HPS Lydia
High Priestess
The Evening Before Yule
A children's story, by Lydia
Little Colin and his big sister Sophia were very excited about this time of year. Their house had lights shining brightly, and a wreath was hanging on their front door, decorated with cranberries, and tied with a bow the same color as Colin’s blond hair. There were gifts wrapped under the Yule tree, and the fireplace was making their home very warm and cozy.
Their Granny had taught them that while most people celebrate a fake holiday, Yule was a very special holiday that their ancestors celebrated, many years ago. Granny wasn’t sure about all the details, but she did know that this time of year was important.
Their Yule tree was decorated with ornaments they made with Granny’s help, and they were excited for Granny’s cookies to finish baking. Colin was getting too impatient to wait though, so Granny ordered Sophia to take him for a walk outside to look at the Yule decorations on their neighbors houses.
They walked past the little snowman they had made in their small yard, and started walking towards the end of their street. They walked past a house that had only blue lights, and another house that had many lights like they had seen before in rainbows. There was even a house that had a pretend Santa Claus in the yard.
“Just look at all these beautiful lights!” exclaimed Sophia. She was nearly 8 years old, so 4-year-old Colin knew that her judgment was probably correct. He was too distracted by trying to catch falling snowflakes on his tongue, anyway.
They reached the end of the street, and Colin noticed something very strange. There was a faint but powerful glow, coming from a cluster of trees. It was almost golden in color, but there was also some bright blue light also glowing. Very interesting indeed!
“Let’s go over there!” Colin said excitedly. Sophia looked around and decided that it was a fairly safe area of their neighborhood, so she agreed. She was quite curious as well.
They walked to the trees, and noticed someone sitting on a bench. It was a man, but not like any regular man. This man was very, very tall, even while sitting down, and he had hair almost the same shade of blond as Colin’s hair, although not curly like Colin’s. This man looked very friendly, and very strong. His bright blue eyes looked at Colin and Sophia, and they knew at once that this man could be trusted, although they generally do not talk to strangers.
“Hello!” said the man. “I have been waiting to meet you, Sophia and Colin.”
“How do you know our names?” asked Sophia, curiously.
“I know many things,” said the man. “I know that you live with your dear Granny, and that you are both very special young children who have many important things to do when you grow up!”
Colin had many questions to ask all at once. “Important things? Like what? When will I be grown up? And who are you? What is your name?”
The man laughed. “Well, I have had many names over the years. One name is Enki, another name is Odin, another is Lucifer, and another is Satan, although I’m sure you may have heard many mean and bad things said about me.”
Sophia became a bit nervous, but she remembered what her Granny had told her. “Our Granny told us about false religions in the world, and how we must never trust what anybody says about anything without seeing and knowing things for ourselves, and you don’t look like what others have told us….”
The man called Satan smiled sadly. “I created most of the people on this planet, you are my children! I wish for you to know who I really am. My name means Truth, and I promise you that I will only tell you the truth about everything. I will guide you, if you are willing to listen to my teachings.”
Colin was very curious. “If you know the truth about everything, can you tell me where my lost toy is? It’s my favorite!”
Sophia elbowed Colin. This man called Satan was probably talking about important things, not just a silly toy!
Satan laughed and replied, “It would do you well to keep the area under your bed tidy, for that is where your lost toy is, Colin!” Colin thought that was very funny.
Sophia thought that perhaps she should ask this nice man about the meaning of Yule, as she had been wondering about it for quite some time. Colin seemed to think that is was only about eating cookies and opening presents, but surely there must be something more to it.
She asked, “Can you tell us more about Yule, and what we are supposed to do on this day?” Colin smiled eagerly, as he remembered Granny had his favorite cookies baking in the oven.
Satan smiled and replied “I was hoping you would ask that! Yule is a very important celebration, and very fun! Did you and your Granny decorate a Yule tree this year?”
Sophia and Colin both nodded excitedly. They had much fun putting up the decorations, although their cat kept trying to bat some off the tree.
“This is very good” said Satan, “as the Yule tree represents your soul! The trunk of the tree is your spine, and the branches and lights are parts of your soul that you cannot see, but they light up when your soul is strong! It is important to keep your soul strong and healthy, just like it is important to keep your body strong and healthy! And the star at the top of the tree, is for when your soul is very strong and powerful! This will all make more sense in time, for I know you are both young now, but there are many exciting things to learn as you grow up.”
