#oak king

[enchantedbook]

'Oak king' by Natacha Chohra

[blackcoffeedreams]

[jackalopes-and-moonbeams]

The Oak King ☀️ Blessed Summer Solstice

[ashedoesdinos]

To finish off the art dump tonight... This is the first thing I've painted on canvas since I was in elementary school. A gift for my landlady sure, but something from the heart.

I don't celebrate Christmas, but she does. I wanted to paint something she would appreciate and has parts of "me" in it. I love folklore, nature and spirituality. A piece featuring the Holly King and Oak King during the Winter Solstice just felt right. The thorns beneath the Holly are a nod to her own faith.

I'm rambling, but no matter what you celebrate this winter I hope you're able to find warmth and connection.

[ezziefae]

The Prisoner's Throne Predictions and Connection to The Oak and Holly King.

I just made a HUGE discovery that Oak and Wren's character and story was inspired by the famous mythical story of The Oak King and the Holly King. According to myth, the Oak King and the Holly King are siblings who battle for the crown. Eventually, one of them emerges as the king, but is later overthrown by the other. This cycle is endless.

The Oak King (Prince Oak) represents life, growth, summer, light, and fertility, while the Holly King (Queen Wren) represents death, darkness, and winter. Each king has a bird that represents them; the Robin represents the Oak King, and the Wren represents the Holly King. (Holly is so smart and sneaky, love her for this)

Oak King/Prince Oak. Holly King/Queen Wren

When the Oak King rules, flowers bloom and grow tall, representing life and summer. When the Holly King rules, the days are cold and things perish, representing death and winter.

'They say that he can talk flowers into opening their petals at night, as though his face were that of the sun. He'll steal your heart.' - The Stolen Heir

Even though the Oak king and The Holly king battle for the crown, they cannot live without each other. Death must occur for life to happen; there's no one without the other, but they don’t rule at the same time!! (HMMMMM)

It's a super cool mythical story. When the days are hot and flowers are blooming, it means that the Oak King has won the crown. On the other hand, if it's cold and things start dying, it's a sign that the Holly King is ruling

"With him, I am forever a night-blooming flower, attracted and repelled by the heat of the sun."

- Wren, The Stolen Heir

According to an old folk belief, if you see a robin(Oak) during winter, it signifies the end of the Holly King's(Queen Wren) reign and the arrival of summer. Centuries ago, when people had limited knowledge of the seasons, they used to kill wrens to fasten the end of winter and end the Holly King's reign......

So let's try to connect this to The Prisoner's Throne...

What we know so far from the promotions of the book, and sneak peeks is that there will be a huge battle for a CROWN.

If Oak is The Oak King, and Wren is The Holly King (queen) then there will possibly be a dethroning. Meaning that Oak will most likely dethrone Wren. Which would be quiet messy, since we’re all pretty much expecting Oak and Wren to rule together. But even the overview for the book mentions that Oak has to choose between trying to regain Wren trust, (which if you read chapters 1-3 of the prisoner's throne, you know that option isn't working), or fighting against her and ending her reign.

Here are some of the promotions pics for the book, including TPT's overview.

When I read the words "And a battle for a blood-soaked crown" and "blood will reign," it made me think of the Elfhame Blood crown, which only members of the Greenbriar line could only wear. But then i remembered that Cardan had destroyed the blood crown in the end of TQON. So this makes me believe either there's a battle for a NEW crown (Wren's current crown) or that Oak IS the crown, as if that Wren and Elfhame (Jude and Cardan) are battling to keep Oak. There could be many interpretations, what do you guys think?

Also, going back to the story, If the Oak King and the Holly King cannot live without each other then I think that pretty much confirms that neither Oak or Wren will die? maybe a part of wren could die but who knows. I think they would have to come to term with each other eventually. Since Oak is part of the Greenbriar lineage, and Wren carries milieht's heart, then technically in a way they are fighting themselves? Could the magical lands of faerie possible have response or reaction to their heirs fighting each other? If Wren wanted to magically erase Oak or Cardan from existence then would it work?? Sooo many possibilities UGHHHH.

It's possible that Holly isn't going to fully follow the story of the Oak and Holly king into the prisoner's throne, but so far we've gotten MANY similarities between Oak/Wren and The Oak/Holly King.

Hopefully this wasn't so confusing to read, I got too excited writing this. I'd like to hear your predictions on this!!! In the meantime I will be trying to connect the dots.

39 days until The Prisoner's Throne comes out...

[stripper-toast]

Ocs from wildly different stories

[m00n-beamz]

The owl and the oak king ^.,.^

charcoal on newsprint

[yoga-onion]

Legends and myths about trees

Celtic beliefs in trees (18)

T for Tinne (Holly) - July 18th - August 5th

“Tree of Sacrifice - 8th month of the Celtic Tree Calendar (Ref)”

Colour: red; Star: Mars, Saturn: Gemstone: ruby, bloodstone; Gender: male; Patrons: Taranis, Jesus Christ, Thor, Lugh; Symbols: discord + humanity, blood + compassion, endless love

When it comes to holly, there is no one who doesn't know the prickly leaves and red berries. The evergreen holly tree has dense branches, and thanks to its glossy evergreen foliage, the holly tree remains unchanged through over time and throughout the year. 

Since ancient times, holly has represented the robust vitality and masculine strength of nature. It was closely associated with birth and rebirth rituals and the transmission of esoteric knowledge, and was particularly linked with unconditional love, and eventually came to symbolise all gods dedicated to sacrifice. The holly is also known as a tree that protects fairies and, as with all 'fairy trees', legend has it that cutting it down will bring bad luck. People in the past planted holly near their houses because it was said to ward off evil and stop lightning from striking.

