Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello, and welcome to Realized Children's Story Hour. As a reminder,
Realize a reading service intended for people who are blind
or have other disabilities that make it difficult to read
printed material. Today we will be reading from various books
on Halloween. Your reader today is Diane. Our first book
(00:23):
is called Bertie's Happiest Halloween and it was published by
Little Brown and Company. It has a copyright year of
twenty sixteen and the author is Sue Jeanne rim.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Bertie loved the fall.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
There were so many things to do, like watching the
leaves change color, apple picking with Mommy and Monster, wearing
big fuzzy sweaters, and playing touch football with her friends.
But Bertie's most favorite thing about fall was Halloween. She
loved trigger treating and carving pumpkins, and she especially loved dress.
(01:00):
One year she dressed up as a robot. Another year
she was a mummy princess. It was so much fun
being anything she wanted to be. Everyone was excited for Halloween.
I'm going to be a superhero, said Coco. I'm going
as Confume Master, cheered for Red to Coke, a Baseball
(01:21):
Hall of Famer, cried Byron a juggling monkey, said, Eve,
I'm going to be Elvis, exclaimed Charlie, what are you
going to be?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Bertie?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But Bertie didn't know yet and she'd be too worry
if she ever would, Monster had some ideas. The next day,
on the way to pick out their pumpkin, Bertie, Mommy
and Monster walked by a museum. Look, there's a new exhibit,
and Mommy said, oh, can we go in? Bertie asked,
maybe I'll get some ideas for my Halloween costume. Mommy agreed,
(01:55):
great idea, sweetheart. The museum can be full of it
inspiration whoa and it was looked at all the historic
figures Joan of Arc, the French heroine, Neil Armstrong, first
person to walk the moon, Amelia Earhart, first woman to
fly across the Atlantic, Betsy Ross, maker of the first
(02:18):
American flag, Albert Einstein, a physicist, William Shakespeare of playwright,
George Washington, the first President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln,
the sixteenth President of the United States, Leonardo da Vinci,
artist inventor, intellectual, Martin Luther King, junior minister, humanitarian, civil
(02:41):
rights activist. Sandra Dale O'Connor, first female US Supreme Court justice,
Eleanor Roosevelt, first Lady of the United States nineteen thirty
three to nineteen forty five, a humanitarian. Later at the
pumpkin patch, Bertie asked, Mommy, can I really be anything
that I want to be? Absolutely, Mommy assured her, and
(03:05):
I can't wait to see what you decide. Over the
next few days, Bertie enjoyed the colorful fallen leaves, eight
candy apples, and even scored the winning touchdown, but she
never stopped thinking about Halloween. She imagined herself in different costumes,
or if she was an astronaut like Neil Armstrong, or
(03:27):
how about a physicist like Albert Einstein? What about a
Supreme Court justice like Sandra Day O'Connor. Bertie liked these ideas,
but they didn't feel quite right. On the night before Halloween,
as Bertie finished carving her pumpkin, she had an historic idea.
She knew just what she wanted to be. On Halloween Day, Charlie, Coco,
(03:52):
and Farico met even Byron outside to go trigger treating.
They all looked for Bertie and there she was. It's
the first Late of the United States, said Charlie, what
a great costume.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Oh, I'm not the first.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Lady Bertie declared, I am the President. Together the Juggling Monkey,
the Superhero, the kung Fu Master, the Baseball Hall of
Famer Elvis and the President went off to celebrate Halloween
and they had the best time ever being just too
they wanted to be trick or treat. Our next stories
(04:31):
called pet On, Poppy and the Spooky Halloween, and it
was published by green Light Readers, an imprint of Hooton
Mifflin Hardcourt. It has a copywriter of twenty fourteen and
the author of the book is Lisa Klowe.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
I will spook pedal.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Woo ahh it's me Poppy. See you are spooky. It
is only a costume, but it's still me. See where is.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Your party costume? I do not have one.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Everyone wears a costume, not me. I'm a scaredy cat.
You do not have to wear a scary costume. Can
I be a butterfly?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (05:17):
We can make queens now egg glitter, lots of glitter
ready to go. Yes, a perfect night. All the goals
are out. Do not be a scaredy cat. They are
only costumes. Hoo pop oh, oh, what will we do?
(05:37):
Maybe someone in there can help in that spooky house.
Do not be such a scary cat. Knock knock, hello,
anybody home? They must not hear us. We have a flat.
