God Ritual of Samhain

Below follows a ritual and story that is told every year on Samhain in my druid tradition, from our Greater Book of the Art & Craft:

Samhain

HIGH PRIESTESS: Esus, The Hunter, roamed the world looking for a prey that was worthy of his appetite, and, a worthy foe. He did nothing that was not a challenge to his strength and cunning. It came about that he heard of the Golden One, Taru, the Son of the Mother. He heard of his great power, the length of his golden horns, and his huge size: For it was said that Taruos was ten times as large as any other bull. So, Esus sought him out.

MEMBERS: Lady! Sound the cry!
We hear the Hounds!
Darken the sky
And hide our Lord
Esus is drawing nigh!

HIGH PRIESTESS: Esus finds the glade in which the Golden One, and his beloved Three Cranes, have rested for the night. As he spies the golden bull, his eyes turn red with battle fury. Without warning, he rushes upon the sleeping Lord. The Grey Cranes cry out in fear and alarm. The Golden One rises up to do battle.
Oh! What a furious and awful contest! Neither could best the other. Esus was mighty with his great sword, but Taruos' golden horns were formidable weapons. They fought thus for many days. First, the battle would go one way and then it would go the other. Both were bloody with their own blood and that of their foe. It was on the dark of the moon that the Divine Bull began to weaken; for he was of the sun and not of the moon.
In this moment of weakness, Esus struck him a deadly
blow. Dying, the Golden Lord laid down beneath a great oak. His blood spilled out upon its roots, and it, for pure shame and grief, turned its leaves red. The Great Lord looked upon the world with kindly eyes, sighed a deep sigh, and laid his head down upon the oak's roots. One of the Grey Cranes flew forward, and with a great cry, caught up a silver dish of the Lords' blood, and with her sisters, flew off towards the south.

MEMBERS: Woe! Woe are we!
The Golden One is slain!
Where is the Sun?
The fire has gone out
And the winds are cold.
The leaves fall
And the grass is brown.
The Son is gone
And we all fall down!
Lady! Lady! Mother!
Hear our cry!
Send back your Son
Or we all shall die!
Send back your Son
Or we shall all die!

The High Priestess has a sprig of red berries, which she shows at the appropriate time, to the members when she speaks as the Goddess.

THE GODDESS: My beloved children,
I, KERRIDWEN THE BRIGHT,
have heard your plea. I will send my Son unto thee! (Showing the berries)
Look and see!
This sign foretells what will come to be!

MEMBERS: We saw the sign!
We are comforted, Great One!
Praise be to Thee!
Praise be to KERRIDWEN!
Praise be to TARUOS!
You have heard our plea!
Blessed Be! Blessed Be!


The members then dance in a sun wise direction calling out the names of Kerridwen and Taru. The Great Feast follows.