Witch Path Forward
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Introducing Rose >
      • Articles - Rose
    • Introducing Debi >
      • Articles - Debi
    • Introducing Sarah
    • WPF Founder pictures
    • Media Kit
    • FAQ
  • Our Offerings
    • Ask a Question >
      • Ask a Witch a question >
        • Ask a Witch
      • Ask a Healer a Question >
        • Ask a healer
      • Ask a Pagan Parent a question
      • Question Archive >
        • Questions 2018-2020
        • Questions 2015 - 2017
        • Questions 2012 -2015
    • Readings >
      • Email Tarot Reading
      • Email Rune Reading
      • Email Dream Reading
      • Dowsing Reading
    • The Elemenpals
    • The Spinney Online School
    • Resources >
      • Grimoire >
        • The Witches Rune
        • Sabbats >
          • Imbolc
          • Ostara
          • Beltane
          • Litha
          • Lammas
          • Mabon
          • Samhain
          • Yule
        • The Wiccan Rede
        • The Elements
        • Moon Calendar
        • Moon Phases
        • Correspondences >
          • Herbal Correspondences
          • Oil Correspondences
          • Colour Correspondences
          • Incense Correspondences
          • Crystal Correspondences >
            • Crystals A - B
            • Crystals C - D
            • Crystals E - G
            • Crystals H - K
            • Crystals L - M
            • Crystals N - Q
            • Crystals R - S
            • Crystals T - Z
          • Food correspondences
          • Tree Correspondences
          • Day Correspondences
          • Celestial Body Correspondances
        • Different types of Witchcraft >
          • Kitchen Witchery
          • Ceremonial
          • Green Witchcraft
          • Hedge Witchcraft
          • Christian Witchcraft
          • Eclectic Witchcraft
          • Other Paths
          • Hoodoo
        • Different Craft Paths >
          • Traditional Witchcraft
          • Asatru
          • Satanism
          • Druidism
          • Shamanism
          • Wicca
          • Kemetism
          • Hellenism
          • Neo/Paganism
        • Witchcraft on a budget >
          • Items you find in nature
          • Items you already own
          • Items you can acquire cheaply
          • Items you can make or craft yourself
        • Tools of a witch
        • Consumables of a witch
      • Healing >
        • Healing Paths
        • Subtle Anatomy
        • Healing Tools
      • Divination >
        • Runes >
          • Frey and Freja ætt
          • Heimdall and Mordgud ætt
          • Tiwaz and Zisa ætt
        • Tarot Cards >
          • Major Arcana
          • Pentacles
          • Cups
          • Swords
          • Wands
        • The Crystal Tarot
      • Blogs >
        • Journal
        • Guest Blogs
        • Reviews
      • Our Favourites >
        • Witch Blogs
        • Books and Forums
      • Glossary
  • For Fun!
    • Nature Photographs
    • Memes >
      • More Memes
    • Guestbook
  • Shop
  • Contact Us

Is there any truth that burning elder wood will curse you?

5/30/2014

4 Comments

 
Picture
I'm presuming this question is inspired by the Wiccan Rede and the quote "Elder is the Lady's Tree, burn it not or cursed ye be!" Unfortunately there is very little information available as to the origins of this and why  There is a tentative tradition that witches allegedly used to have the power to transform themselves into elder trees so it is possible that the folklore started from this legend. 

Christian tradition has it that Judas the traitor was hanged on an elder tree so this might explain the association with death.

I'm a practical witch and I believe that most folklore has its roots in practical answers. My guess would be that knowing elder is an unpleasant wood to burn, giving off little heat and a lot of quite smelly smoke it became a wood to avoid burning. I would imagine it was rejected as a source of firewood and the myths sprang from the reluctance of people to burn it. It is also a very quick burner so possibly there was a concern of the fire spreading too quickly for safety and this was also a factor in shunning it.

Elder is also a very useful tree with almost all parts of it having a purpose. The berries, the flowers and the leaves are all edible and even the bark can be used for medicinal cures. With elder trees providing so much bounty to the communities of old it is unsurprising that cutting them down for use of firewood was frowned upon.

Image http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1402779 (Ayla87)

4 Comments
Barry Lewis
5/30/2014 06:36:26 am

In Britain in times gone by, elder was grown outside the house to ward off evil spirits.And to burn elder in the home would bring sickness .This is true because when burnt the pith in the wood gives off toxic fumes.

Reply
Lyle
5/19/2018 08:05:51 am

Mexican elder which grows in the Southwest USA gives off cyanide gas. Many rhymes and traditions used curses as a way to memorize what would harm someone.

Reply
Karen Edwards
5/30/2018 12:42:27 pm

Thank you. Both explanations were helpful. We want to grow some elderberry on the 10 acres we are rehabilitating. But, we've noticed that the wild elderberry develops dead wood and needs to be pruned. So, what to do with the pruned branches? We will NOT burn it in the house. But we WILL feel OK burning it outside on our slash piles.

Reply
laura
3/22/2019 10:26:44 am

they wouldnt burn elder years ago as it spits when burnt and creates lots of smoke they believed it was the presents of the devil ( also bad kindling) they used the elder tree to keep insects away from their homes cattle and fresh foods as its a brilliant insect repelent i wont burn it due to the wiccan rede but i still use its berries its a wonderful useful tree

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.


    If you would like the Ask a Witch a Question updates sent to your email please type your email address in here:


    Picture
    Join the Witch Path Forward Facebook community. (Click the icon).


    Changing your path/religion/way of life can be a time in your life when you need a bit of support. The purpose of this site is to offer a helping hand and a starting point to explore all the information available on the net.

    Sadly we are unable to answer every single question we receive as we get so many these days. If yours doesn't get answered please have a look in the archives as there are hundreds of articles and answers that may be what you are looking for.


    CURRENT MOON
    moon phases

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2021
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012