HPS Lydia
Moderator
Imbolc: Remembering The Sun
A children's story, by Lydia
(This continues the story of Sophie and Colin from The Evening Before Yule )
“Sophie! Colin! Come downstairs for breakfast!” Granny’s voice called from the kitchen.
“Good morning” said Father as the children entered the kitchen. “Granny made us a special breakfast, as today is Imbolc!”
“Where’s Mother?” asked Sophie, as Mother was usually up early.
“Still sleeping” replied their father. “It takes a lot of energy to grow the new baby inside her belly, so she needs all the sleep she can get.”
Sophie and Colin sat at the kitchen table with their father. Out of the frost-covered window they could see the snow, and the sun beginning to rise. Granny, wearing her usual yellow apron with sunflowers, walked in carrying the breakfast, and Father put away his newspaper. “There’s a chance the sun might finally come out today” he said.
“Let’s hope so, as it’s been grey and dreary all month” said Granny. “Here is the special Imbolc breakfast! Pancakes, as their round shape and golden color honors the Sun. Here’s your maple syrup, Sophie, and Colin’s favourite jam, and the butter and molasses for your Father.”
“Eat up” said Father, “and since it’s Imbolc today, we will go on a nature walk!”
Sophie remembered that last Imbolc, Father had to work. “But not this year” he said with a smile. “I made sure to book today off from work, after Granny convinced me to try to book work off on our special holidays.”
After breakfast, Colin, Sophie, and Father went to the coat closet by the door. “Do you think we will see any wolves?” asked Colin as he put on his blue and black winter jacket. “Why do you sound so happy to see wolves?” laughed Father. “Aren’t you afraid of them?”
“No!” said Sophie, putting on her red jacket. “We love wolves, especially when they howl!”
“Well, I’m happy there aren’t any nearby, and no bears either!” Father helped Colin put on his winter boots and made sure both children had their mittens and scarves on.
“Have a good walk!” called Granny as they left the house.
They turned down the street to the edge of their small town in the still-blue light of the early winter morning, and met up with some of Father’s friends. Colin and Sophie didn’t want to stand around with the grown-ups though, so Father laughed and said they could go on ahead a bit while he chatted with his friends. “But don’t go too far” he cautioned.
Colin happily ran around the wooden fence that separated the last house on the street from the forest, and into the trees, with Sophie following right behind with her honey-coloured hair flowing behind her.
“Look!” Sophie called to Colin. “There’s an eagle up in that tree!”
Colin looked up as the eagle flew to another tree. “Let’s follow it! Like an adventure!”
“We can’t go too far from Father, but maybe if it stays nearby” agreed Sophie.
The eagle flew from the tree to the one next to it, and the one next to that one, making the children convinced it was trying to lead them somewhere. They followed for about 20 trees, and when they reached the last tree they felt a very sharp, piecing yet happy, crystal-clear energy.
A very tall, blond-haired man walked out from behind the tree. Sophie thought to herself that he looked a lot like Satan, the man she and Colin met on Yule.
This man smiled at her and Colin. “Hello, I am Azazel, you met my Father on the last Pagan holiday!”
“Satan is your Father?” Colin had also remembered that nice man they had met shortly over a month ago.
Azazel smiled. “I am happy that you remember my Father, and I am here to teach you about Imbolc!”
“We know about Imbolc, Granny made us pancakes and I got to eat my favourite jam!” Colin said.
“Your Granny remembers the holidays well, but I fear she has forgotten about bonfires and candles! Perhaps you could remind her of this, and ask your parents if you can have a small bonfire tonight?” Azazel sat on a log nearby so he could be at eye-level to talk to the children, and Sophie noticed that he had very bright, blue-grey eyes.
The children were very excited as they have never had a bonfire before. “Mother makes candles so we always have lots, and we have space in our backyard for a bonfire!” said Sophie.
