Calendar of the Sun 11 Winterfyllith Day of Wayland the Smith Colours: Red and White Element: Fire Altar: Upon a red cloth place the figure of a white horse, two white candles, several gold rings, a cup of mead, and the tools of blacksmithing. Offerings: Handcrafts. Daily Meal: Soup and bread. Wayland Invocation Long ago, a smith loved a swan-maiden, And their love was fair, until she came no more
Into his forests. So he waited for her by her lake, Making fine things of gold to gift her with Should she return. But he was laid low By greedy men and cruel, who shot him down And finding his works to be fair, lamed him And kept him prisoner for a king's avarice. Long he dwelt in prison, on an lonely isle, Thundering forth many rings of gold And against greed and cruelty he wrought his vengeance. For the sons of the king came forth to him, Threatening and bribing, reflections of their father's Gaping maw, and he laid them low with a hammer. Goblets he made from their skulls, and necklaces From their teeth. Then came their sister To find her brothers, and he defiled her, And fled the island on wings as broad As those of his lost swan-maiden. Yet to this day, when folk leave a horse Unshod, with coin on the stone In Wayland's hills, he will come forth And shoe the beast for nothing. So it is That even he who is abused into darkness And violence can come to a place Of generosity and the open hand. Teach us to overcome the wounds that cripple us, O Smith of great craft, and to hammer ourselves Straight and true once again. (The cup of mead is poured out as libation, and all disperse to work that day on crafts, while meditating on their wounds and how to overcome them.)
[source:paganbookofhours.org]