by Ellen Coutts Waff
Folklore and folk rhymes come down to us as a way to remember important practices; things folks would have grown up knowing in the past. Two of these mnemonic devices are the Tree Ogam and the Wiccan Rede.
“Nine woods in the fire go” begins the Tree Song within the Wiccan Rede, by Lady Gwen Thompson in 1970. Of the twenty sacred woods found in the ancient Druidic Tree Alphabet, or Tree Ogam, the Rede presents us with but nine: Birch, Oak, Rowan, Willow, Hawthorn, Hazel, Apple, Grape, Fir, and Elder.” But that adds up to ten! The last, Elder, is not to be burned: “Elder be ye Lady’s tree, burn it not or cursed ye’ll be!” Gwen Thompson said that her grandmother Parsons had taught her these folk wisdoms.
The Tree Ogam manuscripts from the sixth century are written in Gaelic. What follows is a rundown of these special trees in as original form as possible. Where applicable, the source of the translated lines follow in parentheses.
Elder, or Elder Mother, is revered and respected, as she is the Cailleach, or Great Hag, eldest and most mysterious of the gods. Elder in the Tree Ogam is Ruis, the red of strength, passion, of the redness of the fire upon Fionn’s brow. That intensity of anger is best not brought down upon any human. Do not tempt the wrath of the Elder! Another tree song says: “Make a fire of Elder tree, Death within your house will be.” In versions on the “A Walk Around Britain” website, the folk verse claims: “Green Elder logs it is a crime for any man to sell.” Dangerous stuff, indeed!
Birch is the first of the burnable woods mentioned in the Rede. Birch is always the first: the first tree of the Tree Ogam, and the very first tree to colonize Northern Europe after the retreat of the ice 10,000 years ago. (Simmons, Ian, and Michael Tooley. The Environment in British Prehistory. Cornell, 1981.) “Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.” Birch is supple, bearing delicate, spring-green leaves, a perfect icon for the Lady. Another “Firewood Poem” states that “Birch and Fir logs burn too fast, Blaze up bright and do not last.” (Congreve, Celia, “The Times,” 1930.) The Lady’s knowledge then, must be seized and held, lest it be quickly consumed.
Fir, in the Rede, is noted as evergreen: representative of immortality. Erynn Rowan Laurie, in her book Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom, names Fir, Ailm, meaning initiation, where birth and death are one, creating an epiphany of the human spirit becoming immortal, but only for a moment. Here Fir and Birch are linked in the birth/rebirth moment and also linked in their quick flash of fire.
“Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God’s insight,” states the Rede. According to the Firewood Poem, “Oak logs will warm you well, If they’re old and dry.” Oak has ever been associated with strength, royalty, and the God. It was revered throughout the ancient world, gateway to sacred groves everywhere, as it is a door into other worlds. The very word for Oak in the root Indo-European language is Duir, door or gateway. It is the basis of the word Druid, man of the Oak. Brehon Law, the legal system of the Celtic peoples, names Oak a Chieftain Tree.
“Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magic to flower.” In the Tree Ogam, the word for Rowan is Lus, which is “flame,” “shining” (Laurie), and also the Gaelic word for “herb.” Bridghe is the Goddess associated with Rowan. She is the sacred flame and the patron of poetry, smithcraft, and healing. Since a poet’s inspired words are equated with flames, poetry is magic, transformative. Herbs heal by helping the body transform sickness into wholeness, supporting life. True magic.
“Willows at the waterside stand, ready to help us to the Summerland.” Willows do love to have their “feet in the water,” as they say. Willow is not good to burn. Its flexible withies are best used for basket-making, hence the connection to the Summerland: Willow was used to weave coffins in old times (Laurie). The ogam for willow is Saille. The tune “Down By the Sally Gardens” refers to a willow grove. The color of the leaves, leaf-backs, and possibly the bark was considered “the hue of the lifeless” (Laurie). The tree branches and withies can be heard whispering messages from the dead in the wind. No other firewood poem mentions willow.
“Hawthorn is burned to purify, and to draw faeries to your eye.” Hawthorn has another name: “May.” In this guise, it tells of the arrival of true Beltaine, May Day. In Ireland, Hawthorn is known to mark Fairy mounds; it is the tree of the Sidhe. There are countless tales of foolish men attempting to cut or move thorn bushes, and the bush would either move back or grow again overnight. If the fools succeeded, they were likely to be visited by death or ill-luck within a fortnight. (Lenihan, Eddie. Meeting the Other Crowd: Fairy Stories of Hidden Ireland. Tarcher: New York, 2003.) Dew from a thornbush allows one sight of the fairies, if the eyes are bathed in it on Beltaine morning. The Firewood Poems both mention Hawthorn: it ”bakes the sweetest bread” in Ireland, and logs are “good to last, if cut in the fall” (“A Walk Around Britain”). The thorns were reputedly used by the Druids to “focus malevolent intent,” but it was also planted near doors to ward off evil. (Laurie) The female-smelling frothy blooms are allowed indoors only on Beltaine to ensure good luck and protection for the agricultural year (Laurie). The ogam for Hawthorn is h-Uath which means “terror!”
“Hazel, the tree of wisdom and learning, adds its strength to the bright fire burning.” Hazel is not mentioned in any other firewood poem. The ogam word is Coll. Hazel appreciates wet feet like willow. The archtypical story about Hazel is that of the Salmon of Wisdom swimming in Fec’s pool, eating the hazelnuts of Wisdom as they drop into the still water. Strength comes from gaining knowledge gradually and using it wisely. This kind of wisdom is found only in nature. The five streams flowing from Fec’s pool are those of the five senses, to be employed in finding and utilizing that Wisdom.
“White are the flowers of Apple tree, that brings us fruits of fertility.” To humankind, Apple speaks of domesticity and husbandry. She provides food for body and soul. Ceirt or Quert is the ogam. All fruit trees have evolved from the rose family, providing both beauty and scent: “Pear logs and apple logs, they will scent your room; cherry logs across the dogs smell like flowers in bloom.” “Apple logs will fill your room/With an incense like perfume” (“A Walk Around Britain”). Fruitwood fires are the best, but fruit orchards in bloom are without peer among beauties! When pears and apples are cut across the fruit, a pentagram is revealed, a lovely reminder of the five-petaled spring blossom birthing autumnal fruit. The apple is associated with the Summerland, as in Avalon, Isle of Apples, and Emain Abhlach, the Irish Realm of Apples. Pleasant places, no doubt.
“Grapes grow upon the vine, giving us both joy and wine.” Perhaps the joy comes as a result of imbibing the wine? The grape and its product produce pleasure, joy of a sort, but also drunkenness. Wine both helps and hinders communication between individuals. This “tree” which is not a tree is one to be wary of. Muin is the ogam.
Helpful rhymed verses like these, often termed “runes” allow us to make informed choices with the aid of elder knowledge. “Witness hereby the ancientry of Oak, and Ash, and Thorn” sings Kipling in “Tree Song.” We sing along.
The Nine Woods/Wiccan Rede (excerpts)
Nine woods in the fire go, burn them fast or burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the Gods’ insight.
Rowan is a tree of power, causing life and magic to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand, ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify, and to draw fairies to your eye.
Hazel, the tree of wisdom and learning, adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine, giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen, to represent immortality unseen.
Elder be the Lady’s tree, burn it not or cursed ye’ll be!