meagan's beltane

7/28/2019 Meagan's Beltane

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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."

meagan's beltane

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