The Primordial Tradition

Rhymes, Spells, and Catechisms

PART IIIa: SPECIFIC DEMIURGES and ARCHANGELS (Waning Arc)

An Invocation of the Solar Creator (Late-Summer, or Noon -- 2:00 p.m.):

At twelve mid-day the clock strikes Prime,
'Tis now Illumination time.
At Herald's College, hic, haec, hoc,
Micheal's [or: Apollo's] mouse runs up the clock.
The clock strikes one, the clock strikes twain,
The herald's mouse runs down again.

A rhyme commemorating the death of the Enchantress at Hallowtide; we might say that the next-following Feast of the Horse comes to ride Her into the Underworld:

Ride a Cock-Horse to Hallowtide Cross,
To set the Enchantress upon the Wild Horse,
With rings on Her fingers and bells on Her toes,
She shall have Music wherever She goes.

A Catechism or Invocation of the Archangel Aurael, giving the planetary numbers of the Demiurges and their birds in Aurael's coven; note that the cumulative number of birds totals 364; or 365 if a Phoenix is added for a thirteenth bird:

For the first bird of Aurael, my Maker had from me, a cock crowing on a roof-tree.
For the second bird of Aurael, my Poet had from me, two calling birds, and a cock crowing on a roof-tree.
For the third bird of Aurael, my Druid had from me, three loving doves, two calling birds, and a cock crowing on a roof-tree.
For the fourth bird of Aurael, my Hunter had from me, four soaring hawks, three loving doves, ...
For the fifth bird of Aurael, my Planter had from me, five golden ernes [or bold blue-jays], four soaring hawks, ...
For the sixth bird of Aurael, my Smith he had from me, six geese a-laying, five golden ernes, ...
For the seventh bird of Aurael, my Mason had from me, seven crows a-croaking, six geese a-laying, ...
For the eighth bird of Aurael, my Joiner had from me, eight petrels piping, seven crows a-croaking, ...
For the ninth bird of Aurael, my Fowler had from me, nine peacocks dancing, eight petrels piping, ...
For the tenth bird of Aurael, my Abbess had from me, ten cranes a-leaping, nine peacocks dancing, ...
For the eleventh bird of Aurael, my Chantress had from me, eleven swans a-singing [or: a-swimming], ten...
For the twelfth bird of Aurael, my Scholar had from me, twelve owls a-winging, ...

Here is a version for the twelve feasts of Aurael's month, given in the order of the Inverse Calendar (I.C.):

For the Priestly feast of Aurael, my Iudha gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.
For the Fowler's feast of Aurael, my Taunhas gave to me, two teal ducks, and a partridge ...
For the Planter's feast of Aurael, my Aindrew gave to me, three bold (blue) jays, two teal ducks, ...
For the Mason's feast of Aurael, my K'eak gave to me, four cawing crows, ...
For the Smithy's feast of Aurael, my Ieguw gave to me, five greylag geese, ...
For the Joiner's feast of Aurael, my Shenu gave to me, six petrels piping, ...
For the Hunter's feast of Aurael, my Iudo gave to me, seven hawks a-soaring, ...
For the Abess-feast of Aurael, my Matthiu gave to me, eight cranes a-leaping, ...
For the Poet's feast of Aurael, my Veremai gave to me, nine swallows swooping, ...
For the Scholar's feast of Aurael, my Philhip gave to me, ten owls a-scritching, ...
For the Creator's feast of Aurael, my Biraembeal gave to me, eleven cocks a-crowing, ...
For the Chanter's feast of Aurael, my Ailfe gave to me, twelve swans a-singing, ...

