The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer were appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

There are various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat: The Second Harvest Festival; Wine Harvest; Feast of Avalon; Equinozio di Autunno (Strega); Alben Elfed (Caledonii); or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

The Story of Mabon

In Celtic mythology, Mabon ("young man") was the son of Modron. He was a hunter god that was stolen from his mother three days after his birth. He then lived in Annwn until he was rescued by Culhwch. Because of his time in Annwn, Mabon stayed a young adult forever.

He later assisted Culhwch in his search for Olwen. Culhwch had been arranged to marry his own stepsister, but he refused. Angry, his stepomother cursed him to marry no one but Olwen. Olwen's father, Ysbaddaden, was a vicious monster that would die if he was separated from his daughter. After many trials and tribulations, Culwch succeeded and gained Ysbaddaden's powers and life.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.