The Great Hunt: The Historical Perspective and Themes in the Mythology of the White Stag

“Hunters of old pursued the miraculous stag, not because they expected to kill it, but because it led them in the joy of the chase to new and fresh adventures, and so to capture happiness.”

Baden-Powell's farewell speech to the Scouts

Image 1.  Depiction of a Knight and the White Stag.

The White Stag is an important historical-religious figure found in European and Eastern European mythology.  In Celtic tradition, the White Stag is considered a messenger from the Otherworld and often thought to appear when one was transgressing a taboo.  In Arthurian legends the White Stag was thought to represent mankind’s spiritual quests and that it perennially evaded capture.  In English folklore, the White Stag is associated with Heme the Hunter and even kings.  In Christian tradition, the white stag is, in part, responsible for the conversion of several saints, including Saints Eustace and Hubert and often a representation of Christ.  In Hungarian myth it was the White Stag that led the brothers Hunor and Magor into Scythia to found two great Empires—the Huns and the Magyar.

Preserving Your Local History

Getting Started

As members of the Society for Creative Anachronism we tend to revere history; after all, we are recreating the past. Without knowing the past, we cannot learn from it, be inspired by it, or recreate it.

But what about the history more close to home; the history of the group we play in? Do you know the history? Do you remember?

When we preserve our local history we immortalize great deeds, teach important lessons, help others form spectacular ideas, and remember those that are no longer with us.

Preserving your local history can be a challenge but it can also be a wonderful experience as well. The key to making it happen is to knowing how to start; specifically by knowing what you are looking for and where to find it.