Mugworts In May: A Folklore of Herbs

By Linda Ours Rago

Book Overview

In Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, you will find a Wise Woman tending her herb garden--Linda Ours Rago. She may recite a few herbal charms for you, or fix you some chamomile tea. In Mugworts in May, she shares herbal folklore that has been passed down through the generations. In this book, you will find herbal tales and charms for improving your gardening, health and well-being, and love life!

If they would eat Leeks in March
And Mugworts in May
So many young maidens wouldn't
Go to the clay.
-----Traditional

From Moonrise, Winter 1997
Mugworts in May is a completely delightful book! It takes its name from the first line of a short poem that instructs young women what herbs to eat to live longer.

It explores the importance of herbal usage in the past, and the myths and lore associated with their planting, harvesting and use. Ms. Rago explains how some of the folkore grew up, to 'get around' the laws that covered herbalism in the days of the witch-hunts.

The book instructs you in planting a "wise Woman's Garden" in any locale, with short paragraphs about each herb and the folklore associated with it.

Ms. Rago also devotes a chapter to the use of herbs from the 'dark side', and cautions against using them without great care and knowledge. Many of these are herb, which are used in synthesizing prescription medication (such as digitalin). They are the ones where a little will cure, but too much may kill or injure.

The book has a collection of herbal 'charms' and bits of poetry for use with the herbs. There are charms for everything from those to recite while picking certain plants to herbal healing charms to treat household injuries, and, of course, for a young woman to find her own true love.

The book is completed by a listing of common herbs. Their magickal properties and modern uses are detailed in a short paragraph about each herb.

This is a wonderful book to delight and amuse the herbalist or Wise Woman in your life.

From Herb Gathering March/April 1996

A charming collection of herbal history and folklore by Linda Ours Rago, a traditional Appalachian herb woman who has spent over 30 years tending, cooking, and crafting rare tidbits of fact and fiction about them. A detailed tour of a Wise Woman's Garden is just the beginning of this literary excursion into a world of herbal charms and tales-much of which has almost been lost and forgotten. Mugworts in May also includes a compendium of some 150 herbs and their magic uses listed alphabetically, with information you seldom run across in mainstream herb books. Quaint illustrations are sprinkled throughout. Out of the ordinary-but definitely delightful.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0964619709
• ISBN13: 9780964619708
• Release Date: August 2022
• Publisher: Quarrier Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Artemisia Vulgaris, a.k.a. Mugwort

If you're interested in the ancient us of herbs, than you've found the right book.Linda Ours Rago starts by giving us the history of herbal use during the early part of civilization and brings us into modern times. She tells us of the ancient Wise Women and how they used herbs in the art of healing and also in the use of charms. This is from the chapter on Herbal Charms for Aid and Protection: O, AND I WAS A DAMSEL SO FAIR BUT FAIRER I WISHED TO APPEAR. SO I WASHED ME IN MILK AND I DRESSED ME IN SILK AND PUT SWEET THYME IN MY HAIR....Devonshire songThe gardens that these Wise Women grew are discussed along with the safe herbs and the ones that are considered dangerous. The final chapter of the book is A Compendium Of Magical Herbs. The following little gem is from that chapter. THYME (Thymus) THIS PLANT IS AN ANCIENT SYMBOL OF ENERGY AND MAGIC. ALMOST EVERY OLD CHARM TO SEE FAIRIES INCLUDES THYME. ITS FRAGRANCE HAS BEEN CALLED DAWN IN PARADISE.Every page of this book is filled with herbal folklore that has been cherished and passed down throughout the ages.