The Dark Is Rising

Mist, Shapeshifting and the Wolves are Running

The Old Antlered One - Doll by Jude Lally

The view keeps shifting this morning, as if we are under the hem of a great skirt. The skirts of the great old woman of the land.

The mists rolls in, obscuring the houses on the hill, until suddenly it lifts and the entire hillside is awash in a peachy golden light.

As the light disappears, swathed in mist, the opposite hillside appears. Through my binoculars I can see black shapes taking flight in a great clamour of rooks and a rousing chorus of ‘kaah, kaah, kaahing’.

My head feels like it’s full of cotton wool this morning - still recovering from my nose op, but my mind if full of things to write, paintings to finish off, new dolls to be made although I don’t quite think my body can keep up.

The dogs are lazing in beds by the fire, let’s pretend it’s a wood burning stove, or better still that there’s an open fire in the hearth. A The hearth is surrounded by a fire guard, embellished with metal swirls and a great owl in the centre of the design. I should keep that image going rather than admit in reality it’s some ugly 1980’s gas fire - the sort that features in memes on Facebook, with a line with inviting you to remember the smell of these types of fire igniting when you were wee.

This is my favourite time of year, which is sadly tainted by the other festival - the one of rampant consumerism.

There is so much t be done at this time of year. There are particular walks that need to be walked, places that need visiting. There’s the well to visit and the Guardian Holly tree. There are stories to be read, and time taken to let these old tales filter through and perhaps another part of the story might reveal itself.

A young boy’s time-travelling fight against ancient evil. When the Dark comes rising, who will hold it back? This dramatisation of Susan Cooper’s cult novel is a magical journey into the supernatural.

Stories are meant to be shared and experienced together. Sharing a story gives it life, ensures its longevity. On a telling of the story someone might have a new insight, which then might travel on and ignite another insight from someone else and so the story resonates. Perhaps we all hold our own version of the tale, and if many resonate with that part then maybe the story shape shifts, changes a little and integrates that new truth or insight.

Winter is the perfect time for stories, the first stories were birthed from gathering around a hearth fire. The land cold and frosty, food stores stocked, what wonderful entertainment a story must have been from the voices of a great storyteller, who brought you heart and soul into the tale. Even better if some sound accompaniment, some makeshift musical accompaniment and maybe even an invitation to interact with the story to dance with the characters, or step between the world and into their realm.

Click on the track below for the recommended accompaniment to this post

The Dark Is Rising

You might well know the story of ‘The Dark is Rising’ by Susan Cooper, a wonderful English author who weaves tales of mystery and magic.