Lithuanian Prayer

 long feathered roots reaching down
absorbing many facts,fates, and facets
ah, such myriad of ones who came before

 
From the website druidry on Lithuanian Paganism:

A Lithuanian Prayer

In 1938, Pranas Antalkis recorded the following prayer, recited by Elzbieta and Marija Palubenskaite. The informants had smuggled Lithuanian books into Lithuania during the Czarist prohibition of Lithuanian language press in the latter half of the 19th century. The prayers stems from those times. Jonas Trinkunas, Seniunas of the Vilnius Romuva in Lithuania, edited the text.

That I may love and respect my mother, father and old people; that I may protect their graves from rending and destruction; that I may plant oaks, junipers, wormwoods and silverweed for their rest in cemeteries. Those who do not love and respect their bearers will await hardship in their old age or will not grow old at all.

That my hands may never become bloody from human blood. That the blood of animals, fish or birds may not soil my hands, if I might kill them satiated and not hungry. Those who today kill animals with delight will tomorrow drink human blood. The more hunters live in Lithuania, the further fortune and a happy life escapes us.

That I may not fell a single tree without holy need; that I may not step on a blooming field; that I may always plant trees.

That I may love and respect Bread. If a crumb should accidentally fall, I will lift it, kiss it and apologize. If we all respect bread, there will be no starvation or hardship.

That I may never hurt anyone; that I may always give the correct change; that I may not mistakenly steal even the smallest coin. The Gods punish for offences.

That I may not denigrate foreign beliefs and may not poke fun at my own faith. The Gods look with grace upon those who plant trees along roads, in homesteads, at holy places, at crossroads, and by houses. If you wed, plant a wedding tree. If a child is born, plant a tree. If someone beloved dies, plant a tree for the Vele.

At all holidays, during all important events, visit trees. Prayers will attain holiness through trees of thanks.

 May we remember to love our trees