This place is too spooky for me. Way here, I
will find help. Hurry back. I hope there is nothing
scary in there. I hope there is nothing scared area
(06:00):
out here. Hello, gah, wish wish wishweez was there? Renal
rental plank dunder dum Oh. I'm not a scaredy cat.
Boo is only a costume. Why what are you doing
(06:20):
in here? My friend went to get help.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I can help. Hmm, goa a monster clang pedal.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
His house really is haunted a ghost Boo. We fixed
the tire. Great time to get out of here. Hop on,
bye bye. Are we still going to the party. I'm
too scared. Don't be a scary cat. It's only a
costume here. You do not have to wear a scary costume.
You can be a butterfly. I will be a monster.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Ha ha, it is still me boo.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Their only costumes. Our next book is titled Happy Halloween
Mittens and it was published by Harper, an imprint of
Harper Collins Publishers. It has a copywriter of twenty ten
and it was written.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
By Lola M. Schaeffer.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Nick is getting ready for Halloween. Mintons wants to help.
Nick paints spooky faces. Mittens paint's faces too. Oh, Mintons
says Nick, you are not helping. Nick puts up a
spooky cobweb. Mittens puts up a cobweb too.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Oops. The cobweb falls down on Mittens.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Oh. Mittens says Nick, you are not helping. Nick makes
spooky cookies. Mitten makes cookies too.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Mintens says Nick, you are not helping at all. Mittens
runs away. Minton licks and licks and licks. Soon he
is quean and fluffy. Minton still wants to help. Mittens
finds Nick on the porch. Nick hangs a ghost. The
ghost blows in the wind. This ghost is not spooky,
(08:12):
says Nick. I don't know what to do. Nick watches
the ghost. Mittens watches the ghost too. He jumps up.
The ghost blows past Minton's Mitten's bats. The ghost scratch
Minton's bast bats. The ghost again, scratch scratch. Mittens moves away.
(08:33):
A spooky ghost blows in the wind. Thank you for helping, Mittens,
says Nick. Now we are ready for Halloween, Boo mew.
Our next book is titled The Story of Halloween and
it was published by Harper Collins Publishers, has a copyright
(08:57):
year of two thousand and four and.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
The author is Carol Green.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Grinning jackal lanterns, crowds of clowns, monsters, fairy princesses, and
space travelers. Tramping through, crunching leaves, a chili breeze, tickling
the back of your neck.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Coruses of voices.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yelling trick or treat and candy, lots of candy. That's Halloween.
Ghosts and singers. Hilltop fires blazing against a black velvet sky.
Murmured prayers in old graveyard. That's Halloween too. The way
it used to be the Story of Halloween begins over
two thousand years ago. At that time, people known as
(09:38):
Celts lived in Great Britain, Ireland and northern France. October
thirty first was the last of the year for them.
They called it Salin, which means summer's end on Salmon.
The Celts thanked the sun for their hearts and honored
it with fire ceremony. Each household put out the fire
(09:58):
it had used for more than cooking during the previous year.
The priests called druids, rubbing dry oak branches together until
they made sparks. The druids then use these sparks to
like huge bonfires on nearby hills. Later, the head of
each household would take embers from one of the bonfires
home to start a new fire. The Celts believed that
(10:20):
their new fires born from the bon embers would protect
their homes during the coming year, but on Salin itself
they counted on the bonfires for special protection. On Salin,
they believe the ghost of everyone who died during the
past year came back with elves, fairies, and other scary creatures.
(10:42):
No one wanted to fill a ghostly hand touch them
as they slept. No one wanted an elf to snatch
their hair on a faery or a fairy to sour
their milk. So they let the bonfires burn bright and
hoped that so much light would frighten the spoops away.