“That is good to hear” smiled Azazel. “Now, the reason for bonfires and candles, is to honour the Sun, as it rarely makes an appearance for us during these months in this Northern land, and often hides behind the clouds instead of shining brightly for us! Yule was the longest night of the year, but January and February always seem to be the darkest here. So we focus on fire, and celebrate the day becoming longer and the coming arrival of Spring later next month, and seeing more of the Sun.”
“Spring is when Mother will be giving us a new baby brother or sister!” said Sophie.
Azazel replied saying, “And that is when you will meet my twin sister Astarte! I know you will both really like her. She was known as the Ancient Egyptian Goddess Isis, I believe you have a portrait of her in your bedroom, Sophie?”
“She does, and I have pictures of Set and Osiris” said Colin, who was by now sitting on the log right next to his new best friend Azazel. “Are you related to them too?”
“Yes, they are my brothers! You will probably be meeting them next Samhain, known to you better as Halloween.”
Colin was happy to hear this, thinking that he really liked Satan and Azazel and was looking forward to making even more new friends like them.
Sophie was curious about something. “What are some of the things you like to do?” she asked politely.
Azazel replied: “I enjoy art and creating beauty, and making ornaments and jewellery like this eagle necklace I am wearing now, and this serpent bracelet I made especially for Imbolc. I am an expert on astrology, and the planets and constellations you see in the sky. I also encourage people to seek justice and truth, and I remind people that you all have freedom of choice!”
Sophie was very impressed, as Azazel seemed to know a lot of things. “I also like art and making jewellery” she said.
“Perhaps some day I will also teach you about astrology and the planets, I have a feeling you will be very good at it! But I hear your Father calling now, so we will end this meeting for now. Remember to light candles and have a bonfire!”
Sophie and Collin said their goodbye’s and ran back to their Father. “Did you two have a good walk?” he asked as they approached. “We should probably be getting back now though.”
“Okay” said Sophie, “but can we light a bonfire tonight? In honour of the Sun!”
“A bonfire? That sounds like a good idea! We will certainly light one!” Father replied.
As they walked home in the brisk cold, the clouds parted, the sun shone through, and an eagle flew through the sky above them.
A children's story, by Lydia
(This continues the story of Sophie and Colin from The Evening Before Yule )
“Sophie! Colin! Come downstairs for breakfast!” Granny’s voice called from the kitchen.
“Good morning” said Father as the children entered the kitchen. “Granny made us a special breakfast, as today is Imbolc!”
“Where’s Mother?” asked Sophie, as Mother was usually up early.
“Still sleeping” replied their father. “It takes a lot of energy to grow the new baby inside her belly, so she needs all the sleep she can get.”
Sophie and Colin sat at the kitchen table with their father. Out of the frost-covered window they could see the snow, and the sun beginning to rise. Granny, wearing her usual yellow apron with sunflowers, walked in carrying the breakfast, and Father put away his newspaper. “There’s a chance the sun might finally come out today” he said.
“Let’s hope so, as it’s been grey and dreary all month” said Granny. “Here is the special Imbolc breakfast! Pancakes, as their round shape and golden color honors the Sun. Here’s your maple syrup, Sophie, and Colin’s favourite jam, and the butter and molasses for your Father.”
“Eat up” said Father, “and since it’s Imbolc today, we will go on a nature walk!”
Sophie remembered that last Imbolc, Father had to work. “But not this year” he said with a smile. “I made sure to book today off from work, after Granny convinced me to try to book work off on our special holidays.”
After breakfast, Colin, Sophie, and Father went to the coat closet by the door. “Do you think we will see any wolves?” asked Colin as he put on his blue and black winter jacket. “Why do you sound so happy to see wolves?” laughed Father. “Aren’t you afraid of them?”
“No!” said Sophie, putting on her red jacket. “We love wolves, especially when they howl!”
“Well, I’m happy there aren’t any nearby, and no bears either!” Father helped Colin put on his winter boots and made sure both children had their mittens and scarves on.
“Have a good walk!” called Granny as they left the house.
