Invocation to Nerthus
(This
invocation is meant to be spoken back and forth by two people, very quickly, one after the
other so that there are no spaces but just a flood of words. The two parts are
delineated by italicized and unitalicized print. We first performed this at a Charming Of The Plough ceremony, where we made a shrine for Nerthus from an upright hollow log with two eyeholes cut near the top. A lantern was placed in it to light the eyes, and the whole thing was permanently veiled. We got the idea from some Pagans in America who did the same thing.)
Hail to the Lady of the Devouring Earth!
Hail to the Veiled One whose face is never seen.
As the Earth is hidden beneath grass, beneath flowers.
Beneath the trees and mountains, beneath the soil.
The soil where the thousand lives all crawl.
Her children, those who live close to her.
Close to her breast, on the rich dirt that is her garment.
The cascading sand that is her scarf.
The million tangled roots embroidering her dark shift.
Under these are the bones, the bedrock, the body of Nerthus.
Under these are what holds us up every day.
Under these are stone like her gaze, like her will.
Hail Lady of the bog, you who receive the sacrifice!
Hail Lady of the Hole, you for whom blood was spilled!
Hail Lady of the Earth, who is opened every spring for the plow!
Hail Lady of the Harvest, you who cut down your own son.
That the crops may grow, that the people may live.
Hail Mother of Frey the Golden, who sheds his blood.
Hail Mother of Freya the Golden, who sheds tears of amber.
Hail Queen of Vanaheim who guards the storehouse of the Nine Worlds.
Hail wife of Njord who sails home to you every year.
Hail wife of the Earth Father who sustains you in the meantime.
Hail Lady of the Hoe, for whom we toil in the sun.
Hail Lady of the Sickle, may you be merciful to our lives.
Hail Lady of the Flail, who understands the value of suffering.
Hail Lady of the Winnowing Basket, who separates corn from chaff.
Hail Nerthus, Eorthan Modor, Mighty Fecund Earth!
Erce, Erce, Erce, may you bless us all!
Artwork by ErebusOdora.