In ad for three the Romans conquered the Celts. The
Romans held different beliefs, but they also celebrated a harvest
(11:05):
ceremony around October thirty first. Their feast honored Pomona, their
Goddess the fruits. Since the Romans had just finished harvesting
apples and nuts from the trees, they offered some of
each to Pomona. This was their way of saying thank
you and of encouraging Pomona to give them a good
crop again the next year. Of course, the Romans ate
(11:28):
some of the apples and nuts too, but they also
used them to tell the future. And the years that followed,
Christian missionaries came to the Celts and told them about
a different God. Gradually, the cells S accepted their ideas,
until Christianity became the main religion of Great Britain in
the age seven hundreds, the Roman Catholic Church decided that
(11:48):
November one would be All Saints Day or All Hallows
Holy Ones Day, a time to remember and honor special
people have died. On the evening before All Hollows Eve,
which was shortened to Halloween, people visited cemeteries and prayed
for loved ones buried there. But people in Great Britain
still held on to some of their old ideas. Many,
(12:11):
especially those who lived in the country, continued to believe
that scoops wandered around. On October thirty, first bothering their
crops and animals. So they went on burning bonfires, telling
scary stories, eating nuts and apples, and playing a game called.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Bobbing for apples.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
In some parts of England, folks wandered from house to
house begging for soad cakes, which were currant buns, or
a penny. At least, they sang, if you haven't got
a penny, half a penny will do. If you haven't
got half a penny, then God bless you. Not all
of these old time trick or treaters wanted soad cakes
or pennies. However, some would rather make mischief. They traveled
(12:51):
in groups, walking up their neighbor's stores or covering their
chimneys so the smoke would stay in sight. Often they
wore masks so their neighbors wouldn't know who they were,
just as trigger treaders often do today, and if someone complained,
they just said, oh, the spirits did it. Folks in
Ireland also held onto some of the old traditions. Groups
(13:12):
of people traveled from house to house asking for food
and money, sometimes for the poor and sometimes for themselves.
They promised good luck for the generous and trouble for
the stingy. But while some did all this in the
name of Saint Columba, a Christian monk, others did it
for muck.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Halla, a druid god.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Instead of using regular lanterns to light up their all
hollows Eve activities, the Irish often hollowed out large turnips,
rude begos, and potatoes. Then they carved ugly faces into
the vegetables and stuck candles inside. The people of Great
Britain remember the old custom of fortune telling on Halloween.
(13:53):
They still believed that the world of the spirits came
closer to the world of the living at that time
than any others, and just maybe they thought those spirits
would help them learn what lay in their future. In Ireland,
people ate cal Canyon, a mixture of mashed potatoes, parsnips
and onions. Hidden in the food were four objects. Whoever
(14:14):
got the ring would be married that year, whoever got
the little China doll would have children, the finder of
the thimble would never marry, and the finder of the
coin would get rich. Others use apples to tell their futures.
They would toss the whole hill over their left shoulder,
and when it landed, whatever initial it appeared to form
would be that of a person they would marry. In
(14:37):
eighteen forty, the potato crops failed in Ireland. Potatoes who
are a big part of the Irish diet. Without them,
many people didn't have enough to eat. Thousands of them
decided to flee to the United States to begin new lives,
but the Irish also brought with them many old traditions
from their former lives, including those of Halloween. After that,
(14:58):
more and more Americans began to see celebrate Halloween.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
One story the.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Irish brought to the United States told of a man
from long ago named Jack.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Jack was not a good man.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
He drank too much, and he wouldn't share anything with anyone.
Jack's sustingiust man around folks said. Everyone knew Jack wouldn't
get into heaven, but after he placed some dirty tricks
on the devil, he couldn't get into hell either. All
he could do was wander around the dark. Eventually, even
the devil felt sorry for Jack. He gave Jack a
(15:29):
glowing coal so he could see where he was going.
Jack stuck it into a carved turnip, and that became
his lantern or Jack O' lantern. American substitute a local vegetable,
the pumpkin for Jack's turnip. There were plenty of pumpkins
around in late October. They were easier to carve than
they looked just right grinning on Halloween. By the end
(15:51):
of the eighteen hundreds of people all across America were
celebrating Halloween. They especially liked trick or treating, a tradition
that came partly from the Irish went around and masked,
asking for food and money, and partly from the English,
who asked for soap, cakes and pennies. Some mischievous Americans
ignored the trees and just played tricks. Their neighbors might
(16:12):
wake up on November first to find their windows soaked,
their hay wagon on the roof, or their pigs shut
up in the outhouse, and if someone complained, they just heard, oh,
the goblins did it. Americans also fell in love with
costumes as part of Halloween, an idea that might have
come from several different places.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Some Irish wanderers.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Wore masks, and sometimes boys dressed like girls and girls
like boys. In England, people wore costumes for Guy Fox Day,
a holiday on November fifth, and hundreds of years before
Americans ever heard of Halloween, Europeans she used to hope
parades around their churches on All Hollows Day, when some
people dressed as saints, angels, or devils. Maybe American trick
(16:55):
or treers just decided to dress up as ghosts, which is,
goblins and other fright in creatures because they were still
frightening even after so many years. After all, a big
part of Halloween today continues to be acting scary or scared. Unfortunately,
some plankasters did real damage with their tricks. They broke
street lights, slash car tires, and even set fires. People
(17:18):
used to be afraid of spooky creatures on Halloween. Now
they had to be afraid of other humans, and it
was no longer safe for young children to go trick
or treating. Community leaders talked about the problem. They knew
how much people loved Halloween. They didn't want to stop
celebrating it, but they had to do something to make
it safer, especially for children. Soon, different communities came up
(17:40):
with different solutions, and some everybody who wanted to march
in one big parade. In others, schools, parks and shopping
areas held smaller parades for children They often gave prizes
for the best costumes. Some store owners cleverly figured out
how to stop children from soaping other people's windows. They
had children draw Halloween picks and enter them in a contest.
