Sitting Bull, Sioux chief and holy man, proclaimed these meaningful words: “Behold, my brothers, the spring has come; the earth has received the embraces of the sun and we shall soon see the results of that love!”
Gallo-Roman: Artio – Her name comes from the Gaulish word for bear. As a bear she hibernates during the winter, and her much anticipated awakening heralds the beginning of spring.
Greek: Chloris – Her name derives from a word for “pallid” or “pale green.” The same root became the word chlorophyll. She was a nymph from the exquisite Elysian Fields and held the power of turning people into flowers. She married Zephyr, the wild west wind.
Japanese: Rafu-Sen – Dwelling in a fragrant grove on a high mountain, she was a Shinto immortal and the indwelling spirit of the plum tree. As the goddess of plum blossoms, she represented beauty and the renewal of nature.
Nigerian and Ghanan: Asase Ya – She was an earth goddess celebrated in April during the time of planting. Her power was to spark and germinate the soil to fertility, thus leading to a successful harvest.
Namibian: Hare Ke – She was the African goddess of spring rains. Her power was to return fertility to the land after a hard, sparse winter. In the spring before the sowing of the first crops, all the seeds and garden tools were blessed in her name.
Polish: Dziewanna – Maiden huntress of the forest, folks celebrated her power in the spring, at the beginning of the agricultural year, with festivals and parades.
Sami: Beiwe – The sun goddess of the Laplanders represented spring and fertility, as the sun could now be seen above the horizon after being hidden all winter. She turned the fields green to allow abundant food for the reindeer.
Welsh: Blodeuwedd – Her name means “flower face.” She was born of magic and created from the spring flowers of meadowsweet, broom, and oak. After conspiring with her lover to murder her husband Lleu Llaw, and failing, she fled and was transformed by into an owl.
Thanks for stopping by. Which of these little known goddesses of spring are you familiar with?
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Romance
Lovely post, Flossie. All these godesses are fascinating. I am familiar with the legend of Blodewedd. I hope your garden is full of spring blooms.
Oh, with spring having sprung, Daisy, flower-envy strikes me! I long to plant.
Intriguing as always. I didn’t know any of this
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Cathy.
I had no knowledge of any of the spring goddesses you mentioned. In Romanian lore we have the “Green Fairy/Goddess. It’s said she was born from flowers and she lives in the woods and is the mistress of all plants, especially those with healing powers. She resembles, as far as I can see, with the Welsh and Polish ones you brought to our attention.
Thank you for another enlightening post, Flossie!
Have a lovely spring!
I adore the Green Fairy / Goddess, Carmen. I’m going to have to do a post on her. I love how she lives in the woods and is mistress of healing plants.
I wasn’t familiar with any of these ladies, Flossie. I like how Blodeuwedd means “Flower face.” She has an interesting legend, especially being transformed into an owl!
Yes, Mae, and there’s a marvelous book set around the myth, The Owl Service.