Moon tea
Moon tea or tansy tea is a type of herbal tea used in the Seven Kingdoms, as well as beyond the Wall, to prevent or abort pregnancies.
Moon tea is made generally by maesters and woods witches out of tansy, mint, wormwood, a spoon of honey, and a drop of pennyroyal.[1][2]
Contents
History
A woods witch showed Asha Greyjoy how to brew moon tea after she lost her virginity to a Lysene sailor.[3]
Recent Events
A Storm of Swords
Lady Ravella Smallwood refers to it as tansy tea, and indicates that milkmaids across the riverlands have been drinking it thanks to Tom of Sevenstreams.[4]
Lady Lysa Arryn reveals to her new husband, Lord Petyr Baelish, that her late father Hoster Tully, Lord Paramount of the Trident, had her unknowingly consume moon tea to abort Petyr's child when they were younger.[1]
A Feast for Crows
Princess Arianne Martell consumes moon tea during her romance with Ser Arys Oakheart.[5]
Queen Regent Cersei Lannister believes that Queen Margaery Tyrell's requesting of moon tea from Grand Maester Pycelle is evidence that Margaery has a secret lover.[6]
Quotes
If Ygritte does not want a child, she will go to some woods witch and drink a cup o' moon tea. You do not come into it, once the seed is planted.[2]
- Tormund Giantsbane to Jon Snow
- Lysa Arryn to Petyr Baelish
Women only drank moon tea for one reason; maidens had no need for it at all.[6]
- thoughts of Cersei Lannister
Behind the Scenes
Moon tea is based on natural abortifactants. According to George R. R. Martin, he added some fantasy touches, as the actual recipe can be very dangerous, and should not be tried in real life.[7]
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 80, Sansa VII.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 15, Jon II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 11, The Kraken's Daughter.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 22, Arya IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 13, The Soiled Knight.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 39, Cersei IX.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: A Myriad of Questions (March 27, 2002)