(18:02):
The winners could then color their pictures on big store windows.
In nineteen fifty, a group of Sunday school children near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
collected seventeen dollars while trigger treating. They decided to send
the money to the United Nations Children Fund UNICEF, which
helps pouring stick children around the world. Other people felt
(18:23):
this was a great idea. Now, millions of children in
the United States trigger treat for UNISSEF, Some get money
and candy. They take the money to collection centers where
adults give them a party that Ironshod collected food and
money for the poor centuries ago would be proud of
these children. Today, Halloween parties have become another way to
(18:45):
celebrate in the United States, and once again, some of
the traditions.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Go way back.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Bobbing for apples in a tub of water and eating
candy apples bring to mind the ancient Romans and their
Goddess of fruits. Pomona, ghosts and other creatures that frighten
the celts show up his costumes and decorations. Today, so
do creatures such as owls, bats and spiders, which scared
people want to go because they come out at night.
A cheerful jacqueline in someone's front window is the descendant
(19:13):
of a ruta baga, turn up or potato on long Ago, Ireland.
And when someone begins telling spooky stories at a Halloween party,
here she is doing the same thing others did in
Great Britain hundreds of years ago. A cloudy October night,
no moon, no stars. The dog barks, and you step
outside for her. It's chili. Suddenly something brushes against your face.
(19:37):
Is it a ghost or just a spiderweb? You shudder?
The dog barks again. Now you see them, horrible grinning
faces coming towards you. No, they're just a bunch of
carved out vegetables with lights in sight. But who are
the people in masks carrying them? Why they're your neighbors
collecting food and money. Now everyone is talking and laughing.
(19:58):
The dog is wagging his tell you give your visitors
some coins and apples, lots of apples. Whatever year it is,
Happy Halloween. Her next book is called How to Scare
a Ghost a spooky how to book and it was
published by Alfred A. Knoff has a copyright year of
(20:21):
twenty eighteen and the author of our story is Jeane Reagan.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Do you want to scare a ghost?
Speaker 1 (20:30):
The easiest, spookiest time to try is Halloween. First, you
have to find one. How to attract a ghost high,
scarecrows in your yard, Tangle up the porch, carved creepy pumpkins.
No ghost shit, Keep your eyes wide open while you
do more Halloween things, even at school. Ghosts can't resist
(20:51):
bobbing for apples, cupcakes, games, glitter.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Still no luck.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Don't give up. Try one last trick. Makes scary sounds?
Which is he he and als woo in eerie ghostly boo?
Yes you found one. But is the ghost real or
just a kid in a costume? How to tell if
(21:19):
a ghost is real. Instead of walking, ghosts float, They
never ever open doors. Ghosts are only visible to kids
and cats, not to grown ups, not to dogs. Okay,
your ghost is real. Time to get scary. Pop out
with your most frightening face, make a gigantic monster shadow.
(21:41):
Read spooky creepy stories. Your ghosts might say ghosts aren't
scared of anything.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Except room room, who are too scary.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Help your ghosts calm down with a cup of warmsighter
room room, promise no more scary, and instead play together.
How to play with a ghost take trs writing, piggyback,
we put on a magic show. Scare other people, just
a teeny bit. What not to play with a ghost
(22:16):
seesaw when a ghost plops down and doesn't even budge.
Jumping on a trampoline, yep, not bounce, hide and seek.
Ghosts are too good at hiding. It's almost time to
trick or treat. Your ghost probably wants a costume too.
How to choose a costume. Be your favorite thing, a
soccer ball, a sparkling red robot, a banana split, be
(22:39):
something scary, a skeleton, a witch, a vacuum cleaner.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Team up together and be a traffic light.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Remember, a ghost in a costume can be seen by everyone.
