Wandcrafting and the Devil’s Tree
The Alstonia Scholaris, known in Thai as the พญาสัตบรรณ, is considered to be an auspicious tree. Its Thai name is composed of the word meaning adult, grand or king, and the word meaning good, virtuous or admirable. Which is why, when I was young, my parents planted the tree in our garden so that it could bring virtue to our house.
In other cultures, however, its reputation is grimmer. In India, it is known as the Chatian Tree, the Devil’s Tree.
"Shaitan [language] and the English name Devil’s Tree refer to the malefic magic properties that folklore endows the tree with.The tree is protected by its evil reputation. Tribals of the Western Ghats are unwilling to even pass under this tree for fear of its resident evil spirits. To fall asleep under it is considered a certain way to invite death from the tree’s guardians". -Maneka Gandhi, "On the Mythology of Indian Plants".
In a folk tale from Madhya Pradesh, a shepherd sat under a Chatian tree. The tree’s fierce spirit was angered and about to strike the boy down until the boy began playing flute music so melodious, the tree spirit took a liking to him. As the shepherd played music to the tree every day, they became friends. However, one day the king’s son heard the shepherd’s music and promised to make the shepherd a minister once he becomes king if the shepherd plays music for him everyday. The tree warned the shepherd, but eventually, the king’s son became a king and broke his promise to the shepherd. When the boy came back crying, the tree punished the king by giving him horns and long front teeth. Only when the boy begged the tree and threatened to not play any more music for the tree did the tree relent, and showed a way to break the curse.
In my observations, the tree has a strong Saturine quality to it. Its roots are massive, to the point where in the past, my parents were considering cutting down the tree due to how its roots may potentially interfere with the plumbing system beneath our house, or even disrupt the house’s structure itself.
Every part of the tree, despite having been used medicinally, is also poisonous. “Studies shows that at high doses, A. scholaris exhibited marked damage to all the major organs of the body”. Still, the tree‘s versatility and lightness of the wood meant that it is used to make everything from coffins to blackboards, writing tables and slates. Thus, it is also known as the blackboard tree, and has great cultural significance within education as its leaves are awarded to scholars and teachers during convocation ceremonies.
I chose this tree to craft my first wand from, both from my familiarity with it - having grown up alongside this tree - and because of the kinship I feel with the tree after reading up its folklore. I have also found the tree to be incredibly protective, and willing to teach, which is perhaps why I felt an affinity to learn from it and it wanted me to take its branch.
In Western Traditional Witchcraft, it is common for a wand to be harvested with a ritual knife. Yet, in my case, the branch was dying. The tip of that particular branch was dried and cracked, and soon its base connecting it to the tree trunk will wither too. Usually our gardener would cut it off so that a new branch could grow but I was urged to snap it with my hands.
Do not use metal. Let it be by your flesh that my branch is killed, not by iron or steel. Kill me, so I can kill you.
The bark came off easily, revealing a mostly white wood underneath. Scraping off the bark felt like peeling off a snake’s shedded skin. Sanding the wood until it is soft and smooth made me appreciate all of its nooks and cranny, how some grains in the wood should be left as it is, how other spots should be smoothened away so no blemish remains.
I still need to meditate more on how to next work on my wand: my blasting rod, my tool to command and direct. The wand’s surface is perfect for carving into- I just need to find out the exact symbols to engrave.