The Singing Bone - A Spell for Justice
Years afterwards a shepherd was driving his herd across the bridge, and saw lying in the sand beneath, a snow-white little bone. He thought that it would make a good mouth-piece, so he clambered down, picked it up, and cut out of it a mouth-piece for his horn. But when he blew through it for the first time, to his great astonishment, the bone began of its own accord to sing:
âAh, friend, thou blowest upon my bone! Long have I lain beside the water; My brother slew me for the boar, And took for his wife the Kingâs young daughter.â
-The Singing Bone
Intent: To reveal a crime and bring justice upon the perpetrator. Ideal Timing: Full Moon for revelation / Dark of the Moon for revenge
Materials:
Wooden flute
White paint & brush
Dry chicken bone
Dish of sand
Cauldron or burning bowl
Charcoal disk
Herbal incense for justice, truth, retribution, etc (see below)
To begin, acquire a wooden flute. I recommend something like a childrenâs toy whistle, but use whatever suits your purposes best. Mastery of the instrument is not required. All that is needed is a sound. Clean the instrument well and paint it white. Then, somewhere on the body of the flute, careful paint or draw a set of scales to represent justice, and whatever other symbols you deem appropriate. Set it aside to allow the paint to dry.
Next, acquire a chicken bone. A leg or part of a wing is suggested, but a vertebra would also be appropriate and in keeping with the details of the story. Clean the bone well to remove any scraps of soft tissue, dry it well, then bury it in a small dish of sand. It doesnât need to be deep, it just needs to be covered.
Note: Since the ritual portion of this working dips a toe into the realm of spirit work, I do suggest casting a protective circle in your work area before performing the next part of the spell, purely as a precaution. Use whatever methods you normally would to sanctify and protect your workspace.
On the day that you plan to perform your spell, retrieve the dish of sand and the prepared flute. Set up your burning bowl in a fire-safe area outdoors, with a charcoal disk in the bottom and a handful of herbs on top. The components of this incense may vary according to what you prefer to use and what you have on hand, but the following are suggested options:
JUSTICE & LEGAL MATTERS - Celandine, Cascara Segrada, Galangal Root, Hickory Wood, Lovage, Marigold, Sumac Berries, Tansy, Tobacco
RETRIBUTION - Blackthorn, Devilâs Shoestring, Vetiver, Willow Bark
STRENGTH - Balsam, Basil, Bay Leaf, Bloodroot, Calamus, Cedar, Cinquefoil, Echinacea, Fennel, Motherwort, Nettle, Oak, Oakmoss, Pine, Sycamore, Thistle, Thyme, Walnut
TRUTH - Bluebell, Borage, Cherry Blossom, Deerâs Tongue, Dogbane, Primrose, Scullcap, Solomonâs Seal Root
CATALYSTS - Agrimony, Allspice Powder, Amber Oil, Bergamot, Cardamom, Clove Powder, Ginger Root, Peppermint
Set your incense to smolder, and allow the smoke to rise. When youâre ready, blow a steady note on the wooden flute. Call the name of the wronged or murdered party, saying:
â[NAME], I hear your cry for justice from beyond the veil of night. Though this wrong lies buried, we will see it brought to light.â
Blow on the flute once more. If you know the name or names of the guilty parties, call them aloud, saying:
â[NAME(S)]*, though you bury your misdeeds deep, Though you hide behind the walls of power and station, The eyes of the gods are upon you. The eyes of the people are upon you. The eyes of justice are upon you. In the name of [all that is good and right],** I reveal you to the eyes of the world. Stand and answer for what you have done!â
*If the guilty party is not known by name, a simple epithet such as âYou who have wronged this personâ or the like will suffice.
**If desired, you may substitute the names or epithets of your preferred deity or deities.
Blow a long note on the flute and shake the dish of sand so that the buried bone rises to the top. The calling and unburying of the bone may be repeated as many times as you feel a need, or multiple times for multiple victims, or multiple times for multiple perpetrators. Take as long as you need.
When you have finished, extinguish the incense and make sure everything is tidied up. Follow whatever steps you usually take to open your protective circle and end the ritual. Reinforce your personal protections if you feel the need. Keep the bone and flute in a safe place, in case you need to use them again.