But don't worry. Your parents will just think you made
a new friend. Ghosts know nothing about trick or treating,
so share your tips.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
How to trick or treat. Don't go through doors knocking
you out.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Trick or treat, then say as fast as you can
Thank you very much, goodbye, and zoom to the next house.
Remind your ghosts not to float too highe now wish
everyone happy Hollowen. Our next story is called Happy Halloween
Witch's Cat and it was published by Harper and Imprint
(23:25):
of HarperCollins Publishers. It has a copyright year of twenty
fifteen and the author is Harriet Moncaster. My mom is
a witch and I am our special witch's cat. She's
a good witch, and together we are just right. Halloween
is coming. Well, what will I be?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
A green frog too slimy.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Maybe a silver skeleton too bony? How about a pink
ballerina too freely for a black vampire tooth feet, a
yellow mummy too tangly, an orange.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Pumpkin too smiley?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
I know, a white ghost too spooky. Nothing feels right,
so we go home for supper just before bed. I
have the best idea of all, Mam. I say, I
will be a witch and you can be my special
Witch's Cat. This concludes our children's story ire for today.
(24:31):
Please join us next time as we will read more stories,
fables and fairy tales. Thank you for listening, and please
stay tuned for the lex and Hair leader on radio
I
Hello, and welcome to Realized Children's Story Hour. As a reminder,
Realize a reading service intended for people who are blind
or have other disabilities that make it difficult to read
printed material. Today we will be reading from various books
on Halloween. Your reader today is Diane. Our first book
(00:23):
is called Bertie's Happiest Halloween and it was published by
Little Brown and Company. It has a copyright year of
twenty sixteen and the author is Sue Jeanne rim.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Bertie loved the fall.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
There were so many things to do, like watching the
leaves change color, apple picking with Mommy and Monster, wearing
big fuzzy sweaters, and playing touch football with her friends.
But Bertie's most favorite thing about fall was Halloween. She
loved trigger treating and carving pumpkins, and she especially loved dress.
(01:00):
One year she dressed up as a robot. Another year
she was a mummy princess. It was so much fun
being anything she wanted to be. Everyone was excited for Halloween.
I'm going to be a superhero, said Coco. I'm going
as Confume Master, cheered for Red to Coke, a Baseball
(01:21):
Hall of Famer, cried Byron a juggling monkey, said, Eve,
I'm going to be Elvis, exclaimed Charlie, what are you
going to be?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Bertie?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But Bertie didn't know yet and she'd be too worry
if she ever would, Monster had some ideas. The next day,
on the way to pick out their pumpkin, Bertie, Mommy
and Monster walked by a museum. Look, there's a new exhibit,
and Mommy said, oh, can we go in? Bertie asked,
maybe I'll get some ideas for my Halloween costume. Mommy agreed,
(01:55):
great idea, sweetheart. The museum can be full of it
inspiration whoa and it was looked at all the historic
figures Joan of Arc, the French heroine, Neil Armstrong, first
person to walk the moon, Amelia Earhart, first woman to
fly across the Atlantic, Betsy Ross, maker of the first
(02:18):
American flag, Albert Einstein, a physicist, William Shakespeare of playwright,
George Washington, the first President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln,
the sixteenth President of the United States, Leonardo da Vinci,
artist inventor, intellectual, Martin Luther King, junior minister, humanitarian, civil
(02:41):
rights activist. Sandra Dale O'Connor, first female US Supreme Court justice,
Eleanor Roosevelt, first Lady of the United States nineteen thirty
three to nineteen forty five, a humanitarian. Later at the
pumpkin patch, Bertie asked, Mommy, can I really be anything
that I want to be? Absolutely, Mommy assured her, and
(03:05):
I can't wait to see what you decide. Over the
next few days, Bertie enjoyed the colorful fallen leaves, eight
candy apples, and even scored the winning touchdown, but she
never stopped thinking about Halloween. She imagined herself in different costumes,
or if she was an astronaut like Neil Armstrong, or
(03:27):
how about a physicist like Albert Einstein? What about a
Supreme Court justice like Sandra Day O'Connor. Bertie liked these ideas,
but they didn't feel quite right. On the night before Halloween,
as Bertie finished carving her pumpkin, she had an historic idea.
She knew just what she wanted to be. On Halloween Day, Charlie, Coco,
(03:52):
and Farico met even Byron outside to go trigger treating.