They turned down the street to the edge of their small town in the still-blue light of the early winter morning, and met up with some of Father’s friends. Colin and Sophie didn’t want to stand around with the grown-ups though, so Father laughed and said they could go on ahead a bit while he chatted with his friends. “But don’t go too far” he cautioned.
Colin happily ran around the wooden fence that separated the last house on the street from the forest, and into the trees, with Sophie following right behind with her honey-coloured hair flowing behind her.
“Look!” Sophie called to Colin. “There’s an eagle up in that tree!”
Colin looked up as the eagle flew to another tree. “Let’s follow it! Like an adventure!”
“We can’t go too far from Father, but maybe if it stays nearby” agreed Sophie.
The eagle flew from the tree to the one next to it, and the one next to that one, making the children convinced it was trying to lead them somewhere. They followed for about 20 trees, and when they reached the last tree they felt a very sharp, piecing yet happy, crystal-clear energy.
A very tall, blond-haired man walked out from behind the tree. Sophie thought to herself that he looked a lot like Satan, the man she and Colin met on Yule.
This man smiled at her and Colin. “Hello, I am Azazel, you met my Father on the last Pagan holiday!”
“Satan is your Father?” Colin had also remembered that nice man they had met shortly over a month ago.
Azazel smiled. “I am happy that you remember my Father, and I am here to teach you about Imbolc!”
“We know about Imbolc, Granny made us pancakes and I got to eat my favourite jam!” Colin said.
“Your Granny remembers the holidays well, but I fear she has forgotten about bonfires and candles! Perhaps you could remind her of this, and ask your parents if you can have a small bonfire tonight?” Azazel sat on a log nearby so he could be at eye-level to talk to the children, and Sophie noticed that he had very bright, blue-grey eyes.
The children were very excited as they have never had a bonfire before. “Mother makes candles so we always have lots, and we have space in our backyard for a bonfire!” said Sophie.
“That is good to hear” smiled Azazel. “Now, the reason for bonfires and candles, is to honour the Sun, as it rarely makes an appearance for us during these months in this Northern land, and often hides behind the clouds instead of shining brightly for us! Yule was the longest night of the year, but January and February always seem to be the darkest here. So we focus on fire, and celebrate the day becoming longer and the coming arrival of Spring later next month, and seeing more of the Sun.”
“Spring is when Mother will be giving us a new baby brother or sister!” said Sophie.
Azazel replied saying, “And that is when you will meet my twin sister Astarte! I know you will both really like her. She was known as the Ancient Egyptian Goddess Isis, I believe you have a portrait of her in your bedroom, Sophie?”
“She does, and I have pictures of Set and Osiris” said Colin, who was by now sitting on the log right next to his new best friend Azazel. “Are you related to them too?”
“Yes, they are my brothers! You will probably be meeting them next Samhain, known to you better as Halloween.”
Colin was happy to hear this, thinking that he really liked Satan and Azazel and was looking forward to making even more new friends like them.
Sophie was curious about something. “What are some of the things you like to do?” she asked politely.
Azazel replied: “I enjoy art and creating beauty, and making ornaments and jewellery like this eagle necklace I am wearing now, and this serpent bracelet I made especially for Imbolc. I am an expert on astrology, and the planets and constellations you see in the sky. I also encourage people to seek justice and truth, and I remind people that you all have freedom of choice!”
Sophie was very impressed, as Azazel seemed to know a lot of things. “I also like art and making jewellery” she said.
“Perhaps some day I will also teach you about astrology and the planets, I have a feeling you will be very good at it! But I hear your Father calling now, so we will end this meeting for now. Remember to light candles and have a bonfire!”
Sophie and Collin said their goodbye’s and ran back to their Father. “Did you two have a good walk?” he asked as they approached. “We should probably be getting back now though.”
“Okay” said Sophie, “but can we light a bonfire tonight? In honour of the Sun!”
“A bonfire? That sounds like a good idea! We will certainly light one!” Father replied.
As they walked home in the brisk cold, the clouds parted, the sun shone through, and an eagle flew through the sky above them.