Sophia thought this sounded very beautiful, as she likes to decorate things and make them pretty. She has often thought that Colin only liked to make a mess.
Colin was worried about something, however. “Can we still open presents?” he asked nervously.
Satan smiled at Colin’s concern. “Yes of course! Receiving, and giving gifts is a part of the tradition. We like to make our loved ones happy, and this is a way of showing our appreciation to the people we love!”
Colin was a bit more relieved, but he had one more question… “What about eating cookies?”
Satan laughed. “Yule is also a time of indulging and eating sweets, as well as other yummy foods. And celebrating Yule with friends and family makes it even more fun! It is important to have fun on our special holidays, because this makes life more special. And life is very important indeed. Always remember this!”
“We will,” said Sophia. “We have to go home now, Granny must be getting worried.”
“Yes,” said Satan, as he smiled. “I will visit you another time, and many friends of mine will also visit you and talk to you. And anytime you need help, just think about me, and I will assist you. You can consider me your friend, and I am very happy to have met both of you this evening!”
Sophia and Colin both smiled at Satan. Sophia said, “We are happy to meet you too! Please visit us anytime. Good-bye!” Colin smiled and waved at this kind man.
Sophia and Colin turned and slowly walked home, thinking about this pleasant and unexpected visit they had. They arrived at their house, and saw Granny looking out the window for them. They waved to her and ran inside, as it was starting to get cold out.
“Where have you two been?” asked Granny. “I have made hot cocoa for you, come sit by the fire so you don’t get a cold!”
Sophia sat by the fire, with their cat on her lap, and she told Granny about their adventure of the evening, and what Satan had told them about the meaning of Yule. Granny listened carefully as she drank her tea, and she thought to herself, about how this sounded familiar… like something that she experienced herself as a little girl, a long time ago.
“Well,” said Granny, “let’s get you two off to bed. Tomorrow is Yule, and we have gifts to open!”
Granny tucked Sophia and Colin into their beds, and kissed them both on their foreheads. “Sleep well my sweethearts. I love you both so much.”
And Sophia and Colin drifted off to sleep, thinking about the nice man called Satan, and how friendly he was. Perhaps he would visit again someday soon….
A children's story, by Lydia
Little Colin and his big sister Sophia were very excited about this time of year. Their house had lights shining brightly, and a wreath was hanging on their front door, decorated with cranberries, and tied with a bow the same color as Colin’s blond hair. There were gifts wrapped under the Yule tree, and the fireplace was making their home very warm and cozy.
Their Granny had taught them that while most people celebrate a fake holiday, Yule was a very special holiday that their ancestors celebrated, many years ago. Granny wasn’t sure about all the details, but she did know that this time of year was important.
Their Yule tree was decorated with ornaments they made with Granny’s help, and they were excited for Granny’s cookies to finish baking. Colin was getting too impatient to wait though, so Granny ordered Sophia to take him for a walk outside to look at the Yule decorations on their neighbors houses.
They walked past the little snowman they had made in their small yard, and started walking towards the end of their street. They walked past a house that had only blue lights, and another house that had many lights like they had seen before in rainbows. There was even a house that had a pretend Santa Claus in the yard.
“Just look at all these beautiful lights!” exclaimed Sophia. She was nearly 8 years old, so 4-year-old Colin knew that her judgment was probably correct. He was too distracted by trying to catch falling snowflakes on his tongue, anyway.
They reached the end of the street, and Colin noticed something very strange. There was a faint but powerful glow, coming from a cluster of trees. It was almost golden in color, but there was also some bright blue light also glowing. Very interesting indeed!
“Let’s go over there!” Colin said excitedly. Sophia looked around and decided that it was a fairly safe area of their neighborhood, so she agreed. She was quite curious as well.
They walked to the trees, and noticed someone sitting on a bench. It was a man, but not like any regular man. This man was very, very tall, even while sitting down, and he had hair almost the same shade of blond as Colin’s hair, although not curly like Colin’s. This man looked very friendly, and very strong. His bright blue eyes looked at Colin and Sophia, and they knew at once that this man could be trusted, although they generally do not talk to strangers.
“Hello!” said the man. “I have been waiting to meet you, Sophia and Colin.”
“How do you know our names?” asked Sophia, curiously.
“I know many things,” said the man. “I know that you live with your dear Granny, and that you are both very special young children who have many important things to do when you grow up!”
