I'm You're listening to Druidcast episode 69.

Music The Colloquy of the Oak and Holly King by Dave the Bard and Kerry Lee.

It is said at the time of the solstices two great kings do battle.

The oak king who rules the waxing year and the Holly king who rules the waning year.

This is not a battle of heat, but rather is a battle of light,

and reflects the arc of the sun as it makes its journey across our skies. Some say that the battle is

won and lost by the power of sword, but here the Oak and Holly King enter a colloquy, an ancient Bardic battle of words and wit

to win the crown and the light of the land.

Cold and bright the solstice dawn breaks through the doorway of the passage graves.

Time out of mind the stones have stood marking the nad doorway of the passage graves. Time out of mind the stones have stood

marking the nadir of the sun's journey across the sky.

Placed by our ancient hands,

with stone on stone they were shaped and pulled from the earth's embrace.

With magic they were raised upon our sacred land.

And at this time of the solstice,

a figure waits within the tomb.

He waits in darkness and in stillness.

He waits for the coming dawn, the rising of the sun, and the footsteps of his

brother as the Awen is sung.

The Oak King turns to greet the Holy King and asks,

Brother, what is your name?' "'To which the Holly King replies, not hard to answer.

"'I am Aran, Lord of the waning year.

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