Through the long summer in to autumn the Green Man has grown old and has weakened. Now he is the autumnal Summer King. He has ruled the light half of the year as the May Queen's consort but as she has now turned into the Cailleach his time is coming to an end.

At Samhuinn he will meet and battle the Winter King. He takes the role of the Goloshan in the combat play - the hero who dies and is reborn. This will be his last night to reign over the Summer Court - as the season turns his time ends.

 

Dressed in black and deer skins, crowned with antlers and holly leaves he is the dark horned Winter King. He brings quarterstaff, sword and fireball to fight the King of Summer for the hand of the Cailleach. He leads the Winter Court to attack the Summer revels and as inevitably as the dark nights and the coming snow and ice they defeat the Summer. At Samhuinn, as the Cailleach begins her winter reign, he takes his place by her side.