It was the 21st of June, in the year 400 AD. The villagers were preparing for the annual Litha celebration. Fires were stoked, broths simmered in large cast iron pots and the mead was flowing smoothly. Men and women smacked their lips as they went about their business.
Visitors arrived bearing large trays of vegetables and fruits. There were luscious green peas, layers of white, green or purple cabbage, brilliant orange carrots, turnips, squash, ruby red strawberries, and dripping watermelon. As usual, Litha would be a feast to remember.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the merry villagers. Doubt and fear crossed their faces as they turned to see what was happening to dampen their festivities. It was none other than the dreaded Holly King. As he stomped around the encampment, the villagers were reminded of his past follies, acts that threw the land into darkness, cold, general maladies, and lethargy. The Oak King had come to their rescue several months ago, bringing the sun and the light, warm temperatures, and weather ripe for crops. It was a time to revel in nature and beauty, a time to give thanks for the joy of life. Where was their saviour now? Where was the Oak King? Had he abandoned their tiny village?
Then, in a dazzling display of brilliant light, the Oak King appeared. As he swivelled his mighty head from side to side, beams of warm light shot out across the village, spreading light into even the darkest of corners. The villagers cheered; their arms raised to the sky. The Holly King stopped in his tracks and reared back his head.
“So,” he bellowed. “You, the mighty solar god, have decided to show yourself. Are you not growing tired after using so much energy to keep the light alive?”
“Ha, have you forgotten that today is my most powerful day?” shot back the Oak King. “Today is the day I bless the land with my light and my beauty. Today is the day I reign supreme!”
As the two mighty kings faced off in the village square, the people of the town shook in excitement. Something big was about to happen, something that would forever change their lives. The fires still burned. Baskets of food were placed at the feet of the Oak King as they waited in anticipation.
And then the battle began. Holding a fearful stare, the two kings gathered all their energy. The first to release was the Oak King. Sunlight flowed over the land; brighter than any light the villagers had ever seen. The Holly King retaliated with a sharp gust of shadow. It only darkened the light a bit, turning the land a mere pale grey, pale like the down of a young goose.
The Oak King fired even more light, saturating the grey. The Holly King returned the favour, adding a bit more shadow to his offering. And so, it continued, and with each flare, the Oak King got stronger, renouncing the shadow. The Holly King was no match. He could not compete with the Oak King’s magnificent strength on this day, the day of the solstice. But, as it is, all good things must come to an end and finally, after seesawing back and forth like waves crashing on the shore, the Oak King was exhausted. His energy was spent. He was finished.
“You have not won this battle, oh mighty Holly King. I will not succumb to you. “
As he turned to face his loyal subjects, the Oak King took in the festivities. The daylight had lasted longer than anyone had seen before. They formed a circle around the king and chanted words of praise and gratitude. In turn, the wise king bestowed his subjects with the wisdom of one who had roamed the higher planes for centuries. He spoke of the balance between light and dark, good and evil. He spoke of the importance of keeping him in their hearts and souls.
When he was finished imparting his wisdom, he lowered his gaze, drooped his shoulders, and slunk off into the distance, leaving the villagers to celebrate his glorious attempt to hold the light. They knew, and hoped, that he would not be far away and return at another time to win the battle and cast them into the light once again.
Science has taught us that the longest day of the year is the result of the tilt of the Earth’s axis in its orbit around the sun, and not the fight of two pagan kings. This year, the first day of summer, or the summer solstice, took place June 21st when the Earth’s North Pole was the closest to the Earth. In about six months, when the pole will be the farthest from the Earth, we will experience the Winter Solstice or the shortest day of the year. It is the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere. Where I live, in Saskatchewan, Canada, we had about 17 hours of sunlight. It’s hard to imagine that in six months we will only have around eight hours of daylight. Ooooh. Nope, not going to think about that now!
Many cultures still observe summer solstice traditions. There is usually a large gathering at Stonehenge in the UK. In Norway, bonfires are enjoyed. In fact, in 2016, Norwegians spent three months building a bonfire in Ålesund that broke the Guinness World Record for the tallest bonfire, measuring 47.39 meters (155 ft 5.9 in). It burned for two days. That would roast a lot of marshmallows! Other countries, such as Spain, set off remarkable firework displays while others, including Iceland, enjoy festivals lasting several days.
But one of the most common ways to observe the longest day of the year is to gather with friends and family, have a meal and watch the sun go down and set…eventually. That’s what I did. How about you? Did you observe the longest day of the year?
Interesting Reads & Things:
Legend of the Holly King and Oak King (learnreligions.com)
Summer Solstice Explained – YouTube
Litha Magic: Spells, Rituals, and Divination for the Summer Solstice║AD – YouTube
Wanderings Art 
Hi. I like the way you celebrated the solstice. I never think to celebrate it. However, I like to celebrate the 4th of July (Independence Day in the USA) by going to a fireworks display. For me, fireworks never get old.
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We mark Canada Day here on July 1st. We used to go see the fireworks but the traffic was pretty bad and it took too long to get out of the park, especially if you had to go to work the next day! A lot of Canadians aren’t celebrating Canada Day now because of some horrific incidents in our history that have recently come to light. My family will do what we do every holiday—eat, drink and be merry!
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