Here is another version; given as the Invocation or Catechism of the Fowler, as she moves through the Months of the twelve Archangels:

For the first month of Michiel, my Fowler gave to me, a cock crowing on a roof-tree.
For the second month of Iofael, my Fowler gave to me, two singing swans, and a cock crowing on a roof-tree.
For the third month of Anachiel, my Fowler gave to me, three loving doves, ...
For the fourth month of Aurael, my Fowler gave to me, four teal ducks [or: four pea-cocks], ...
For the fifth month of Uriel, my Fowler gave to me, five golden ernes [or: five bold blue-jays] ...
For the sixth month of Rwkael, my Fowler gave to me, six crows a-croaking, ...
For the seventh month of Gwriel, my Fowler gave to me, seven geese a-laying, ...
For the eighth month of Sheshunael, my Fowler gave to me, eight petrels piping, ...
For the ninth month of Zadochiel, my Fowler gave to me, nine hawks a-soaring, ...
For the tenth month of Rathael, my Fowler gave to me, ten cranes a-leaping, ...
For the eleventh month of Eremiel, my Fowler gave to me, eleven swallows swooping, ...
For the twelfth month of Myrrhael, my Fowler gave to me, twelve owls a-winging, ...

A Lay for the Month of Aurael; here the Birds are given in the order of the Feast-days in the Converse Calendar (C.C.):

At Autumn-Lake Fair
I built a great Naos,
And all the birds of the air,
Helped make me that House.

The Hawk, with his long claws,
Pulled down the stone;
The Bullfinch with strong jaws,
Brought me them home.

The Swallow gave voice,
As he limed them with rhymes;
And the Owl did rejoice,
Casting auspicious times.

The Cock rose before us,
And blazoned our arms;
The Swan sang in chorus,
And chanted sweet charms.

The Dove designed tenons,
In the shape of his tail;
The Peahen made pennons,
For my ensigns to sail.

The Blue-jay stored seed,
Against winter's great need;
Which the Raven and Rook
By the brick-kiln did cook.

The Pelican did bleed,
And distill our good mead;
Which the Sea-petrel took
As she made a fine souse,
In the wine-cellar nook,
For preserving my Naos.

A Saying of Auriel or the Empress Fowler:

My way is the way of the Fall of Darkness, of Evensong, for when the Sun slips below the horizon it enters My womb as the Golden Egg. I stretch forth My wings and shelter it beneath My shadow. I brood upon it until its time of birthing. In My silence is much accomplished; I am the passage into night and the seeking of the light, of the inmost Self, of the Navel of the Goddess. Seek, seek, and you shall find. I am the secrets of the nine-knotted Labyrinth deep within the belly. Nine is My number --- nine are the months of darkness in My womb, nine are My proud walkers, nine the Vestal bird-maidens of the Western Sea; nine the pearly faces round the rim of My cauldron of rebirth.

A Chant for Uriel, Archangel of the Flowers:

Down in the Hallowtide Garden of Dreams,
Nothing is shallow nor hard as it seems.
I built a rare bower of all the fair flowers,
For keeping us warm in the evening hours.
A Columbine cellar and Violet sills,
Dormers of Absinthe and Daffodils.
Cornflower tables and Lavender halls, [or: ...Thistledown halls]
Doorways of Lotus in Quatrefoil walls.
Trefoil gables and Rose window-panes,
Fleur-de-Lys thatching to catch all the rains.
A Sunflower chimney uncharred in its seams,
Down in the Hallowtide Garden of Dreams.

A Chant for the Planter, giving a wry summation of his Quest through the twelve Months, beginning with Late-Summer (Star-Month):

I came down on a shooting star;
The shooting star it took too long,
So I jumped down and sang a song.
The song I sang came out too low,
So I jumped down on a shiny bow.
The shiny bow did break its string,
So I jumped down on an eagle's wing.
The eagle tired and lost his power,
So I jumped down on a blue cornflower.
The cornflower soon began to droop,
So I jumped down on a lapis [or: bluestone] stoop.
The lapis stoop it was too thin,
So I jumped onto a can of tin.
That tin can it was too thick,
So I jumped up on an oaken stick.
The oaken stick began to crack,
So I jumped up on a horse's back.
The horse's back began to jolt,
So I jumped up on a thunderbolt.
The thunderbolt became too tame,
So I jumped up and yelled my name.
My name it made me get annoyed,
So I jumped up on an asteroid.
The asteroid didn't go too far,
So I jumped back on that shooting star. (&c.)

An Invocation of the Saturnine Mason (Early-Winter, or 10:00 p.m. -- Midnight):

Old Louki-Nikki [or: Indigo Mason] skulks through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs, in her Night-gown.
[Or: Up and down the chimney, in her Night-gown.]
Tapping at the window, crying at the lock,
Are all the children in their beds? For now it's ten o'clock.

