Aradia

Gospel Of The Witches

by the Fox sisters of Rochester, New York, and it is manifesting itself in many ways in the Fin de Siecle, which is also a nervous chaos according to Nordau - Woman being evidently a fish who shows herself most when the waters are troubled.

But we should also remember that in the earlier ages the vast majority of mankind itself,

suppressed by the too great or greatly abused power of Church and State, only manifested itself at such periods of rebellion against forms or ideas grown old. And with every new rebellion, every fresh outburst or wild inundation and bursting over the barriers, humanity and woman gain something, that is to say, their just dues or rights. For as every freshet spreads more widely its waters over the fields, which are in due time the more fertilized thereby, so the world at large gains by every revolution, however terrible or repugnant it may be for a time.

The Emancipated or Womans Rights woman, when too enthusiastic, generally considers

man as limited, while Woman is destined to gain on him. In earlier ages a contrary opinion

prevailed, and both are, or were, apparently in the wrong, so far as the future is concerned. For in truth both sexes are progressive, and progress in this respect means not a conflict of the male and female principle, such as formed the basis of the Mahabarata, but a gradual ascertaining of true ability and adjustment of relations or coordination of powers.

These remarks are appropriate to my text and subject, because it is in studying the epochs when woman has made herself prominent and influential that we learn what the capacities of the female sex truly are. Among these, that of witchcraft as it truly was - not as it is generally quite misunderstood - is a deeply interesting as any other. For the witch, laying aside all question as to magic or its non-existence - was once a real factor or great power in rebellious social life, and to this very day it is recognized that there is something uncanny, mysterious, and incomprehensible in woman, which neither she herself nor man can explain.

THE CHILDREN OF DIANA, OR HOW THE FAIRIES WERE BORN

All things were made by Diana, the great spirits of the stars, men in their time and place,

the giants which were of old, and the dwarfs who dwell in the rocks, and once a month worship her with cakes.

There was once a young man who was poor, without parents, yet he was good.

One night he sat in a lonely place, yet it was very beautiful, and there he saw a thousand

little fairies, shining white, dancing in the light of the full moon.

Gladly would I be like you, O fairies! said the youth, free from care, needing no food.

But what are ye?

We are moon rays, the children of Diana, replied one -

We are children of the Moon.

We are born of shining light;

When the Moon shoots forth a ray,

Then it takes a fairys form.

And thou art one of us because thou wert born when the Moon, our mother Diana, was

full; yes, our brother, kin to us, belonging to our band.

And if thou art hungry and poor...and wilt have money in thy pocket, then think upon the

Moon, on Diana, unto whom thou wert born; then repeat these words -

Moon, Moon, beautiful Moon!

Fairer far than any star;

Moon, O Moon, if it may be,

Bring good fortune unto me!

And then, if thou has money in thy pocket, thou wilt have it doubled.

For the children who are born in a full moon are sons or daughters of the Moon,

especially when they are born of a Sunday when there is a high tide.

Full moon, high sea,

Great man shalt thou be!

Then the young man, who had only a paolo in his purse, touched it, saying -

Moon, Moon, beautiful Moon,

Ever be my lovely Moon!

And so the young man, wishing to make money, bought and sold and made money, which

he doubled every month.

But it came to pass that after a time, during one month he could sell nothing, so made

nothing. So by night he said to the Moon -

Moon, O Moon, whom I by far

Love beyond another star,

Tell me why it was ordained

That I this month have nothing gained?

Then there appeared to him a little shining elf, who said -

Money will not come to thee,

Nor any help or aid canst see,

Unless you work industriously.

Then he added -

Money I neer give, tis clear,

Only help to thee, my dear!

Then the youth understood that the Moon, like God and Fortune, does the most for those

who do the most for themselves.