The Anathemata
Mabinog’s Liturgy (continued)
Within the thirty-fourth year
from the Stille-night
since wolf-watcher’s rollick
and blithe introit
in Palesa brighted yard
since Hob, to his butty, Goodfellowb
cried: Transeamus.3
Thirty-three Janus-nights gone4
since the night
of the Showing
to great Estates
since three dukes venerunt :
halted Arya-van
at Star-halt.
David Jones notes
3 See the gospel for the Second Mass of Christmas Day: ‘. . . Transeamus usque Bethlehem’, Luke II, 15. ‘Let’s go over to Bethlehem’.
4 As with Juno, so with Janus: the first day of each month was sacred to him; but his main feast was annually on the first of his own month of January.
additional notes
a Pales: Roman goddess of shepherds and flocks.
b Hob, Goodfellow: (Shakespearian) names for a couple of anonymous shepherds to whom the angel appeared.
comments
This paragraph moves to the time of Christmas and Epiphany (= ‘showing forth’ in Greek), the showing forth being the presentation to the three Indo-European (Aryan) kings and their caravan or entourage.