Charge of the Horned God

"And these are the words of Cernunnos, Herne, Atho, Beli, the voice of the Horned One, He whose names are un-numbered:

I am the wild hunter of the forest deep And I am the fire upon the hill And I am the sower of the seed And the tiller of the soil of the earth.

And I am the golden warrior Whose arrows are the shafts from the sun The thunder is my hoof fall The wilderness my shrine.

I wield the oaken staff The elements at my call By day am the sun by night I ride upon the wild winds.

I am a stag, a tree and mountain My seed within the earth's dark womb For I am the Horned One; Sire of the Universe Love and Consort of the Goddess am I

In the wilderness doth my spirit dwell And all wildlings And fugitives of oppression Are cherished within my heart.

To such as thee, my hidden children Am I provider and protector For all things wild and free are in my keeping.

And all things of beauty and freedom and life Are joy unto my spirit; Swiftly I come to merriment and laughter for these are my invocations.

For I am the Lord of all life Yet also I have a dark face For I am Death. The Reaper of Souls. And terrible is this my dark face To those who know not the mystery.

Yet to my hidden children Who know and love my spirit My dark face is also sweet For tis the face of deep and hidden wisdom.

For I am the giver of knowledge Life and death are mine to give From death thou shalt be reborn Unto new life and love. Therefor seek my spirit and know me Bright and dark Then shalt thou know my mystery

For I am the Ancient One: My faces outnumber the stars I am the Horned One of un-numbered names I am the gentle and the fierce.

I am Cernunnos, Herne, Atho, Belie, Haro, the Ancient One Lord and Sire of the Universe All

Author Unknown