A Catechism for the Mason (The Cailleach or K'eak is the Crone, the Indigo Mason. The zodiacal animals are not really Her specialty; perhaps that is why She has so much trouble with them. But the Mason is the Trickster, Who delights in doing things contrariwise, or Widdershins: It is false etymology, but "Widder Shins" could actually be Her name. At any rate, Her tracing of the Zodiacal path in reverse order refers tot he Precession of the Equinoxes, the complete cycle of which takes 25,920 years --- surely a job for the Crone. We have added the glimmering jewel references to describe the Animals from Her point of view. Because She is the Mason, She has built a House; She tries to get home before Midnight because Her hours last from 10:00 p.m. to Midnight.)

1. There was an Old Woman who bought a Goat with sapphire horns. She tried to lead it home, but the Goat wouldn't budge.
2. So she came up to a Horse with eyes of lapis-lazuli, standing in a meadow of cornflowers, and she said, "Horse, Horse, nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Horse wouldn't.
3. So she went on a little further, and came up to a Bear by a turquoise Lake all festive with birds. She said, "Bear, Bear, hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Bear wouldn't.
4. So she went on a little further, and came up to a large Wolf-hound with glowing eyes of emerald-green. She said, "Dog, Dog, worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Dog wouldn't.
5. So she went a little further, and came up to a wild Stag of eleven tines, all glowing green-gold like peridot. She said, "Stag, Stag, stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Stag wouldn't.
6. So she went a little further, and came up to a great Lion with a fiery mane, and eyes of gleaming topaz. She said, "Lion, Lion, chase the Stag to stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Lion wouldn't.
7. So she went on a little further, and came over to an amber Unicorn, standing by a silvery pool of water. She said, "Unicorn, Unicorn, gore the Lion to chase the Stag to stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Unicorn wouldn't.
8. So she went a little further, and came down to an immense opalescent Serpent. She said, "Snake, Snake, bite the Unicorn to gore the Lion to chase the Stag to stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Serpent wouldn't.
9. So she went on a little further, and came down to a carnelian Cow. She said, "Cow, Cow, step on the Snake to bite the Unicorn to gore the Lion to chase the Stag to stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Cow wouldn't.
10. So she went on a little further, and came down to a great ruby-horned Ram. She said, "Ram, Ram, butt the Cow to step on the Snake to bite the Unicorn to gore the Lion to chase the Stag to stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Ram wouldn't.
11. So she went a little further, and came down to an immense, garnet-hued Whale resting in the waves near the seashore. She said, "Fish, Fish, spank the Ram to butt the Cow to step on the Snake to bite the Unicorn to gore the Lion to chase the Stag to stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight." But the Whale wouldn't.
12. So she went on a little further, and came down to an amethyst-skinned Elephant. She said, "Elephant, Elephant, tusk the Fish to spank the Ram to butt the Cow to step on the Snake to bite the Unicorn to gore the Lion to chase the Stag to stick the Dog to worry the Bear to hug the Horse to nip the Goat, so I can get home before Midnight."
13. The Elephant agreed,
14. And began to tusk the Whale,
15. Which began to spank the Ram,
16. Which began to butt the Cow,
17. Which began to step on the Snake,
18. Which began to bite the Unicorn,
19. Which began to gore the Lion,
20. Which began to chase the Stag,
21. Which began to stick the Dog,
22. Which began to worry the Bear,
23. Which began to hug the Horse,
24. Which began to nip the Goat, which capered along, and so the Old Woman got home before Midnight.

This next story again features the Blue-Violet Mason, and describes Her zig-zag path up through the Signs via an ascending lightning-bolt pattern that comes horizontally over from right to left (connecting Converse Signs), and then goes diagonally up one level to the right, then comes over horizontally to the left (connecting the Converse Signs of the next higher chakra-kingdom), then diagonally up to the right again, etc.

