Christine’s Faery List: Druantia

Druantia, Druentia (Oozing, Soaking, Melting) Drùdhadh (Soaking) Dru (Melt) Drwg (Evil) Dera, Daere, Daron, Daronwy (Divine Oak) Derbrenn ní Eochaid Fedlech, An Drùidh (Oak Tree) Derbhorgill, Derbforgaille, Devorgilla, Der Bforgaill, Dearbhorgaill, Deverell (Tear From the Riverbank) Deruaine, Daireann, Doirend, Dairenn, Doireann, Doirind, Dairinn, Dorothy, Doreen, Dáirine, Deryn, Derrine, Derren, Deryne (Bird, Sullen, Fruitful, Fertile) Dryads, The Dervonnae, Chêneresses (Oak Spirits) Hamadryads (With Oak)

Our Lady of the Oak, in Anjou, and Our Lady of the Oak, near Orthe, in Maine, are places famous for pilgrimage. In this last province, says a historian, ‘One sees at various cross-roads the most beautiful rustic oaks decorated with figures of saints. There are seen there, in five or six villages, chapels of oaks, with whole trunks of that tree enshrined in the wall, beside the altar.’

The Dervonnae are the Ladies of the Bourbonnais [Herodias: strength, Frisonne: fair plated hair, Peuffenie: puffs of steam, Marie-Groëtte: hides behind beautiful flowers, Madeleine: long hair, Marie-Griffon: knits nets, Echouise: eel, Vougeote: grace] who invite people returning home from the ball to dance and drag them to the bottom of the river. – La Grande Encyclopédie des Fées

(pron druh-AN-tee-a or druh-an-TEE-a, DROOG, DAHR-on, JER-vor-ghil, DAHR-an , DOHR-en, daw-REE-ne, daw-REEN) Gaelic (dar+Finn). Druantia is Queen of the Druids & Mother of the tree calendar. She is one of the Vöivre: Snake people. She is a triple goddess of fir trees and the daughter of the triple god Cleddyf, King of Lochlann [Midir / Bodb Dearg] and the triple goddess Queen Bee. She is tall with thick wheat-yellow hair, golden crown, green silk dress, green cloak with golden brooch, who has the fragrance of sunshine & cut grass. She carries the green magic, the green strength. She was in love with the god Fionn Mac Cumhaill and gave him a silver cup filled with enchanted mead of poison when he would not yield to her. It drove him temporarily mad. In bird form she was hit by Cú Chúlainn: Hazel Hound’s rock, changed back into human form, and he got on his knees and sucked the rock out of her flesh. Angus Óg finally fell in love with her. She turned her six foster children into pigs, was kidnapped by the king of Leinster and imprisoned in a tower in the woods with nine handmaidens. The king then married her younger sister Fithir: Raven. When the sisters discovered each other years later they died of grief. St. Dorothy’s Feast Day is February 6th and said to bring snow. The Dorians are a tribe of Greece, descended from the son of Helen of Troy.

Druantia’s sisters are: Gwaeth/Gaoth: Wind (pron. goo) & Gwaethav Oll / Gwaernardel: Wind of All, the most beautiful They are a manifestation of the three fates: birth, growth & death. They live in the sacred grove of Aymara: Goddess of Growing Things, Queen of the Harvests, Bride of the Oak. The god Hanratty cut down one of Aymara’s oaks. Aymara heard of it in her throne room and in her rage she sent for her servant Famine from the Place of Shadow, ruled by Oogah, to punish him. Famine is a skeletal woman who comes to frighten children as dreams of their dead grandmother. Famine took the form of a tall, graceful, naked maiden with frosted hair, icy body and fingers to visit Hanratty. He ate himself alive with hunger. Placenames: Druie River, Strathspey, Scotland. Drocae / Drocum / Dorcae / Durocassae / Druidum fanum: Dreux, France by Euie-et-Loir.

The Ogham: Idea (pron. OH-yam) letters of the calendar are called feda: wood (pron. fay-dah) placed along a flesc: twig. (pron. flay-shk). Beech family: oak & castan: chestnut. Birch family: alder. Birch bark is silvery white, leaves are golden in spring, very green in summer, yellow in Autumn. Leabhïén: English Elm: little fussey flowers with red stamens, round & small fruit, gold leaves in autumn. Used to make expensive furniture & coffins. Hazel-leaves mixtures of green, yellow, pink, and brown in Autumn. (47, 58, 60, 71, 75, 77, 80, 99, 151, 183, 188, 197)

