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Alternate Redes
As collected by Shea Thomas

An Alternate Rede: Author UnknownFootnote 1

Bide the Wiccan Laws we must
In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfil:
"and ye harm none, do what ye will."
LEST IN THY SELF-DEFENSE IT BE,
Ever mind the rule of three.
Follow this with mind and heart,
and merry ye meet
and merry ye part.

An Alternate Rede: by Amber KFootnote 2

Bide the Wiccan Law ye must,
In perfect love, in perfect trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An ye harm none, do as ye will.
And ever mind the Rule of Three:
What ye send out, comes back to thee.
Follow this with mind and heart,
And merry ye meet, and merry ye part.

Alternate Ending Of The 'Common' Rede: Author UnknownFootnotes 3 and 4

'Tis by the sun that life be won,
And by the moon that change be done;
If ye would clear the path to will,
Make certain the mind be still;
What good be tools without Inner Light?
What good be magic without wisdom-sight?
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill -
An it harm none, do what ye will.

Longer Version Incorporating More Sabbats & The Nine Woods: Author UnknownFootnote 5

Bide these Wiccan laws ye must,
With perfect love and perfect trust;
Live ye must and let to live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the circle thrice about,
To keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the magick every time,
Let the spell be spoke in rhyme.

Soft of eye and light of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
Let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing Moon,
Chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go by the waning Moon,
Chanting out the baneful rune.

When the Lady's moon is new,
kiss the hands to her, times two.
When the moon rides at her peak,
then your heart's desire seek.

Heed the North wind's mighty gale:
Lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the south,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When it whispers from the West,
Aching hearts find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the cauldron go,
burn them fast and burn them slow:

Birch into the fire goes
In sign of what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might,
In the fire brings the Gods in sight.

Rowan is a tree of power,
Causing life and magic to flower.

Willows which by water stand
Ease us to the Summerland.

Hawthorn is burned to purify,
And to draw Faerie to your eye.

Hazel, the tree of wisdom and learning,
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.

White are the flowers of apple tree,
That brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes which grow upon the vine,
Give to us both joy and wine.

Fir tree bough are evergreen
Immortal life in them is seen.

Elder wood, the Lady's tree --
burn it not, or cursed be.

Four times the Major Sabbats mark,
Twice in light and twice in dark.

In death the spark of life is born
At Samhain when the veil is torn.
When the time for Imbolg shows,
Watch for flowers through the snows.

When the Wheel begins to turn,
Soon the Beltaine fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lugh's night,
Power is brought to magic rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall,
Use the Sun to mark them all.

When the Wheel has turned to Yule,
Light the log - the Horned One rules.
In the Spring, night equals day,
Time for Ostara to come our way.

When the Sun has reached its height,
Time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes home for all
When the Autumn Equinox does fall.

Learning flower, bush, and tree;
by the Lady, blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go,
cast the stone and truth you'll know.

When ye have and hold a need,
harken not to others' greed.
With a fool no seasons spend,
Lest ye be counted as his friend.

Merry meet and merry part;
bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Threefold Law ye should:
Three times bad and three times good.

When misfortune is enow,
Wear the blue Star on thy brow.
True in love thou must ever be,
lest thy love prove false to thee.

Eight words the Witches' Rede fulfill,
An' it harm none, do what thou will.

Alternate Version Of The West Wind: Author UnknownFootnote 6

When the wind blows from the west
Bardic words be at their best!

An Alternate Rede: Attributed To The Wiccan Community CouncilFootnote 7

Bide ye Wiccan laws you must,
in perfect love and perfect trust

Live ye must and let to live,
fairly take and fairly give

Form the circle thrice about,
to keep unwelcome spirits out

To bind the spell well every time,
let the spell be spake in rhyme

Soft of eye and light of touch,
speak ye little, listen much

Deosil go by the waxing moon,
sing and dance the Wiccan rune

Widdershins go by the waning moon,
chanting out the baleful tune.

When the Lady's moon is new,
kiss your hand to her times two

When ye moon rides at Her peak,
then the heart's desire seek

Heed the north winds mighty gale,
lock the door and trim the sail

When the wind comes from the south,
love will kiss thee on the mouth

When the wind blows from the west,
departed souls will have no rest

When the wind blows from the east,
expect the new and set the feast.

