Now our Lady the Goddess had never loved, but She would

solve all the Mysteries, even the Mystery of Death; and so

She journeyed to the Underworld.

The Guardians of the Portals challenged her: "Strip off

thy garments, lay aside thy jewels; for naught mayest thou

bring with the into this our land."

So She laid down her garments and her jewels, and was

bound, as are all who enter the Realms of Death, the Mighty

One.

Such was her beauty, that Death himself knelt and

kissed her feet, saying: "Blessed be thy feet, that have

brought thee in these ways. Abide with me; but let me place

my cold hand on thy heart."

She replied: "I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all

things that I love and take delight in to fade and die?"

"Lady," replied Death, "tis age and fate, against which

I am helpless. Age causes all things to wither; but when

men die at the end of time, I give them rest and peace, and

strength so that they may return. But thou! Thou art

lovely. Return not; abide with me!"

But She answered: "I love thee not."

Then said Death: "An thou receivest not my hand on thy

heart, thou must receive Death's scourge."

"It is fate - better so," She said. And She knelt, and

Death scourged her tenderly. And She cried, "I feel the

pangs of love."

And Death said, "Blessed Be!" and gave her the Fivefold

Kiss, saying: "Thus only mayest thou attain to joy and

knowledge." And he taught her all the Magicks.

For there are three great events in the life of man:

Love, Death, and Resurrection in the new body; and Magick

controls them all. For to fulfil love you must return again

at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must

remember and love them again. But to be reborn you must die

and be ready for a new body; and to die you must be born;

and without love you may not be born; and this is all the

Magicks.