Some men are so blinded that they bring
Their offerings to an earth-fast stone,
And eke to trees, and to well springs,
Even as witches teach.
And will not understand
How foolishly they act,
Or how the dead stone or the dumb tree can
Help or give then health,
When they themselves stir not
Sume men synd ablende thaet hi bringath heora lac
to eorrdfaestum stane and eac to treowum
and to wylsprimgum swa swa wiccan taecath
and nellath understandan hu stuntlice hi doth
odde hu se deada stan othe thaet dumbe treow
him maege gehelpan othe haele forgifan
thone hi sylfe ne astyriath of thaere stowe naefre.
Aelfric
Just one of a number of early Christian warnings against the continuing heathen worship of stones, trees and sacred springs. The latter were soon turned into holy wells of course.
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