The Lord of the Forest
by: Ken Johnson
As dwellers in a forest environment, most Pagan European peoples honored the Lord of the Wildwood
or master of the Forest. His names are many: In Celtic lore he is Cernunnos the Horned God,
while in later English folklore he is known as Robin Hood.
Like the forest itself, the Wildwood Lord is sometimes benevolent and sometimes fearsome; at
other times, he plays the trickster and works his mischief upon unwary wanderers in the woods.
In eastern Europe, the forest spirit, or guardian is called the Leshy. It is said that he looks
"almost" human, though his flashing green eyes pop out of their sockets, his eyebrows are tufted,
and he has a green beard. He doesn't cast a shadow.
His job is to guard the forest. He protects the deer, the birds, and all other forest creatures.
Sometimes he is seen leading herds of wild animals, but he is especially fond of the bear, with
whom he feasts and revels, and of the wolf, who is his totem.
The Leshy won't trespass on anyone else's land, but he jealously guards his own kingdom. He leads
wanderers astray in the forest, removingor re-arranging signposts and markers. He especially
hates loggers, and weeps over the death of every single tree in his domain. He seldom
hurts anyone, for he is basically good-natured. He may appear to the forest traveler in various
disguises: as a bear, wolf, hare, mushroom, or even as an ordinary person or a good friend of
yours. After leading you back to your starting point over and over again, he will finally release
you. You can hear him in the rustling of trees, as well as in odd bits of laughter,
whistling, or the sound of clapping hands. His voice is the echoing of the forest, and there is
always a wind around him, so that no one ever sees his footsteps, whether in sand or snow.
The Slavic magical tradition has a great deal of advice suitable for contemporary hikers and
campers who would like to make friends with the Forest Lord.
First of all, never whistle or shout in the woods; the Wildwood Lord hates noise.
If you want to avoid getting lost in the woods, sit down under a tree trunk, remove your clothes,
and put them on again backward, remembering toput your left shoe on your right foot. Bend down
and look between your legs. Now you can move on.
If you want to become really close friends with the Forest Lord, go into the woods. Find a fallen
aspen tree with its tip pointing to the east. Stand on the stump facing east, then bend over and
peer back through your own legs, saying "Forest Lord, come to me now, not as a gray wolf, not as a
black raven, not as a flaming fir tree, but as a man."
Thank you to Jen/ldyolake for submitting.
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