Alder | Mythology, Folklore and Magic of the Alder Tree (Fearn)

[@TheStoryCrow]

Happy Autumn Equinox everyone! This tree is sometimes associated with this time of year - the Alder.

[@joshuabrigden4820]

i love your uploads about different tree's or plants and the folklore behind them!

[@taylorstagg9548]

Same back to you brother! My favorite time of year is warming up as the weather cools down.. and a water tree to welcome my approaching scorpion water sign, love it! Great video as always ❤

[@hArtyTruffle]

Same to you, Tamsin and Nero ☯️

[@susanmenke2669]

❤❤❤

[@wild-radio7373]

@10:45 !!😢 you said you were going to link to the Welsh version, but I can't find the link😭😭😭

[@djh1775]

I’m from the Southeast US. Growing up, I struggled with poison ivy rashes a lot. It’s like once I got poison, I kept it. My dad learned from an old lady, to strip the inner bark from a small alder (it’s reddish) and boil it into a strong tea. Dip a rag into the warm tea, and hold it on the rash a few times a day. Within a couple of days the blisters dry up and the rash heals quickly.

[@ianweir3608]

Canadian Here. I had a friend for years who was part native and it turns out that it is very common for natives to be immune to poison ivy (I assume it's also true to a degree down south). He would terrorize kids growing up by chasing them around with poison ivy lol

[@Ellary_Rosewood]

My name, Ellary, means "Dweller by the Alder Tree". So happy that you posted this on the Autumn Equinox, moving into my favorite season (Autumn is also my MIDDLE name!) What a coincidence! Once I have my forever home, I'd love to plant an Alder tree so I can dwell underneath it. 🍂❤️

[@TheStoryCrow]

Woah, you are the personification of autumn! Maybe you’re actually a mushroom or a yellow leaf 🍁 🍄

[@Thehighpriestess108]

What a beautiful name ❤

[@janewright2800]

Beautiful name!!🍁✨️

[@ianweir3608]

Your parents have excellent taste in names.

[@jenrobbeardling2489]

Your tree series has expanded my whole world. I've always been a tree hugger, but now I'm talking to them and practicing the magical practices you mention. Friendly trees everywhere I look, with rich stories to tell. Where I once saw forest, I now see faces.

[@MickGunners]

Same here. As above so below 🙏. Peace and Love to you all♥️

[@AksilRebis]

Hahaha! oh Oliver. Your laugh is par excellence! Alder wood gets hard when it gets wet, and is good for milk buckets. I had to recall the rural land where i grew up to understand. By the way, what's not to love about alder's long catkin which grows early in spring before its leaves? Hahaha! 🐴

[@mikkel6938]

Thank you for a great lesson. Would love to learn more about the significance of trees in traditional Irish culture!

[@MsFrazzMoon]

I really liked that you incorporated a lot of ecological and practical info about the tree, and that you showed the leaves and pods and mentioned look-a-likes. I enjoy learning about both the scientific and the mythical aspects of plants and you really achieved a great balance of that here. Thank you!

[@AksilRebis]

I never knew this before about Alder trees, even though i grew up very close to a town named for them. I look forward to learning more tree symbology and folklore from my youth.

[@lipchin]

Thankin you kindly good Sir. This series is probably the best way to learn Tree identification combined with Ye Olde Folk law. LOVE IT.

[@TheStoryCrow]

🙏🌳✨☺️

[@SacredCrone]

I’ve noticed many Brits think we Americans don’t say Autumn, we only say Fall. Actually we say both equally. I usually say Autumn Equinox, myself. Great video..❤

[@crefmag]

Fall is an older word, it's what used to be said in Britain

[@ianweir3608]

Spring could equally be called Vernumn because it is the vernal equinox, but people aren't ready for that one (yet)

[@ckgregg8832]

I really enjoy your videos. I found your channel last year. So many stories to listen to and learn from, I look forward to seeing more.

[@anthonydavies6021]

The leaves of alder are often "scoooped out" at the tip, rather than pointed, which can be another way to recognise it. A great video thank you very much. As a naturalist, it's very interesting to learn about the cultural history of our native trees from you. Guy Shrubsole writes at length about the Mabinogion in The Lost Rainforests of Britain. I look forward to your other videos in the series.

[@moondoll]

So happy I stumbled across your channel, adore you! 😊

[@suzycreamchez123]

Thank you so much. In your telling of the alder, you bring together all my interests, folklore, history, ancient history and archeology, and folk magic... even the gundestrup cauldron. You hit all points and put them together. I am grateful!

[@brodieknight772]

As a Canadian tree planter, I frequently do battle with the alder. They typically win.