It is said that long ago, when the island of Britain was still called Albion, prehistoric Britain was protected by a giant called Gogmagog. This giant who covered his entire body with holly branches and leaves, primeval god Gogmagog, eventually became known by the name 'the Holly King'. The giant held a holly bush as a club and is said to be the twin brother of the 'King of Oak'. In the medieval story 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', the Holly King appears as the immortal Green Knight and Sir Gawain as the Oak King. 

The Holly King, who rules over the six months leading up to the summer solstice and winter solstice, takes the throne after the Oak King dedicates himself to the summer solstice bonfire. Then, in a cycle of death and rebirth, he sacrifices himself to give way once more to the Oak King on the winter solstice. Hence, Oak King and Holly king represent two phases of nature's guardian deities.

The Celtic festival of Lughnasadh (Lughnasa) takes place at the end of the holly month. This celebrates the rebirth of Lugh, the god of light (the sun) and crafts, and is celebrated on 1 August in the UK, Ireland and Europe at the Harvest Festival. This is also the Anglo-Saxon festival of Lammas.

The evergreen holly, which does not die out even when all plants have died, symbolises a strong life force and is a 'good omen' tree. The druids (Ref2), who regarded holly as a particularly sacred tree, proceeded to bring holly into the house during the winter months. The holly, with its red berries and bright foliage, which exalts the soul, was a protector of elves and fairies from the harsh cold. So, during the winter, they do not misbehave.

Any holly brought into the house must be returned to the outdoors by 'Imbolc Eve'. It's because if holly leaves remain in the house after that, misfortune will befall them.

This was retained in Christianity as Twelfth Night (also known as Epiphany Eve). In Christianity, which teaches that holly eventually grew from the ground on which Jesus walked, the thorny leaves and red berries of holly represent the Passion and shed blood of Jesus.

木にまつわる伝説・神話

ケルト人の樹木の信仰 (18)

TはTinne (ﾋｲﾗｷﾞ) - 7月18日～8月4日

『犠牲の木 〜 ケルトの木の暦（参照）の第8月』

色: 赤; 星: 火星、土星: 宝石: ルビー、ブラッドストーン (血石) ; 性: 男性; 守護神: タラニス、イエス・キリスト、トール、ルー; シンボル: 不和＋人間性、血＋憐れみ、限りなき愛

ヒイラギといえば、棘のある葉と赤い実、知らない人はいないだろう。常緑樹のヒイラギは、びっしりと枝を張り、またつやつやとした常緑の葉のおかげてヒイラギは、時の移ろいにも変わらぬ姿を見せている。

昔からヒイラギは自然のたくましい生命力や男性的な力強さを表してきた。古代では、誕生や再生の儀式、秘伝の伝授などに縁が深いものとされ、とりわけ無償の愛と関係があり、やがて犠牲に捧げられたすべての神々を象徴するようになった。ヒイラギは妖精を守る木としても知られ、「妖精の木」がすべてそうであるように、伐採すると不幸をもたらすという言い伝えがある。昔の人は家の近くにヒイラギを植えていたが、それは魔除けになり、雷が落ちなくなると言われていたからだ。

その昔、ブリテンがまだアルビオンと呼ばれていた頃の、太古のブリテン島はゴグマゴグという巨人が守っていたといわれている。このヒイラギの枝や葉で全身を覆った巨人、太古の神ゴグマゴグはやがて「ヒイラギの王」の名で知られるようになった。その巨人はヒイラギの茂みを棍棒として持ち、「オークの王」の双子の兄弟であるといわれている。中世の物語『ガウェイン卿と緑の騎士』では、ヒイラギの王が不死身の緑の騎士として、ガウェイン卿はオークの王として登場する。夏至かた冬至に至る半年間を治めるヒイラギ王は、オーク王が夏至のかがり火に身を捧げた後、王位につく。そして、死と再生を繰り返すサイクルの中で、冬至の日に、自らを犠牲にしてふたたびオーク王に道を譲る。オーク王とヒイラギ王は自然の守護神の二つの局面を表している。

ヒイラギの月が終わる頃にはケルトの祭典、ルーナサが行われる。これは、光 (太陽) と技芸の神、ルーの再生を祝うもので、英国、アイルランド、ヨーロッパでは、8月1日に収穫祭が開かれる。これはアングロサクソン人のラマス祭にも当たる。

すべての植物が枯れても死に絶えることを知らない常緑樹のヒイラギは屈強な生命力を象徴し、「吉兆」の木でもある。ヒイラギを特に神聖な木として崇めていたドルイド（参照2）は、冬の間はヒイラギを家の中に持ち込むように進めた。赤い実と鮮やかな葉が魂を昂揚させるヒイラギは、厳しい寒さから妖精やエルフを守ってくれる存在だった。だから、冬の間、妖精たちは悪さをしない。家の中に持ち込まれたヒイラギは、「インボルクのイヴ」までには必ず屋外に戻さなければならない。その後にも家の中にヒイラギの葉が残っていると、不幸が訪れるからだ。

これが十二夜（エピファニー・イブとも知られる）としてキリスト教に残された。イエスが歩いた地面からはやがてヒイラギが生えてきたと教えるキリスト教では、ヒイラギの棘のある葉と赤い実は、イエスの受難と流し血を表している。