Beltane Mystery Play
By The White Bard
This Beltane Mystery Play is part of a larger ritual cycle; however, you can use it as a plug in for almost anything. Here begins the Beltane Mystery:
Bard or Green Man:
Thus I invoke the Lady White
To come to us this sacred night.
By Fin and Feather, Leaf and Tree,
I show to you a Mystery!
The Maiden stands beside the High Priest, who holds a wooden sword. The Bard/Green Man approaches them, also carrying a wooden sword, and mimes a challenge to the High Priest. They strike their swords together in three sets of three blows, then Bard/Green Man strikes the High Priest, with the last blow of his sword, who falls as if dead. (This can be played as a Morris Dance.) [If no Maiden and Bard/Green Man are used, then the combat may be eliminated, and the High Priest and High Priestess shall enact the Mystery. The High Priestess will take the Maiden's part, the High Priest will take the Bard's part, and the other participants will speak the High Priestess' former lines.] The Maiden then moves to the East and the Bard/Green Man moves to the North.
High Priestess:
Cunning and art She did not lack,
But aye His whistle would fetch Her back.
Maiden:
Oh, I shall go into a hare,
With sorrow, sighing and mickle care.
And I shall go in the Lady's name,
Aye, until I be fetched hame!
Bard/Green Man:
Hare, take heed of a swift greyhound.
He'll harry thee all these fields around,
For here come I in the Lady's name,
All but for to fetch Thee hame!
The Maiden moves to the South. The Bard/Green Man
Moves to the East.
High Priestess:
Cunning and art She did not lack,
But aye His whistle would fetch Her back.
Maiden:
Yet I shall go into a bee,
With mickle fear and dread of Thee,
And flit to hive in the Lady's name,
`Ere that I be fetchd hame!
Bard/Green Man:
Bee, take heed of a red, red cock.
He'll harry Thee close through door and lock.
For here come I in the Lady's name,
All but for to fetch Thee hame!
The Maiden moves to the West. The Bard/Green Man
Moves to the South.
High Priestess:
Cunning and art She did not lack,
But aye His whistle would fetch Her back!
Maiden:
Yet I shall go into a trout,
With sorrow and sighing and mickle doubt,
And show Thee many a merry game,
`Ere that I be fetchd hame!
Bard/Green Man:
Trout, take heed of an otter lank.
He'll harry Thee close from bank to bank.
For here come I in the Lady's name,
All but for to fetch Thee hame!
The Maiden moves to the North. The Bard/Green Man
Moves to the West.
High Priestess:
Cunning and art She did not lack,
But aye His whistle would fetch Her back.
Maiden:
Yet I shall go into a mouse
And haste me unto the Miller's House;
There in his corn to have good game,
`Ere that I be fetchd hame!
Bard/Green Man:
Mouse, take heed of a white tomcat
That never was baulked of mouse nor rat,
For here come I in the Lady's name
And thus it is I fetch Thee hame!
The Bard/Green Man walks to the Maiden and takes her hand. They both move to the Cauldron, and face the High Priestess.
High Priestess:
Cunning and art She did not lack,
But aye His Song has fetched Her back.
Old Winter's dead, the Lady reins,
And Summer has returned again!
The Bard/Green Man and Maiden both wet their hands with water from the Cauldron and sprinkle it on the High Priest, who comes to life.
High Priest:
Cunning and art I do not lack,
But aye Her Cauldron will bring Me back!
The Bard/Green Man and Maiden both move to, and jump,
the fire.
Here ends the Beltane Mystery.
From NightScapes 1:6 | 