[@nicolasimonds2333]

Blessed equinox, love the facts in this video. Especially the Venice foundations . I’m currently re-reading the Mabinogion. Diolch 🌔🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@TheStoryCrow]

It can be heavy going eh 😉

[@nicolasimonds2333]

@@TheStoryCrow I learnt it in school here in north wales as it was part of our curriculum we were really Lucky to be encouraged to learn about our folk law at an early age x

[@Zoewhiteart7676]

Yes i always thought Alder leaves look like Hazel leaves, another great video. Happy autumn equinox. 🍁🍂🍃

[@heatherpadgett2116]

Mabon blessings everyone, to you and yours!!! Hxx

[@lazydaisy649]

Thank you for very interesting content on the properties of the alder tree.

[@TheStoryCrow]

Pleasure ☺️

[@nunyobidness2358]

As a woodworker I appreciate this.

[@MickGunners]

Thats some really cool trees you have there🙏. Peace and Love to you all♥️

[@wendyrussell4191]

Wow, I loved that. You really story told it so well you took me on a trip, thank you for your great knowledge and passion for your trees

[@jeccalou9894]

You're a freaking delight! I just found your channel and I'm so glad I did. You're a very engaging entertainer/story teller.

[@TheStoryCrow]

Thanks, and freakin welcome aboard! 🙏🌊

[@CharlotteSeely]

Great info; great storytelling❤❤

[@deborahpandinski]

Hi i found your channel a couple of days ago and im really enjoying the videos on tree mythology Im a tree surgeon and its so interesting to see how the characteristics in the myths correspond to the physical features and properties of the trees. And how the personality that i 'made up' for the trees in my own head also is in line with the myths...very Jungian collective subconscious vibe 😮😁

[@TheStoryCrow]

Yeah the cross over between biological and folkloric information always astounds me, as someone who also cuts off bits of tree for a living

[@ryanziegler1410]

This channel is such an education in folklore. Thanks for your great work.

[@AmandaJuneHagarty]

Here in Washington state (the Pacific North West), the alder is a pioneer species and the first tree to move back in after a fire or flood. They are also fairly short lived. I live getting fallen branches that have fallen and had time for the bark to loosen. You can pull the bark off and that reddening has made the inner stick dark red on the surface so that when you carve it, you have the red surface and carved white lines. It's very striking.

[@TheStoryCrow]

It is! I have a large ladle my other half made from alder which is red and pink patterned now

[@joandrummond524]

Great video love listening to you thank you x

[@janelloyd4332]

Really enjoy your videos..I've learned so much from you. I was born on the 22nd of September so it's a special time of the year the Autumn Equinox

[@girlinagale]

There's an alder woods in Cambridgeshire, unusual for this part of the country. Wonderful place, knee deep in water with The River Snail flowing by both sides, beautiful clear moving water. Unusual for the fenland area where most rivers and streams are very sluggish peaty drains. I was delighted to see scarlet elf caps and water marigolds.

[@ekurisona663]

I just found your channel this year and I just wanted to thank you for making this channel - I'm hearing stories and learning things that I never would have known about in this life - the richness and quality of these videos is wonderful - thank you 🦄👺

[@TheStoryCrow]

Thank you for these words, glad you found the channel 🙏☺️✨

[@noeldoyle4501]

Thanks for a very interesting half hour, and thanks for showing us the lovely green space around you.

[@tainawarriorprincess7686]

Coolest vid ever! New sub 🌳🌳🌳

[@TheStoryCrow]

Cheers, and welcome. Plenty more bark and leaves here 🌳

[@EliRedman]

Happy Equinox. Thank you for another lovely video. Love to sweet Nero.

[@MiraChan]

Happy Autumn Equinox! What a lovely equinox gift you've given us with this video! It was a perfect ending to a lovely day. Thank you!

[@stephanieann9770]

Your videos are so great 😊 thank you

[@MarieHoudebert]

Amazing video as always! I discovered your channel because I was researching tree folklore. Can you do Elm next time? Thanks!

[@TheStoryCrow]

As soon as I find a nice mature elm that’s not dead or diseased I will. Few and far between in my neck,of the woods 😬

[@ekurisona663]

this is an incredible synchronicity - I had never heard of the black dog before and then this week I read about it in The uncanny tales book just a couple of days before listening to this video

[@TheStoryCrow]

Always pay attention to the synchronicities 😉✨

[@elizabirch333]

Darlin’ ‘Alder’ is in the 1st Aicme of the Ogham alphabet! ! I think you will find unless you’re in the southern hemisphere then it’s spring equinox… 😢 Elder - Ruis is the ogham is the ogham for the autumn equinox and the last one of the 3rd Aicme. All the other info is brilliantly told within your storytelling. Many Blessings on your story telling 🌲🌳🌲

[@TheStoryCrow]

That’s according to the contemporary pagan ‘tree calender’ based on works like the white goddess by Robert graves and others. I like Robert graves, I think he is much maligned, and there’s merit in this interpretation, but associating each feda with a time of year in a is a fairly modern thing. There are more general associations of trees with certain times of year from wider folklore- not the ogham specifically. Elder with Samhain. Alder with the equinoxes (both of them), yew with winter solstice, oak with summer solstice etc. These are probably older, but it’s hard to say. Each to their own though, I always say. Thanks for watching 🙏☺️

[@WilliamWision]

Such amazing information and quality you are a very great teacher

[@ShizaruBloodrayne]

Doing amazing work helping me with my fictional worldbulding ideas with notes. Love the presentation also!