Nine woods in the cauldron go,
burn them quick and burn them slow

Elder be the Lady's tree,
burn it not or cursed ye'll be

When the wheel begins to turn,
soon the Beltane fires will burn

When the wheel has turned to Yule,
light the log the Horned One rules

Heed ye flower, bush and tree,
by the Lady blessed be

Where the rippling waters flow,
cast a stone and the truth you'll know

When ye have and hold a need,
harken not to others' greed

With a fool no season spend,
nor be counted as his friend

Merry meet and merry part,
bright the cheeks and warm the heart

Mind ye threefold law ye should,
three times bad and three times good

Except in self-defense it be,
then ever mind The Rule Of Three!

When misfortune is enow,
wear the star upon thy brow

True in love you must ever be,
lest thy love be false to thee

These eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill,
An Ye Harm none, Do What Ye Will

A Teacher's Rede: Submitted by Kirsten HouseknechtFootnote 8

Section One

Abide the Wiccan laws ye must,
In perfect love and perfect trust.

Live ye must, and let to live,
Fairly take, and fairly give.

Soft of eye, and light of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.

Section Two

When misfortune is enow,
Wear the blue star on your brow.

Cast the Circle thrice about,
To keep unwelcome spirits out.

To bind the spell well every time,
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.

Section Three

Deosil go by the waxing moon,
Chanting out the witches' rune

Widdershins go by the waning moon,
Chanting out the baneful tune.

When the Lady's moon is new,
Kiss the hand to her times two.

When the moon rides at her peak,
Then your heart's desire seek.

Section Four

Heed the North wind's mighty gale,
Lock the door and trim the sail.

When the wind comes from the south,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth.

When the wind blows from the west,
Departed souls may have no rest.

When the wind blows from the east,
Expect the new, and set the feast.

Section Five

Nine woods in the cauldron go,
Burn them fast, or burn them slow.

Elder is the Lady's tree,
Burn it not, or cursed ye'll be

Section Six

When the wheel begins to turn,
Let the Beltane fires burn.

When the wheel has turned a Yule,
Light the log, the Horned one rules.

Section Seven

Heed ye flower, bush and tree,
By the Lady blessed be.

Where the rippling waters flow,
Cast a stone and truth ye'll know

Section Eight

When ye have and hold a need,
Harken not to others' greed

With a fool no season spend,
Nor be counted as his friend.

Merry meet and merry part,
Bright the cheeks, and warm the heart

Section Nine

Mind the threefold law ye should,
Three times bad, and three times good

True in love ye must surely be,
Lest thy love be false to thee

Eight words the Wiccan rede fulfill,
"An it harm none, do what ye will"

Non-Traditional Rede: Author UnknownFootnote 9

Bide these Wiccan laws ye must,
With perfect love and perfect trust;
Live ye must and let to live,
Fairly take and fairly give.

Cast the circle thrice about,
To keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the magick every time,
Let the spell be spoke in rhyme.

Soft of eye and light of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
Let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing Moon,
Chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go by the waning Moon,
Chanting out the baneful rune.

When the Lady's moon is new,
kiss the hands to her, times two.
When the moon rides at her peak,
then your heart's desire seek.

Heed the North wind's mighty gale:
Lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the south,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When it whispers from the West,
Aching hearts find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the cauldron go,
burn them fast and burn them slow:

Birch into the fire goes
In sign of what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might,
In the fire brings the Gods in sight.

Rowan is a tree of power,
Causing life and magic to flower.

Willows which by water stand
Ease us to the Summerland.

Hawthorn is burned to purify,
And to draw Faerie to your eye.

Hazel, the tree of wisdom and learning,
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.

White are the flowers of apple tree,
That brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes which grow upon the vine,
Give to us both joy and wine.

Fir tree bough are evergreen
Immortal life in them is seen.

Elder wood, the Lady's tree --
burn it not, or cursed be.

Four times the Major Sabbats mark,
Twice in light and twice in dark.

In death the spark of life is born
At Samhain when the veil is torn.
When the time for Imbolg shows,
Watch for flowers through the snows.

When the Wheel begins to turn,
Soon the Beltaine fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lugh's night,
Power is brought to magic rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall,
Use the Sun to mark them all.

