The Woodcraft Folk - The Creed

The Creed

Woodcraft Folk's creed is traditionally said at the beginning of any group night or formal meeting. Each person raises their right hand and says in unison:

This shall be for a bond between us,
That we are of one blood you and I;
That we shall cry peace to all,
And claim kinship with every living thing;
That we hate War, Sloth and Greed,
And love fellowship.
And that we shall go singing to the fashioning of a new world.
PEACE

There is an alternative to this, usually recited in younger groups such as Elfins (6-9). The words to this are as follows:

We will do our best to be healthy and happy,
To care for the world and everything in it.
We will work with our friends in Woodcraft Folk
To build a fair and peaceful world for everyone.
PEACE.

Another alternative used during the 1970s for the Elfin Creed was:

I will grow strong and straight - like the pine;
Supple of limb - like the hare;
Keen of eye like the eagle;
I will seek health from the greenwood,
Skill from crafts,
And wisdom from those who will show me wisdom.
I will be a worthy comrade in the Green Company,
And a loyal member of the World Family.

Venturers

For these things shall I strive;
A keen eye;
A seeing hand;
A body that fails not;
An arm that is strong and willing to serve;
A mind that yearns to understand;
A spirit that searches for the truth and loves the silent places;
A heart that is courageous and bears goodwill to all.

At the end of camps everyone will link hands and sing the closing song:

Link your hands together
A circle we make;
This bond of our friendship
No power can break.
Let's all sing together
In one merry throng;
Should any be weary
We'll help them along;
Should any be weary
We'll help them along.

Let us then laugh lightly
If sadness should fall,
May joyouse laughter
Spring from us all,
Helping each other
We'll lighten the load,
Arms linked with comrades
We travel the road.

Let us march together
With firm step and strong,
As out from the darkeness
We all go along,
All sorrow is banished
We march to the light,
Link your hands together,
We're strong in our might.
PEACE

Until relatively recently the creed ended with a cry of 'How' rather than 'Peace'. This has been changed because the pseudo-Native American origin (with the patronising attitude implicit in its use) of the word 'How' does not match Woodcraft's policy of respect for other cultures.

Another alternative ending to group meetings involved the Folkmarshal and the Herald exchanging the following:

Folkmarshal:
Now the time has come when we must part and go our ways to our workshops and our desks.
May we remember the joys of kinship and look forward to our reunion.
Peace and Goodwill to all men.
Herald! Proclaim ye the law.

Herald:
List, O Woodcraft Folk, for it is the Law of Fellowship I proclaim.
Learne to grow strong like the pine.
Keep yourself supple and clean,
Read the great book of nature, be hearty, happy and kean.
Work when there is work to be done, be helpful to all those in need,
Be faithful and true to your word, and our in thought, word and deed.
I have spoken.

Folkmarshal:
Go ye your ways, and may the Spirit of Woodcraft Help you in all your works,
Be ye loyal to our cause and faithful to your fellow men.
Be strong! Live Kindly! Love the Sun and Follow The Trail!
I have spoken.

This would usually be followed by the campfire carol or other appropriate song.