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Meagan's Beltane
Home Meagan's Stories
Once upon a time there was a little girl named Meagan.
She lived with her mommy and daddy, her big brother
Corwin and her beautiful cat named Starweaver. One
day in April Meagan came home and found her mother
and Nana making baskets. "What are you doing?",
asked Meagan. "Well, soon it will be Beltaine", said
her mother Elizabeth, "it's also known as May Day. A
long time ago people would celebrate May Day by
making baskets and filling them with flowers. Then
they would take the baskets to the houses of friends,
leave them on the porch, ring the bell and run and hide.
Then the friends would have to guess who left them thebaskets." Elizabeth's mother Nana nodded, "That's
right, I used to get the most beautiful baskets from your
late grandfather. I mentioned it to your mother and she
thought that it would be a very fitting way to help
celebrate Beltaine. Of course, I still can't keep all your
holidays straight."
"Oh!" said Meagan excitedly, "I know! Beltaine is a
fertile...fertul...fertility ritual!" "That's right," saidElizabeth, "and what else happens at Beltaine?"
Meagan gently put her hand on top of Mrs. Hanson's
hand. "Would it make you feel better if I came to visit
you once in awhile?" she asked. "Oh," said Mrs.
Hanson, "you don't have to do that child, but if you
decide you want to, I'll try to have some cookies ready
for you when you come. So long as it's alright with
your parents. If you really want to come by sometimes
have them give me a call and let me know that it's okay
for you to come." "Okay," said Meagan, "I'd better get
back home now but I'll have mommy or daddy call
you". Meagan waved to her new friend as she ran back
home. She told her parents about what Mrs. Hansonhad said. They called Cindy's mom Anna and talked to
her for a while. Then they called Mrs. Hanson and
talked to _her_ for a while. They told Corwin and
Meagan that they were allowed to go visit Mrs.Hanson
anytime they wanted on the way home from school so
long as they didn't stay more than 15 minutes. Then
theysaid that they could also visit her at other times so
long as they told one of the grownups in the house
where they were goingand called when they got there.
Just like the had to do whenever the went to visit
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Meagan thought for a minute. "Hmmm. Oh! It's when
the Goddess takes over the year again from the God
and She starts dating the young God!" Elizabeth and
Nana laughed. "Exactly right, my love," said her father
Michael from the doorway. He was carrying a large
basket full of beautiful flowers from the garden. "Were
these what you wanted?" he asked Elizabeth.
"Perfect!" she said smiling, "As soon as we finish up
these baskets we can start filling them. Meagan, what
else do you think we could put in them?" Meagan
thought very hard. "I know!" she said, "We can put
crystal and ribbons on the baskets and maybe some
candy!"
Once Corwin got home everyone worked hard to finish
making and decorating the baskets. They wrappedribbons around the handles. They put soft grass and
straw in the bottoms of the baskets. They put flowers
and crystals and small presents in the baskets. Meagan
made a basket for her best friend Cindy. Elizabeth
made one for Cindy's mom Anna with herbs in it
because Anna was an herbalist. They made a basket
for Michael's parents, Gramma Lee and Granpa Scott.
Gramma Lee and Granpa Scott were Christian and
they wouldn't like hearing about the family celebrating
Beltaine but they wouldn't mind having May Day
baskets. "Is there anyone missing?" asked Corwin,
"Look, there's one basket left over" They checked all
the baskets but no one could think of anyone they had
forgotten. Meagan remembered the old woman whose
house she walked by everyday from school.
"Mommy?" she asked, "Could we make one for that
lady who lives on the corner?" Elizabeth huggedMeagan while Corwin looked surprised. "Oh Meagan,"
"
friends. Meagan found out that Cindyhad been given
permission to visit Mrs. Hanson too. She was excited
about sharing cookies with her new friend and her best
friend.
Soon it was time to decorate the altar for Beltaine.
Meagan was excited. They had made a May Pole with
ribbons to dance around. There was also a fire pit dug
in the Circle area. "What's that for?" she asked the
High Priest Jeremy. "Back in the old days people used
to run the cattle between two fires on Beltaine to make
them fertile and help the herd increase. They would
also jump over the Beltaine fire for luck. We don't
have any cattle to make fertile but some of us will
jump the fire for luck tonight. You're still too small to
jump by yourself but we can pass you over the fire byputting you in a chair carry just like we will for
Gwennie. You know that she's pregnant and we don't
want to take the chance of her falling in the fire."
Meagan nodded. She was very excited. So was Corwin.
He was still too young to jump completely by himself
but Michael said that he could jump just holding arms
with Michael and one of the other men. Meagan smiled
to herself as she put a flower circlet on her head and
got ready for Circle to begin.
After Circle was over Meagan was very tired. She had
had a busy day. Meagan kissed her parents and brother
good night and looked for Starweaver. "Mommy! I
can't find Starweaver" she said. Meagan's parents
smiled at each other. "Don't worry dear," said Michael,
"Beltaine is a time of fertility and Star must be helping
out. You'll understand when you're older." Meagan
stomped up the stairs. "I hate it when they say that"
she thought. But she still smiled when she thought
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been all alone since her children moved away. Would
you like to make it yourself?" Meagan nodded and got
busy making a basket for the old woman who lived on
the corner. She hadn't know the woman's name before.
She hummed while she worked and hoped that Mrs.
Hanson would like her surprise.
Soon it was May Day. Beltaine was on a Saturday this
year and so they would be having Circle at their house
that night. Meagan helped take the baskets around to
her friends. But she saved Mrs. Hanson's basket for
last. She crept up to the door, keeping low so that Mrs.
Hanson wouldn't see her from the windows. She set the
basket beside the door so that it wouldn't be knocked
over when Mrs. Hanson opened the door. Meagan rangthe doorbell and ran quickly to hide behind the bushes
to wait. Mrs. Hanson opened the door. "Yes?" she said,
"Who's there?" She looked puzzled and almost closed
the door when she spied the basket on her porch. "Oh
my!" she gasped, "A May Day basket!" Mrs. Hanson
took the basket and sat down with it on the porch's
rocker. She started crying. Meagan ran up to her. "I'm
sorry!" she said, "I didn't mean to make you cry!" She
was scared that she had hurt Mrs. Hanson's feelings."You made this for me?" asked Mrs. Hanson, looking
astonished. Meagan nodded, "My mommy was helping
me make them for my friends and I thought that you
would like one too. Mommy said that people used to
do this all the time." Mrs. Hanson dried her eyes,
"Your mommy is right. But I haven't had a May Day
basket in a very long time. My children used to make
them at school for me. I'm not upset with you dear, it'sjust that seeing this basket brought back many happy
about what fun she had had dancing around the May
Pole. She climbed into bed and snuggled down. It had
been a good day.
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grandchildren. They all live very far away and I don't
get to see them very often."