The Story of Laverna

As promised, the story of Laverna. Written from memory, so it won't be in the original words, but should be pretty close! (I hope) The story is supposedly written by Virgil. It was one of many collected by american folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland. Supposedly told to him by a witch named Maddelina (isn't that a lovely name?) from Italy. The original of the story can be found in the beautiful "Aradia Gospel of the Witches" If you're in anyway interested in Paganism, or Witchcraft, or just folklore I'd really reccomend that little book. Mainly for the beautifully written poetic prayers to classical goddesses such as Diana, but also because it's only about 2 quid on amazon.

Laverna

The Esteemed poet and philosopher Virgil, on hearing a speech by a man without much interesting to say, was asked by another listener what he thought of it. To which he replied, "I could not tell whether it was all introduction, or all conclusion, much like the famous goddess Laverna, of whom we cannot be sure if she is all head, or all body." And so the listener pressed Virgil to tell him, who was this goddess Laverna of whom he'd never heard?

" The Goddess Laverna is the Roman Goddess of pickpockets and theives, and here is how she became such;
One day, Laverna disguised herself as the priestess of some goddess and went to a rich priest who owned a great estate. She told him she wished to purchase his estate to build a temple to her goddess and swore to him upon her head that she would pay him in full within a year. The priest agreed to these terms, and transferred the estate to Laverna. Who promptly sold everything off, there was 'not left wherwith to feed a fly'
[that line's a direct quote, not exactly proper english, but I do love that little phrase!]
Within a year, Laverna was nowhere to be seen!
At the same time, Laverna had also played this little trick on a Lord. She had gone to him to purchase a vast castle and grounds and sworn to him upon her body that she would pay in full within 6 months. Of course Laverna sold off everything within the castle, and once again there was not left wherewith to feed a fly!
The Lord and the Priest, on discovering they had been robbed by a goddess decided to appeal to the council of the gods, and Laverna was brought forward. To the charge of the Lord's that she had sworn upon her body to not pay, she did a wonderful trick and made her body disapear. The floating head said to the council, "Ah, he says I swore upon my body, but as you can see, I have no body, so I assuredly never swore such an oath!"
To the charge of the Priest she performed an equally excellent trick and made her head dissapear. There stood her body, and issuing from the neck was a voice which said "Ah, he says I swore upon my head, but as you can see, I have no head, so I assuredly never swore such an oath!"
The Gods were quite impressed by these little tricks, and had a good laugh at Laverna. Still, they ordered the head and body to join and Laverna to pay up her debts, which she did.
It was then the decision of the Gods that Laverna should become the goddess of all the pickpockets, theives and riff raff of society, as they were without gods, and Laverna was a rougeish Goddess without worshipers."


Lovely isn't it?