All Hallows Eve

Written By: George L. Avery

Along a little used path, in God's humble wood,
Lived a woodsman whom was nothing unless good.
He hadn't any neighbors, for no persons lived near,
And he was quite happy ... year after year.
He'd built his cabin on the wood's highest ground,
Where he could gaze out on the wild forest around.
He planted a garden ... pulled fish from the streams,
And ... indeed ... he was living the life of his dreams.

He was glad there were no people, to borrow or steal,
Bringing their hustle and bustle, and their fervor and zeal.
But as Time passed by him, and brought with it change,
He, at first, saw the smoke and thought it was strange.
But the next morning, when the smoke had not gone,
He tightened up his shoelaces and set out alone.
He made the short journey to the edge of his wood,
And found he had neighbors, for a new cabin stood.

Egad! What misfortune! Was this the start of a trend?
You'd have thought his world had come to an end.
The woodsman leaned back against a tree with a sigh,
And then hurried away, with tears dimming his eye.
Soon's he got home, the very first chore that he done,
Was the posting of signs that read:
VISITORS NOT WELCOME ...
and... LEAVE ME ALONE
And that's why the new pilgrims felt unwelcome, if you will,
To climb up and hobnob with their neighbor on the hill.

More families arrived, until a neighborhood sprang,
And for each new chimney top, the woodsman suffered a pang.
Soon ... rumors were whispered, ones that bode him ill will:
"There's a wicked old woodsman who lives on the hill."
"He eats little children ... He's got horns on his head."
"He's a ghost. He's a ghoul. He's the walking undead."
Small children would awaken in the night with a cry,
Fearing the evil woodsman was skulking nearby.

And each waning October, on the Halloween of the year,
Those dressed like a woodsman instilled the most fear.
As kids in costume, along pathways did spill,
Not one dared call on the dark house on the hill.
And the woodsman oft wondered why there was a light
Above the porch of each house, on so common a night.
And then the good children ... they saw a sight to believe,
A lantern was burning above the Woodsmans' porch eve.

They gawked. They whispered. They pointed. They stared.
But no one would go there ... all were too scared.
Their bags filled with cookies, apples and mints,
Till the porch lights extinguished as inventories were spent.
Then homeward they straggled, as nothing more could be gained,
For in all the neighborhood, only one porch light remained.
But ... one small trick or treater clinging tight on their heels,
Had got nothing but crumbs, empty wrappers, and peels.

Quite slowly she followed ... feeling just how unfair,
That she should be left out ... and no one else care.
Though she mustered bravely, and her tears barely showed,
Her heart wrenching sobs, could be heard on the road.
But in the downtrodden, hope will oftentimes shimmer,
And this night, on a hill, she spied a small glimmer.
This little ghost recognized her one chance to succeed,
And she hastened up the hill at ghostlike speed.

She paused at the cabin door and wiped at her tears,
With a longing that outweighed even her darkest fears.
The woodsman was alarmed by the knock on his door,
For indeed, such a thing had never happened before.
He grasped the doorknob and opened it a bit,
And ... gasped! ... and fell back, as if he'd been hit.
There on the doors stoop, in all it's white splendor,
Stood a ghost or, at the least, a pretty good pretender.

The woodsman could barely hear for the ringing in his ears:
"Twick or Tweat!" said the spectre, holding back its tears.
And the child thrust forth her satchel, in a form of appeal,
Her little hands trembling, in a gesture of goodwill.
"What's this you seek?" Asked the woodsman.
"I'll comply if I must. I'll do what I can."
"Twick or Tweat," replied the child. "You got any kandy for me?"
"Oh dear me," answered the woodsman. "Perhaps I do. Let me see."

He made haste to comply, lest he should anger his guest.
He knew, after all, his homemade confection was simply the best.
"I have candy," said the woodsman. "But first you must agree,
If I give you a bag full, you'll bring no mischief on me."
The little child laughed. "I'm a fwiendly ghost ... tee hee heee."
"So I agwee. I pwomise to wet you wiv if you give me kandy."
And off she tromped homeward, her satchel filled with sweets,
As the confused woodsman watched her merry retreat.

'Why, I've never seen such a thing in all my born days,"
"But I find so very little in my old age to amaze."
Soon, down in the township, a light flickered on,
Then another, and another, and so forth and so on.
And a bustling arose, and little creatures poured forth,
And they aimed for the hill, like a needle pointing North.
There was a monster, a ghost, and a little fairy princess;
A woodsman, a werewolf, and a hippo in a dress;

Ali Babba, Kubla Khan, Robin Hood and John;
Tiny Tim, Captain Hook, and a glowing skeleton.
Can you imagine how different it was from before,
When the woodsman answered this knock at his door?
"Twick or Tweat! Twick or Tweat!
Give us something good to eat!"
And yes ... they patiently waited as he prepared a batch of sweets,
And believe me he was relieved, when the last one left his door.
"I'll keep cooking," said he. "They might come back wanting more."

But oddly ... as mysteriously as they had come ... they had gone,
And though the woodsman was prepared, he was left quite alone.
At long last he went outside and gazed out on the town.
"I wonder if they know there are creatures roaming round?"
But as he asked the question, the last light twinkled out,
So he snuffed out his own lantern and turned himself about.
OOPS! ... He bumped into someone...and got quite a scare,
For a dark-hooded ghoul was standing ... right THERE!
"Elijah," spoke The Grim Reaper and it spoke nothing more.
It merely stood, blocking the passageway of his front door.
"Aye," answered the woodsman. "I know what you wish ...
... and if you'll please step inside, I'll prepare you a dish."
He walked past The Reaper, carelessly brushing him aside,
And brought forth his confections with an air of self pride.
"Now taste this...and tell me if it isn't the best...
...of any confection ever put to the test."

Strange as it was, it gets stranger still ...
and ... if you don't believe me, you later on will.
The woodsman stopped The Reaper, as he showed him to the door:
"When ye've et up that batch, come on back, I'll cook ye' up some more."
And the Grim Reaper clutched the satchel ... and nodded assent,
Then ... smacking his fingers ... he obligingly went.
Each Halloween night it is forever the same,
The Grim Reaper appears in the doorway and calls out his name.

That all happened long ago ... and some folks claim it isn't true,
But I'll share with you ... a secret ... just between me and you.
I have here some candy ... and maybe you've guessed,
It's perhaps the best confection ever put to the test.
So come on along ... ye' oddly dressed moblins,
Ye'll soon see I ain't scarefied of no Witches nor Goblins.
Call if ye' see the lantern lit ...
... at the old house on top o' the hill,
... It might just be that ...
... Ol' Elijah ...
The Woodsman ... is living here still

On
ALL HALLOWS EVE

THE END

10/28/01



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If you enjoyed this tale, then you will also enjoy reading my other Halloween story: Little Red and the TROLL in the Woods