Trust gut feelings. The saying refers to intuition, that feeling of instinctive understanding. Where does it come from? Perhaps the feeling is the connection we have with our orlæġ or wyrd, guiding us on our path. Today the word yarn is wool that has been spun for weaving but we also use the word to describe a tale or story, so an association here with Wyrd and the Weavers of fate. The origins of the word yarn (from the PIE *ǵʰer) means guts or intestines! The intestines of animals were often used for weaving. This is where we get ‘catgut’ from. Not the guts of cats, but short for cattle-gut. And the Waelcyrges were even known to weave fate with human guts. According to Njal’s Saga, before the Battle of Clontarf a Caithness man named Dörruðr spied twelve Waelcyrges weaving the fates of the fighting men. Their loom was made of bloodied spears – their loom-weights were severed heads and the yarns they wove were the intestines of men. Trust gut feelings.

Wyrd illustration by Sin Eater.

Wyrd, Scyld and Weorðende. Three OE names that correspond with Urðr, Skuld and Verðandi, the Norns (OE Wyrd) who determine our fate. They weave a single thread called the Weft (our life-thread) back and forth between the Warps, all the folk, places and events we will ever encounter, which is probably why the OE word needle (nædl) was used as a kenning for the soul.

The pattern of wyrd is like the grain in wood, or the flow of a stream; it is never repeated in exactly the same way. But the threads of wyrd pass through all things and we can open ourselves to its pattern by observing the ripples as it passes by.

The way of Wyrd by Brian Bates

The Marsh Orchid is believed by some to be the plant the Anglo-Saxons called Fornete's Folm (Fornete's Hand) which is attested in two works, the Cleopatra Glossary dated to the mid-tenth century (recorded as forneotes folm) and in Bald's Leechbook, recorded as fornetes folm. It has been suggested Fornet is an old English name cognate with the Eoten the Norse called Fornjótr. In Norse myth Fornjótr was the father of Hlér 'sea', Logi 'fire' and Kári 'wind'.

Christians perform their blessings by sprinkling holy water. However the origins of this practise was to use blood, the word 'blessing' coming from the Old English bletsian (also bledsian) itself from the Proto-Germanic word *blodison meaning hallowed or marked with blood.

image from the Þórr siðr channel.

'This species of stone is called by the country-people thunder-stone, but upon what authority seems a matter of much doubt. I have heard the inhabitants assign two reasons – one, that the stones have fallen from the clouds during thunder-storms; and the other, in consequence of their giving out sparks of fire when struck against each other, at the same time emitting a faint smell of sulphur. But in fact the great majority of the people would not be able to assign any reason for so singular a name, not trougling themselves to inquire into the origin of names.'

From ‘The Druid Stones near Shap, in Westmoreland’ (1840).

The Shap Thunder Stone, part of the Shap Stone Avenue. Photo Anne Tate.

In recent times the White Dragon became a symbol of English ethnicity. The OE word for dragon was draca and places where dragons dwelled, upon their gold-hoards, still bear the name drake.

In Godalming, that part of Surrey home to many heathen sites, we find a Drakehill or Dragon hill (now called St Catherine's). Drake North in Wiltshire was once þes dracenhorde or the dragon's hoard. As one would expect, dragons slept in barrows leaving us many place names which reflect this - Dragley in Ulverton was once spelt Drakelow meaning dragon's mound. We also find a Drakelow in Bedfordshire, Derbyshire and Worcestershire. In Surrey Dragberry was once Drakeberghe (OE draca + beorg) again meaning the dragon's mound.

Pictured above is one of the most famous dragon hills in England, Dragon Hill near the Uffington white horse.

Before the gods that made the gods
Had seen their sunrise pass,
The White Horse of the White Horse Vale
Was cut out of the grass.

Before the gods that made the gods
Had drunk at dawn their fill,
The White Horse of the White Horse Vale
Was hoary on the hill.

Age beyond age on British land,
Aeons on aeons gone,
Was peace and war in western hills,
And the White Horse looked on.

For the White Horse knew England
When there was none to know;
He saw the first oar break or bend,
He saw heaven fall and the world end,
O God, how long ago.

taken from THE BALLAD OF THE WHITE HORSE By G.K. Chesterton

painting - Uffington White Horse by Hāmasson

The smith-god Wēland is known to many of us today as Wayland afterWayland's Smithy, the Oxfordshire long barrow. The Old English name 'Wēland' comes from *Wilą-ndz which means 'crafting-one'. The Frisians called him Wela(n)du and this name was found on a gold coin in Ostfriesland, north-west Germany, making this one of the oldest references to him.

ᚹᛖᛚᚩᛞᚢ wela[n]du runes run in reverse under the figure on the left image.

Not to be confused with Blue-Vervain (an American plant) Vervain is native to Europe and is associated with the Blacksmith and especially Weland the Smith. In OE Vervain was referred to as îsenhearde or Iron-hard and was added to water used to quench iron swords, as it was believed it harden the blade. In Germany the plant valerian was also used in sword quenching and was known as Wielandswurz meaning Wayland’s herb.

Weland's workshop. The view from inside the Wayland Smithy looking out. According to local legend, if a traveller's horse lost a shoe, they could leave it with a silver coin at the smithy and return the next day to find it re-shod. On the many times I visited the Smithy I've often seen silver coins left on the stones as offerings.

photo by Hāmasson.

Photo of the Wayland Smithy prior to its restoration. A charter from the reign of King Eadred, 955AD, names the site welandes smidðan (Weland's Smithy).

A few miles from the Wayland Smithy was once a mound, now unfortunately lost due to ploughing. The Woolstone (nearby village) charter called the mound Beadhildæ byrigels which meant Beadhildæ’s barrow or burial mound. Beadhildæ / Beadohild are English spellings of Böðvildr, who was the daughter of king Niðhad. Niðhad had Weland hamstrung and imprisoned but Weland was able to take his revenge by killing Niðhads sons, kidnapping Beadhildæ and escaping his imprisonment whilst in the form of an Eagle.

Böðvildr in Weyland's Smithy by Johannes Gehrts (1883)