Colin had many questions to ask all at once. “Important things? Like what? When will I be grown up? And who are you? What is your name?”
The man laughed. “Well, I have had many names over the years. One name is Enki, another name is Odin, another is Lucifer, and another is Satan, although I’m sure you may have heard many mean and bad things said about me.”
Sophia became a bit nervous, but she remembered what her Granny had told her. “Our Granny told us about false religions in the world, and how we must never trust what anybody says about anything without seeing and knowing things for ourselves, and you don’t look like what others have told us….”
The man called Satan smiled sadly. “I created most of the people on this planet, you are my children! I wish for you to know who I really am. My name means Truth, and I promise you that I will only tell you the truth about everything. I will guide you, if you are willing to listen to my teachings.”
Colin was very curious. “If you know the truth about everything, can you tell me where my lost toy is? It’s my favorite!”
Sophia elbowed Colin. This man called Satan was probably talking about important things, not just a silly toy!
Satan laughed and replied, “It would do you well to keep the area under your bed tidy, for that is where your lost toy is, Colin!” Colin thought that was very funny.
Sophia thought that perhaps she should ask this nice man about the meaning of Yule, as she had been wondering about it for quite some time. Colin seemed to think that is was only about eating cookies and opening presents, but surely there must be something more to it.
She asked, “Can you tell us more about Yule, and what we are supposed to do on this day?” Colin smiled eagerly, as he remembered Granny had his favorite cookies baking in the oven.
Satan smiled and replied “I was hoping you would ask that! Yule is a very important celebration, and very fun! Did you and your Granny decorate a Yule tree this year?”
Sophia and Colin both nodded excitedly. They had much fun putting up the decorations, although their cat kept trying to bat some off the tree.
“This is very good” said Satan, “as the Yule tree represents your soul! The trunk of the tree is your spine, and the branches and lights are parts of your soul that you cannot see, but they light up when your soul is strong! It is important to keep your soul strong and healthy, just like it is important to keep your body strong and healthy! And the star at the top of the tree, is for when your soul is very strong and powerful! This will all make more sense in time, for I know you are both young now, but there are many exciting things to learn as you grow up.”
Sophia thought this sounded very beautiful, as she likes to decorate things and make them pretty. She has often thought that Colin only liked to make a mess.
Colin was worried about something, however. “Can we still open presents?” he asked nervously.
Satan smiled at Colin’s concern. “Yes of course! Receiving, and giving gifts is a part of the tradition. We like to make our loved ones happy, and this is a way of showing our appreciation to the people we love!”
Colin was a bit more relieved, but he had one more question… “What about eating cookies?”
Satan laughed. “Yule is also a time of indulging and eating sweets, as well as other yummy foods. And celebrating Yule with friends and family makes it even more fun! It is important to have fun on our special holidays, because this makes life more special. And life is very important indeed. Always remember this!”
“We will,” said Sophia. “We have to go home now, Granny must be getting worried.”
“Yes,” said Satan, as he smiled. “I will visit you another time, and many friends of mine will also visit you and talk to you. And anytime you need help, just think about me, and I will assist you. You can consider me your friend, and I am very happy to have met both of you this evening!”
Sophia and Colin both smiled at Satan. Sophia said, “We are happy to meet you too! Please visit us anytime. Good-bye!” Colin smiled and waved at this kind man.
Sophia and Colin turned and slowly walked home, thinking about this pleasant and unexpected visit they had. They arrived at their house, and saw Granny looking out the window for them. They waved to her and ran inside, as it was starting to get cold out.
“Where have you two been?” asked Granny. “I have made hot cocoa for you, come sit by the fire so you don’t get a cold!”
Sophia sat by the fire, with their cat on her lap, and she told Granny about their adventure of the evening, and what Satan had told them about the meaning of Yule. Granny listened carefully as she drank her tea, and she thought to herself, about how this sounded familiar… like something that she experienced herself as a little girl, a long time ago.
“Well,” said Granny, “let’s get you two off to bed. Tomorrow is Yule, and we have gifts to open!”
Granny tucked Sophia and Colin into their beds, and kissed them both on their foreheads. “Sleep well my sweethearts. I love you both so much.”
And Sophia and Colin drifted off to sleep, thinking about the nice man called Satan, and how friendly he was. Perhaps he would visit again someday soon….
![Voice of Enki [JG]](/data/avatars/m/0/84.jpg?1705131368){kind=avatar}