When the Wheel has turned to Yule,
Light the log - the Horned One rules.
In the Spring, night equals day,
Time for Ostara to come our way.

When the Sun has reached its height,
Time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes home for all
When the Autumn Equinox does fall.

Learning flower, bush, and tree;
by the Lady, blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go,
cast the stone and truth you'll know.

When ye have and hold a need,
harken not to others' greed.
With a fool no seasons spend,
Lest ye be counted as his friend.

Merry meet and merry part;
bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Threefold Law ye should:
Three times bad and three times good.

When misfortune is enow,
Wear the blue Star on thy brow.
True in love thou must ever be,
lest thy love prove false to thee.

Eight words the Witches' Rede fulfill,
An' it harm none, do what thou will.


Footnotes (some old links have disappeared):

  1. Amber K. Covencraft. pp. 4-5. Llewellyn Publications. 1998.
  2. Id. at 4.
  3. Original link http://memberpage.women.com/me/wickedbunny/Rede.html has disappeared.
    This was found on archive.org for Aisling Raven Brook, dated 1999:
    My spiritual name is Aisling (ASH-ling) which means dreams/visions in Gaelic.
    Being creative is a natural high for me. I enjoy creating things with my hands in many different forms. I use a variety of textiles to make these creations.
    I have found amoung the many forms of handwork that I have tried and enjoyed, the most spiritual is beadweaving. Creating something one bead at a time is very spiritually rewarding. To see the item grow and take shape. Being able to change its final form anywhere along the way. Beads to me are like words to a writer. I can convey a feeling or thought to another person with my selection of beads and the creations that I make with them.
    I also enjoy shuttle tatting, quilting and cross stitch. Whenever I am creating something with my hands I feel a connection to my ancestors and to history. I feel a connection to a time when people used their time to create things and not just to watch the world go by and a television screen. To a time when the smallest of things were valued because of the time, effort, and soul that was put into creating it.
    I am currently in the process of defining my spirituality and I find that my creative side has a considerable influence on my spirituality. If too much time goes by and I have not been able to spend time alone creating, I start to feel very unbalanced. I find that creating, especially with beads, grounds me and helps me to center my well-being.
  4. Original link http://www.angelfire.com/ca/Rainbowz/ has disappeared.
    This was found on archive.org, dated 2001:
    Hi my name is Dawnfire and I am the channel Founder. I started #rainbow-warrior so Wiccan/Pagan folk could have a place to talk about their issues freely. I am a survior of child abuse and have been diagnosed with MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder). You might notice that one of the links I have is for littles. What I mean by littles is the child personalities that many of us with MPD have.
    I am an eclectic Wiccan High Priestess of a Coven. Wicca is very important to me and religion is very much a part of this channel. It should be understood though that all are welcome regardless of they path they follow.
  5. Original link http://www.iit.edu/~phillips/personal/lore/fullrede.html has disappeared.
    This was found on archive.org, dated 2001:
    Mama Rose's Kitchen
  6. Hawkie. 'Nightspells. Original link http://nightspell.dhs.org/rede_class.txt has disappeared.
    This was found on archive.org, dated 2004:
    Class On The Wiccan Rede, July 12, 1999
  7. Hawkie. 'Nightspells. Original link http://nightspell.dhs.org/rede_class.txt has disappeared.
    This was found on archive.org, dated 2004:
    Class On The Wiccan Rede, July 12, 1999 citing Wiccan Community Council.
  8. Kirsten Houseknecht. Class Handout For Book Of Shadows, 2001.
  9. Essence of a Crystal Moon! (and Crimson Angel)
    Original link http://www.crmsangl.advertisnet.com/rede.htm has disappeared.
    There is a pointer to ShadowStone Press, but that's dead, too.
    This was found on archive.org, dated 2002:
    CONGRATULATIONS!! If you made it this far then you have the three characteristics that I mentioned before....an open heart, an open mind, and are willing to learn something new. Things that I think most of human nature is lacking. No fault of our own though because from the time we are born we are taught to listen, not think. Religion is based on faith and without thinking for ourselves how exactly can we call that faith. So I want to say again Congratulations to those of us that have learned we can think for ourselves. With that said I will move on.