To best get into the mood for the solstice We have a multimedia presentation.
This song always moves me for some reason. This particular group does an amazing job. This will get us in the mood for the adventure that awaits us.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=gregorian+walking+in+the+air#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:406ba6e2,vid:Km2PJ9JWwmk—-------------------------------------------------------
The folklore of the deer mother goes back to neolithic peoples in Mongolia and Siberia. Women were the shamans and seers. Most people associate xmas with a stag, but the female reindeer is larger and does not shed her antlers in the winter. She carries the sun to the northern lands in her antlers. (Some have her carry the sun, some say her daughter is the sun goddess. I prefer she is carrying the sun)
Mother deer
I have written for you a SSSS version of the deer mother. I do hope you like it. May you have a joyous yule/solstice.
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She was tired. It was dark and she felt that she would not be able to move on. Where is the sun? She should have been here by now.
Well maybe not. What if she succumbed to the illness? Our world is dying, that would speed its destruction.
As she thought about her next steps a raggard woman stepped into the clearing. She was dressed in red and you can barely see the white spots on her dress. "Mother Deer, at last I found you! Sister Sun has been captured and we need to free her. Please help me."
She had not heard anyone address her in a very long time. She looked at the woman. She did not have any signs of the disease, she was middle aged and very gaunt, but her eyes.. Her eyes help power and a spirit that would not be suppressed.
"The world is dead. We are no longer needed."
"You can't say that. Do you really believe that? You are here which tells me different. We need you more than ever. You, who brings the sun to our people. You, whose children nourish us and help us. There are less of us, but we need you more than ever before. Please help me rescue Sister Sun."
"I cannot fly any more, I am tired. "
"I have brought food. She reaches in and brings out various forms of lichen and her favorite, the red and white mushrooms. She realized the woman's dress looked like the mushroom. She was pleased that she remembered the old ways "
"Why are some different?"
"These mushrooms have been treated so I can ingest them. I brought these for you which are fresh. They will help you fly and we will rescue the sun."
She was very hungry and these spotted mushrooms were her favorite. She greedily ate what the woman presented.
"I will help you, but I do not know where Sister Sun has been taken"
"I will cast a Scrying so we can find her. If we wait too long, we will forever be in darkness and life will end."
The woman had some small branches and a piece of flint. She started a small fire in a small outcropping of rock. This place is sacred, this will help me. Mother Deer lay next to the woman, as she started to sing and chant very softly. She put some of the treated mushrooms in a pan and melted snow and ate and drank the mixture.
She faded in and out of consciousness and Deer Mother saw her moving between planes. She followed.
They came upon a cave with all manner of beasts and monsters near it. She heard laughing. They passed quietly, some of the monsters were alerted and started to look for them. Inside it was warm and dark. In the corner was a cauldron and a little of Sister Sun's light was seeping out. It was so low, that it did not affect the creatures laughing in the cave. "Once we weaken her we will finish the potion, the world will be plunged into darkness and we can then eat the warmth of the sun. We will then rule this plane. We will destroy all humans and creatures here. All will be ours!!.... What is that? I hear something, smell something. It smells like human. Find it, destroy it!"
The woman and mother deer barely escaped. They found a side entrance and were able to secretly exit. Mother Deer was worried that the creature could sense them. They were back in the rocky outcropping. Deer mother was furious!! "How dare they! They cannot be allowed to succeed. I will stop them even if it takes my dying breath! They can sense our spirits also. How do you plan to rescue Sister Sun?"
"I have some old world weapons. We can creep to the cave, I will destroy the guards. You will knock over the cauldron. You must take Sister Sun back to the sky. Together you will bring life back to our world."
"What about you? You will be in great danger"
"Remember me. Tell the story to all about our brave deed. My life was dedicated to this task. Also here is the last of the mushrooms, so you can fly high and long"
They made it to the cave. True to her word, the woman brazenly walked in the clearing. The beasts and monsters stared and laughed at the woman. "You will make a good lunch!"
"You will find I am not an easy target." With that she lobbed a grenade at the concentration of monsters.
They were furious, the woman was singing and her words had power. Many fell. Those that did not were stopped by the old world weapons. Deer Mother had one chance. She snuck into a side entrance she saw. It was very small, and she barely fit. She was able to make it to the chamber where Sister sun was kept.
Mother Deer was about 10m above the chamber. She saw that many of the monsters were running out to take care of the woman. She was sad that the woman probably wouldn't survive, but very grateful for the distraction. She flew down and knocked the cover off of the cauldron.
Sister Sun was weak, She still had her light, but it was flickering. It was still bright enough to cause the creatures in the cave to wither and die. They screamed and cursed and deer and sun ran by.
Mother Deer ran out of the cave. Sister Sun's light killed all nearby and gave her a clear path.
They escaped and to Mother Deer's surprise the woman was still alive, so she was faltering. The brightness of the sun stopped everything coming to the woman.
"Mother deer, Thank you fly high and take sister sun where she will grow and thrive. Please always remember us."
Mother Deer carried the sun across the sky. People cheered and celebrated thanking her for bringing the sun back.
Sister Sun said, "Thank you, I was tired and I fell into their trap. The world would have been destroyed if it was not for you and the woman shaman. Mother Deer realized she did not learn the woman's name. She told Sister Sun that her name was Yule. "
"I will come for you every year, so you will not ever fall to those creatures again Mother Deer told her."