The House the Cailleach (K'eak) built: A Chant of Gender Conversions (This can be recited cumulatively throughout the year on each month's Feast of the Mason, or on its First Feast.):

1. K'eak, the Indigo Mason, built herself a House in Capricorn.
2. She noticed the door wouldn't close properly because the house leaned a little, so she came over to Gillug the Alchemist's old Grinding-quern. She said, "Quern, Quern, come back to prop up my house in Capricorn," but the Grinding-quern wouldn't.
3. So she went up to Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, and said, "Barleycorn, Barleycorn, come clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, so it will prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Barleycorn wouldn't.
4. So she came over to a Tree, and said, "Tree, Tree, with the flowering thorn, come shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Tree wouldn't.
5. So she went up to a proud Peacock, and said, "Peacock, Peacock, proudly adorned, come eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Peacock wouldn't.
6. So she came over to a boisterous Ram, and she said, Ram, Ram, all shaven and shorn, come butt the Peacock so proudly adorned, to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Ram wouldn't.
7. So she went up to the green Wolf-hound of the Treble Norn, and she said, "Dog, Dog, of the Treble Norn, come worry the Ram all shaven and shorn, to butt the Peacock so proudly adorned, to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Wolf-hound wouldn't.
8. So she came over to a large Cow and said, "Cow, Cow, with the rosy horn, come toss the Dog of the Treble Norn, to worry the Ram all shaven and shorn, to butt the Peacock so proudly adorned, to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Cow wouldn't.
9. So she went up to a singing Maiden, and said, "Maid, Maid, from marriage forsworn, come milk the Cow with the rosy horn, to toss the Dog of the Treble Norn, to worry the Ram all shaven and shorn, to butt the Peacock so proudly adorned, to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Maiden wouldn't.
10. So she came over to a drowsing Poet-Mage, and she said, "Poet, Poet, all tattered and torn, come praise the Maiden from marriage forsworn, to milk the Cow with the rosy horn, to toss the Dog of the Treble Norn, to worry the Ram all shaven and shorn, to butt the Peacock so proudly adorned, to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Poet-Mage wouldn't.
11. So she went up to a yellow Cockerel and said, "Cock, Cock, that crows in the morn, come wake the Poet all tattered and torn, to praise the Maiden from marriage forsworn, to milk the Cow with the rosy horn, to toss the Dog of the Treble Norn, to worry the Ram all shaven and shorn, to butt the Peacock so proudly adorned, to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn." But the Cockerel wouldn't.
12. So she came over to Old Mimir the Wise, who was sitting on her Unicorn by her deep Pool. She said, "Old Mimir the Wise, on your Unicorn, come catch the Cock that crows in the morn, to wake the Poet all tattered and torn, to praise the Maiden from marriage forsworn, to milk the Cow with the rosy horn, to toss the Dog of the Treble Norn, to worry the Ram all shaven and shorn, to butt the Peacock so proudly adorned, to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn, to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, to prop up my house in Capricorn."
13. And Old Mimir the Wise came over and caught the Cockerel.
14. And the Cockerel flew down and began to crow, and woke the Poet all tattered and torn, who came over to praise the Maiden from marriage forsworn.
15. The Maiden skipped down to milk the Cow with the rosy horn, which lumbered over to toss the Dog of the Treble Norn.
16. The Dog ran down to worry the Ram all shaven and shorn, which trotted over to butt the Peacock so proudly adorned.
17. The Peacock flew down to eat of the Tree with the flowering thorn, which leaned over to shade Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn.
18. The Barleycorn rolled down to clog the Smith's old Grinding-quern, which came over to prop up Ke'ak's house in Capricorn. And then the door worked perfectly.

A short version of the House the K'eak built:

Old Mimir the Wise on her Unicorn,
Catches the Cockerel that crows in the morn,
That wakes the Poet all tattered and torn,
Who praises the Maiden from marriage forsworn,
Who milks the Cow with the rosy horn,
That tosses the Dog of the Treble Norn,
That worries the Ram all shaven and shorn,
That butts at the Peacock so proudly adorned,
That eats of the Tree with the flowering thorn,
That shades Blue Aindreu's Barleycorn,
That clogs the Smith's old Grinding-quern, [or, That buries the Anvil all forlorn,]
That props up K'eak's house in Capricorn.

NEXT: PART IIIb: SPECIFIC DEMIURGES and ARCHANGELS (Waxing Arc)

(To be continued!)