal usage, I'll alter the fourth line in the first verse to reflect the names and titles of my particular tutelary witch-goddess, but leave it otherwise unchanged. I think Doreen would understand.

Invocation of the Horned One

Another of my favorite chants, and one that is particularly appropriate this time of year, also comes from Doreen Valiente. I reproduce it here, with no further comment needed:

By the flame that burneth bright 

O Horned One!

We call thy name into the night 

O Ancient One! 

Thee we invoke by the moon-led sea

By the standing stone and the twisted tree

Thee we invoke where gather thine own

By the nameless shrine forgotten and lone

 

Come where the round of the dance is trod

Horn and hoof of the goat-foot God

By moonlit meadow on dusky hill

When the haunted wood is hushed and still

 

Come to the charm of the chanted prayer

As the moon bewitches the midnight air

Evoke thy powers, that potent bide

In shining stream and secret tide

 

In fiery flame by starlight pale

In shadowy host that ride the gale

And by the fern-brakes fairy-haunted

Of forests wild and wood enchanted

 

Come! O Come!

To the heartbeat's drum!

 

 Come to us who gather below

When the broad white moon is climbing slow

Through the stars to the heavens' height

We hear thy hoofs on the wind of night

As black tree branches shake and sigh

By joy and terror we know thee nigh

 

We speak the spell thy power unlocks

At Solstice, Sabbat, and Equinox

Word of virtue the veil to rend

From primal dawn to the wide world's end

Since time began---

The blessing of Pan!

Blessed be all in hearth and hold

Blessed in all worth more than gold

Blessed be in strength and love

Blessed be where e'er we rove

Vision fade not from our eyes

Of the pagan paradise

Past the gates of death and birth

Our inheritance of the earth

From our soul the song of spring

Fade not in our wandering

Our life with all life is one,

By blackest night or noonday sun

Eldest of gods, on thee we call:

Blessing be on thy creatures all.

Chants: The Witches' Rune

My friends over at American Folkloric Witchcraft recently posted a version of Doreen Valiente's classic chant The Witches' Rune. It's one of my favorites, and I've used it often with good result; but the version I was taught goes a bit differently, and I thought I'd post it here for the contrast:

Doreen Valiente (Ameth)

"Darksome night and shining moon,
East then South then West then North;
Hearken to the Witches' Rune:
Here come I to call ye forth!

Earth and Water, Air and Fire,
Wand and Pentacle and Sword,
Work ye unto my desire,
Hearken ye unto my word!

Cords and Censer, Scourge and Knife,
Powers of the witch's blade,
Waken all ye unto life,
Come ye as the charm is made!

Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell,
Horned Hunter of the night,
Lend your power unto the spell,
Work my will by magick rite!

By all the power of land and sea,
By all the might of moon and sun,
As I do will, so mote it be;
Chant the spell and be it done!"