[@ADmyrr]

Thank you again your videos are much appreciated

[@FreeBirdUKVanLife]

Fantastic information, thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@TankaTuesday]

Thanks so much. Happy Autumn Equinox! 🍁

[@PeppermintPatties]

So interesting. Thank you ❤️

[@itoobable]

fantastic video! thank you for your stories and weavings

[@joandrummond524]

You are so very knowledgeable x

[@TheStoryCrow]

Nah I just make it up 🐦‍⬛😉

[@kirstimeretearnesen1202]

Thank you for another entertaining video. There is a lot of Alder in the forrest close to my home, or in Norwegian and in my dialect order, with d as the strongest letter. I know there used to be a well, belonging to the nearest farm, but this was lon before my time here. There are no visible water or stream, perhaps an underground stream?

[@alisonalder7317]

I found this very interesting. As you can see, my (married) surname is Alder.

[@Baptized_in_Fire.]

Water is the antenna of life. The bridge between the material and the spiritual world. It tunes the signal to the radio, so to speak.

[@AgentTrust]

Thank you ❤ blessed equinox!

[@Sestra_Prior]

Really interesting vid! Long "a" in Bran

[@TheStoryCrow]

🙏🐦‍⬛

[@mynyddyquartzite2034]

Many Qs sir 👍

[@andywestsmith3120]

Alder is very good for making shrink pots 👍

[@gregoryaultman4401]

Anything that is done in the physical world has to first be done in the spiritual world. That’s the reason why we can draw the correlations between the two.

[@blackbird-25]

very interesting as ever. as a timber alder is not very durable. woodworm love it, in fact it was common practice to hang up pieces of alder in wood stores as the beetles prefer it to other woods. the pieces of alder were then burned. when totally submerged in water it is incredibly durable. as you have said

[@JKI108]

Just found your channel and am enjoying it very much. Are you Welsh?

[@TheStoryCrow]

I am not, but it’s only over the river so the mythos permeates south west England

[@DAATHOS]

I live in a place called Aldershot, which used to be the home of the british army (Vanguard of Warriors) also the source of the river Blackwater. Its neighbouring town Farnham (Fearnham) has a 12th century castle built atop an old spring, a well at its centre. Could it be that this ancient magic of rebirth has been weaponised? Just up the road from here is Aldermaston, which is where all our nukes are made.

[@TheStoryCrow]

I often find the army picks its sites in weirdly symbolic places in the mythscape …

[@MarioDoiron]

Alder grows a bit differently on my side of the pond, more of a shrub than a tree, much maligned by landowners, farmers in particular... Try as you might, you can't kill them. They just keep coming back. Nature's first warrior on the field reclaiming woodlands, indeed. They shield brooks and the trout living in them from hot summer sun. As they are bent under the currents from rainstorms... any surface touching the ground eventually root in place, strengthening riverbanks. It's nice to see the alder being appreciated for once.

[@humphrey4976]

This is epic

[@hArtyTruffle]

Thankyou for the reminder 🙏 Completely forgot it was the Autumn Equinox! Loving the trees of Ogham folklore and other associations series. Those little Alder cups you carved are delightful. So, if Alder won’t burn, I wonder if an Alder cup with water in it could be placed in a fire in order to boil the water. Have you ever tried to do that?

[@TheStoryCrow]

Haha! Might be worth a try ☺️ I think it would still split from the heat though 🔥

[@lonegroover100]

The Alder trees you pointed out are actually a non-native called the grey alder common to Europe but not the British Isles. Also I do use Alder for firewood after 2 years drying period. Thanks for the great videos! Happy Equinox!

[@TheStoryCrow]

Interesting. 🤔 They’re so naturalised everywhere here, you can’t move for em! What’s the Latin name of this alder? 🙏

[@netwitchtatjana4661]

@@TheStoryCrow Alnus incana. But scientists have issues with its classification.

[@crefmag]

Most British trees are alnus glutinosa, where the leaf tips aren't pointed. I'm told it makes great charcoal and firewood - hope so, because I've just coppiced a load of it. Nice to learn some of the folklore about it - glad I planted so many!

