The Silver Wand and True Love's Ring

Or King Horn's Ring

By Morgan Blaylock, Ph.D.

The Silver Wand and True Love's Ring are a linked pair of ancient artifacts found in English myths and sung about in ballads. See, for example, the Ballad of Hind Horn (Child, Francis J. The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. (C17)) and the story of King Horn's Ring. The artifacts form a pair, and must be used together to have the power attributed in myth. Over the years, many have tried to use the ring without the wand or the wand without the ring to no avail, and thus, have mistakenly decided that the items held no power.
The Silver Wand:
Believed to be one of the three silver "wands of power" (the others being the silver wand of transformation and Queen Mab's silver dream wand), this wand reputedly gives the bearer the power, under the right circumstances, to rule over a Kingdom or territory. In one documented case, the wand gave the bearer the ability to rule over all of Scotland. The silver wand is distinguishable from the other silver wands of power by the three singing "lavrocks" or larks on it's handle. Although believed to be figural, one account held that the lavrocks were living, singing birds in or on the handle.
The silver wand acts as a psychic conduit to True Love's Ring. So long as the wand is in the possession of the bearer, it will transmit an indication to the ring of the wand bearer's emotional attachment towards the ring wearer. Distance does not seem to matter.
True Love's Ring:
Accounts describing True Love's Ring differ as to its appearance. In one account the ring is made of gold, the color of which deepens or pales based on the wand bearer's feelings towards the ring wearer. See, for example, Childs Ballad 17H.

‘As lang’s this ring it keeps the hue,
Ye’ll know I am a lover true:
‘But when the ring turns pale and wan,
Ye’ll know I love another man.’
-Hind Horn 17H - The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, edited by Francis James Child

Other accounts describe the ring as having three or, alternately, seven diamonds that shine dim based on the wand bearer's level of love interest in the ring wearer, like some kind of long distance mood ring. See, for example, Childs Ballads 17A or 17B.
In the early part of the last century, Dr. Alfred Aldrich hypothesized in his article "Wand and Ring" [citation omitted] that, based on its various different descriptions, True Love's Ring is not just one ring, but is actually several different rings, each having the same properties and each working with a different silver wand.
Creation:
The magical properties of the objects imply an elvish origin. However, the use of the ring to monitor the fidelity of a partner is not very elf-like, as jealousy is not typically an elvish sentiment. It is more likely that the Wand and Ring were commissioned from the elves by a human of high rank and/or great wealth, due to the money and power that would be required for such a commission.
Location:
Locations for the Wand and Ring are currently unknown. It is likely that the objects became separated from one another and, having no power apart, languish mislabeled in some museum's antiquities collection or the hands of a private collector.

‘I gave my love a silver wand;
That was to rule oure all Scotland.'
‘My love gave me a gay gowd ring;
That was to rule abune a’ thing.’
‘As lang as that ring keeps new in hue,
Ye may ken that your love loves you.
‘But whan that ring turns pale and wan,
Ye may ken that your love loves anither man.’
-Hind Horn 17G - The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, edited by Francis James Child

Item type

Magical