Selene’s Secret,

by J. W. Cassandra

The poem "Selene's Secret" [1] is the sixth poem in the cycle "Mystery of the Moonbeam Path". The first two stanzas start with the lyrics of an old children's song and a circle game. [2] Based on the note written in the footnote, this also carries a shamanistic connotation. From here, the poem passes to the Moon, her silver chain, which is the chain of the mystery itself, and to the dance, which is introduced by the line " The fold on the skirt casts a ring". The ring is also an important symbol, around which three more stanzas are intertwined. Of the symbols, the secret is known in the fifth stanza, but there too in a tangible way. The symbolism also includes the silver colour, the ring, the moonstone, the dance, and the throwing or casting of cards. In the closing stanza, the line reminiscent of a children's song is repeated twice – with this, the mystery of the entire Moon, named Selene, with the mythological character, returns to the shamanistic tone, as if embracing the whole and making it closer to the Earth for man, i.e., the reader.

In the translation, I tried to render the children's song, the shamanistic and at the same time mystical tone, and the rhythm. Among others, I tried to render the shamanistic atmosphere of the old children's song by using the Middle English equivalent of the personal pronoun 'you'and the Middle English verb conjugation.

[1] One of the goddesses of the Moon in ancient Greek mythology, along with Artemis and Hecate, is the daughter of the Titan Hyperion and Theia, sister of Helios and Aos. His celestial chariot was slower than his brother's, because it was pulled by only two mules (or cows).

[2] 'Eszterlánc', in my translation, is ' chain, straw-spun thread ', a Slavic loanword in the Hungarian language; its original meaning is 'a roof woven from reeds and straw, a drip. It also has the meaning of 'eaves'. Today's version of the circle game is adapted to singing; the children sometimes turn in and out of the circle. The straw spun thread was probably a chain woven from straw. (https://e-nyelv.hu/2007-10-04/eszterlanc/)

Chain, chain, straw-spun thread:
One foot on the Moon thou tread'st!
Chain, chain, silver chain:
Mystic secrets thou shalt gain...

Chain, chain, straw-spun thread:
Silver secret, silver dance,
The fold on the skirt casts a ring–
Thy magic is a silver ring!

The silver ring rolls away,
The Moon in clouds fades –
Silver creek runs to the Orb,
It casts thy silver ring ashore.

Cast a card of what thou see'st:
Heaven 'nd earth are dancing!
Selene's ring charms and spells,
And mystery dances and swells...

Dance is secret, 'tis ring-secret,
Moonward I run, arms wide-spread!
Thy silver ring my finger binds –
On earth, thine is but the moonstone.

Chain, chain, straw-spun thread:
Mystic secrets thou shalt open.
Chain, chain, straw-spun thread:
Silver secret, silver dance!

Written: 11 / 02. 2026, by J. W. Cassandra
Translated: 20 / 02. 2026, by J. W. Cassandra

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