[@vitojuice]

You know my Hoggle-Behind had to watch and subscribe to this amazing channel. How do I donate to your content ?! Do you take plastic ? 😅

[@TheStoryCrow]

Haha! Thanks mt friend glad you appreciate it. There’s a patreon link on my channel, and a one time PayPal donate button too. Plus the KZbin ‘super thanks’ button KZbin takes most of that 😂 Have a great day wherever you are ✨🙏🐦‍⬛

[@elendil7]

Happy Autumn Equinox🧡

[@gregoryaultman4401]

What is carved on that standing stone looked like an eye at the bottom or a man and runes or something at the top

[@TheStoryCrow]

If it’s that rock by the lake it’s Scandinavian Bronze Age ship art for some reason

[@NateBreidenbaugh-gg7fs]

3:01 and Fender Stratocasters! The bodies are almost always made out of alder. 😊

[@ianweir3608]

There is an Irish legend of an old man who buried his son in front of an Alder tree and accidentally summoned a fairy. It's interesting to me that the alder is associated with the other world and fairies, and is called the faern (faery?) Tree. I think there is a significant amount of truth to these old tales, but fig me if i know how to interpret them. This video also reminds of me of _A Song of Ice and Fire_ because of all the references to Bran the raven king who explores the other world and sees through trees, as well as the faern tree being associated with both fire and water (ice). Of course the author intentionally based Westeros off Ireland

[@TheStoryCrow]

I haven’t heard that, I love it. Thank you 🌳 💀 Yeah bran the three eyed raven will be inspired by king bran of wales. Bran means crow. I’ve told the story a few videos back 👍

[@armuver1]

Great video with such knowledge, thank you from Scotland.Happy Equinox to all.

[@joshuastamos2213]

What’s the name of the fiddle tune that you use for your intro. I would like to learn it.

[@TheStoryCrow]

The birkin tree, Scottish trad tune 😉

[@mrsobrian6032]

Do you boil the green or brown cones?

[@willtricks9432]

Over Winter Solstice we have a Festive Twig cut from an Alder not a Christmas tree.

[@nanettewinstonarmstrong9294]

⚪️🤍🤚Hi Story Crow , Thank You. The Tree song tell of a 1980s music Rock Band Rush is coming to mind remembering the cassette tape , hearing about that Story , about The Trees ( title of the track ) " Who demanded equal Rights " ! However , Not a Good tale at the end of the story . ... Thou Shall Not Kill , Truth Is Freedom , Love & Respect RuLe is Natures. ... No Silence of The Lamb or Lambs would be the basics of the parabel. : ) 🩷🤍⚪️

[@thegniffen4645]

Hello from the US. Great video. Really enjoyed this! Subscribing

[@TheStoryCrow]

Welcome aboard my friend ! Waving across the pond to ya 👋☺️✨

[@MiraChan]

Are alder and elder trees the same, or are they different trees?

[@TheStoryCrow]

Very different! 🌳☺️

[@grahamfleming8139]

Alder in Scots ghaidhlig is. Fearn or Fearna as in Auldfern the place the river of Alders An bhidheo uabhasach innteach.

[@judithsmorti4306]

💧🔥🌀⛩

[@dianetheone4059]

🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳

[@Greenmahn333]

👍

[@oorzuis1419]

In Dutch, it is an els (fam.name) elzen

[@MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKS]

i can only find that book (legendary poems from the book of Taliesin by Marged Haycock) for 270 pounds!!!!! why :')

[@TheStoryCrow]

Try the rowan williams one. Also good, but he’s no Welsh speaker!

[@OwlPowerCreations]

🦉

[@tyedyesunshine]

a lot of Electric guitars are made of alder

[@joshuabrigden4820]

was calling yourself a bog goblin an improvised save from our mother in law comments last video? 🧐🤣

[@DogPrinctz]

The mycelium they carry is definitely part of it…. There’s another reason it’s associated with fire 🔥.😊😂😂😂

[@The_Lusitanian]

Nah.

[@Amanda1234-nqc]

Mothers milk? Writing your own book yet? Hope so. I've had a lot of dreams with blackdogs in them. Shadowside. Unconcious forces. Thank you really interesting, especially about the protection 👍 ✌️

[@TheStoryCrow]

Yup 🥛 I’ve written a book of short stories, not folklore just my own, and no trees in them 😬 Pleasure. Happy black dog dreaming 🐕✨🙏

[@Amanda1234-nqc]

​​@TheStoryCrow On amazon ? Have you got a link please.

[@b3ckiv]

So, on the side rant, the numbers panned out in my theory of London's Numbers and the misunderstanding of Boudicca and her position to the east of those Alder. Interesting. Interesting. Say hi to Glynn for me 😁👢🫀