Lunar Months: Moonths					Solar Months: Mí
Oveanh Samradh: Summer’s End November	Beith Bedwen: Birch Birchnutlet: Root Beer	B	oo vin’ (BEH)	ban		Ailim Silver Fir Fircone	A	(pron. AHL-m)	alad
Hunlidh Nollag: December	Luis Rowan: Red Alder Rowanberry	L	hün’ lee (LWEESH)	liath		Ohn Gorse: Pea	O	(pron. UHN)	odhar / dun
Lliant Ionawr: Purple Jewel: Iona January	Fearn Alder Alder Nut	F	th ee’ ahnth (FAIR-n)	dearg		Ur Heather Heathberry	U	(pron. OO-rah)	usgdha
Carmoil Feabhra: February	Saille Willow	S	kar moy’ l (SAHL-yuh)	sodaith		Eadhadh Aspen	E	(pron. EH-yuh)	arian
Haemgild Márta: March	Nuin Black Ash Samara Fruit	N	hayeem’ gilt (NEE-uhn)	necht: clear		Iodadh Yew Cáer	I	(pron. EE-yoh)
Gidhet Aibhreán: April	Huath Hawthorn Haws: Fruit	H	gee eht’ (HOO-ah)	huath
Duharkat Cetshamhain: First of Summer May	Duir Dar: Oak Belloto: Acorn	D	dwâr kît’ (DOO-r)	dubh
Rodlima Meitheamh: June	Tinne Holm Oak Celynnen: Holly	T	rud lee may’ (CHIN-yuh)	temen
Bemgusith Iúil: July	Coll Hazel	C	bem güs’ eeth (CULL)	dhone		Uillean Honeysuckle	P, W, UI	(IH-LEHN)	bui-ban
Culendom Lúnasa: Gleam Night August	Muin Vine / Bramble Fion Sméar: Blackberry	M	cu’ lin dum (MUHN)	mbracht: variegated		Faih Beech Chestnut	PH, IO	(pron. FAY)
Alverci Meán Fomhair: Honey Autumn September	Gort Iorwg: Ivy	G	al ver’ see (GORT)	gorm		Ceirt Apple	Q	(pron. KWAIRT)	quair
Shar’tanog Deireadh Fómhair: Oak Autumn October	nGéadal Celtius: Nettle Tree Hackberry: The Lotus Eaters	N	shar’ tuh näg’ (NYEH-tl)	nglas		Eamhancholl Wood Grove	CH, EA	(COAD, KOED)	many shades of green
Maghieden	Straif Blackthorn Sloe	ST	mohghee’dhen (STRAHF)	sorcha		Ór Gold Spindle Arrow Wood	TH, OI	(pron. OH-R)	irfind
Uenicar Leap Year	Ruis Elder Elderberry	R	oo’ni kar (RWEESH)	rocnat		Ifín Sea Plums Gooseberry	AE	(pron. ee-FINN)	glas

The Dryad of the Old Oak: James Russell Lowel

Rhoecus wandered through the wood and saw an ancient oak tree trembling and about to fall. He carefully propped up its trunk and heard a soft voice murmur his name. It sounded like the gentle sighing of the wind through the leaves; and while Rhoecus paused bewildered to listen, he heard a murmur like a soft breeze: Rhoecus! – And there stood before him, in the green glooms of the shadowy oak, a wonderful maiden.

Rhoecus, she said in low-toned words, serene and full, and as clear as drops of dew, I am the Dryad of this tree, and with it I am doomed to live and die. You had compassion. Ask me what you want, and it shall be yours. Beautiful nymph, answered Rhoecus, nothing will satisfy the craving of my soul except to be with you forever. Give me your love! I give it, it is a perilous gift. An hour before sunset meet me here.

The leaves rustled and far away on the emerald slope sweet sounds of a shepherd’s pipe played. The earth seemed to spring beneath him as he walked home. He played at dice to while away the hours, but forgot the time. A yellow bee flew in through the open window, buzzed around his head three times, and he beat it soundly three times. The wounded bee flew through the window and he saw the red disk of the setting sun descend behind the mountain. The blood sank from his heart, as he remembered the hour now gone by! Without a word he turned and rushed forth through the city, over the fields into the wood.

Beneath the oak she sighed: Rhoecus, you can never see me! Why didn’t you come? Why did you scorn my messenger and send it back to me with bruised wings? Spirits only show themselves to gentle eyes! One who scorns the smallest thing alive is forever shut away from all that is beautiful. Then Rhoecus groaned Forgive me! I forgive you! But I have no skill to heal your eyes or change the temper of your heart. And then again she murmured, Farewell! And after that Rhoecus heard no other sound, save the rustling of the oak’s crisp leaves, like surf upon a distant shore.
Note: Rhoecus / Rhoikos is the 6th century BCE. Milesian sculptor of the Heraion Temple at Samos: Summer Isle in the North Aegean Sea off the coast of Anatolia Turkey. Ephesus Cybele Temple marble & Naucratis Aphrodite vase. Sons Theodorus & Telecles’ Apollo statue at Samos – Herodotus

Lunar Months: Moonths

Solar Months: Mí

The Dryad of the Old Oak: James Russell Lowel