Page 33 - Kallima Newsletter - December 2021 - January 2022

knowledge that human kind has been remarkably consistent with the basics of its belief systems, if not the particulars.
A myth spanning back through the millennia is the story of the Holly King, representing the waning year, and the Oak King, representing the waxing year, who battle each other for dominance annually on the summer and winter solstices. This story may harken back to a time when young males were sacrificed to appease the deities that controlled the changing seasons.
The legend of the Oak King &
Holly King
In some Wiccan traditions, the ritual observation of the Wheel of the Year is augmented by the legend of the Oak King and the Holly King. Representing the waxing and waning of the Sun as the seasons turn, the two figures take turns ruling over the year. The Oak King reigns during the light half, or throughout Spring and Summer, while the dark half—Autumn and Winter—belongs to the Holly King.
As the ruler of the dark half of the year, the Holly King is named for the cheery evergreen tree whose bright green leaves
and red berries are a welcome sight in the cold winter months. The Oak King, by contrast, is named for the decoratively- shaped leaves that symbolize the height of summer. Both trees are considered sacred to Wiccans, Witches, and other Pagans, and have long been treasured for their magickal properties.
The two kings are brothers, but they are also rivals, who battle each other throughout the year, alternately conquering each other as the seasons shift. The dates on which the battle is won depends on the tradition. In some forms of Wicca, the Oak King takes over at the Winter Solstice, while the Holly King ascends at the Summer Solstice, as these Sabbats are the technical markers of the Sun’s waxing and waning relative to Earth. Other traditions, however, have the change in rule occur at the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, so that the Holly King is at the height of his power at the Winter Solstice, when the darkness reigns supreme, and the Oak King is in full glory at the Summer Solstice, when the light is at its strongest. The latter makes more sense to me, but of course I will let you follow your own belief.
Some Wiccans and pagans view the Oak King and the Holly King as twin aspects of the God, in constant battle with each other for the love and attention of the Goddess. Others don’t see such an exact equivalence, but rather observe the legend
as another layer of the larger picture of the Wheel of the Year. As with most legends, the actual origins of the Oak King and the Holly King are unknown.
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