They all looked for Bertie and there she was. It's
the first Late of the United States, said Charlie, what
a great costume.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Oh, I'm not the first.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Lady Bertie declared, I am the President. Together the Juggling Monkey,
the Superhero, the kung Fu Master, the Baseball Hall of
Famer Elvis and the President went off to celebrate Halloween
and they had the best time ever being just too
they wanted to be trick or treat. Our next stories
(04:31):
called pet On, Poppy and the Spooky Halloween, and it
was published by green Light Readers, an imprint of Hooton
Mifflin Hardcourt. It has a copywriter of twenty fourteen and
the author of the book is Lisa Klowe.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
I will spook pedal.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Woo ahh it's me Poppy. See you are spooky. It
is only a costume, but it's still me. See where is.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Your party costume? I do not have one.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Everyone wears a costume, not me. I'm a scaredy cat.
You do not have to wear a scary costume. Can
I be a butterfly?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (05:17):
We can make queens now egg glitter, lots of glitter
ready to go. Yes, a perfect night. All the goals
are out. Do not be a scaredy cat. They are
only costumes. Hoo pop oh, oh, what will we do?
(05:37):
Maybe someone in there can help in that spooky house.
Do not be such a scary cat. Knock knock, hello,
anybody home? They must not hear us. We have a flat.
This place is too spooky for me. Way here, I
will find help. Hurry back. I hope there is nothing
scary in there. I hope there is nothing scared area
(06:00):
out here. Hello, gah, wish wish wishweez was there? Renal
rental plank dunder dum Oh. I'm not a scaredy cat.
Boo is only a costume. Why what are you doing
(06:20):
in here? My friend went to get help.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I can help. Hmm, goa a monster clang pedal.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
His house really is haunted a ghost Boo. We fixed
the tire. Great time to get out of here. Hop on,
bye bye. Are we still going to the party. I'm
too scared. Don't be a scary cat. It's only a
costume here. You do not have to wear a scary costume.
You can be a butterfly. I will be a monster.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Ha ha, it is still me boo.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Their only costumes. Our next book is titled Happy Halloween
Mittens and it was published by Harper, an imprint of
Harper Collins Publishers. It has a copywriter of twenty ten
and it was written.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
By Lola M. Schaeffer.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Nick is getting ready for Halloween. Mintons wants to help.
Nick paints spooky faces. Mittens paint's faces too. Oh, Mintons
says Nick, you are not helping. Nick puts up a
spooky cobweb. Mittens puts up a cobweb too.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Oops. The cobweb falls down on Mittens.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Oh. Mittens says Nick, you are not helping. Nick makes
spooky cookies. Mitten makes cookies too.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Mintens says Nick, you are not helping at all. Mittens
runs away. Minton licks and licks and licks. Soon he
is quean and fluffy. Minton still wants to help. Mittens
finds Nick on the porch. Nick hangs a ghost. The
ghost blows in the wind. This ghost is not spooky,
(08:12):
says Nick. I don't know what to do. Nick watches
the ghost. Mittens watches the ghost too. He jumps up.
The ghost blows past Minton's Mitten's bats. The ghost scratch
Minton's bast bats. The ghost again, scratch scratch. Mittens moves away.
(08:33):
A spooky ghost blows in the wind. Thank you for helping, Mittens,
says Nick. Now we are ready for Halloween, Boo mew.
Our next book is titled The Story of Halloween and
it was published by Harper Collins Publishers, has a copyright
(08:57):
year of two thousand and four and.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
The author is Carol Green.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Grinning jackal lanterns, crowds of clowns, monsters, fairy princesses, and
space travelers. Tramping through, crunching leaves, a chili breeze, tickling
the back of your neck.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Coruses of voices.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yelling trick or treat and candy, lots of candy. That's Halloween.
Ghosts and singers. Hilltop fires blazing against a black velvet sky.
Murmured prayers in old graveyard. That's Halloween too. The way
it used to be the Story of Halloween begins over
two thousand years ago. At that time, people known as
(09:38):
Celts lived in Great Britain, Ireland and northern France. October
thirty first was the last of the year for them.
They called it Salin, which means summer's end on Salmon.
The Celts thanked the sun for their hearts and honored
it with fire ceremony. Each household put out the fire
(09:58):
it had used for more than cooking during the previous year.
The priests called druids, rubbing dry oak branches together until
they made sparks. The druids then use these sparks to
like huge bonfires on nearby hills. Later, the head of
each household would take embers from one of the bonfires
home to start a new fire. The Celts believed that
(10:20):
their new fires born from the bon embers would protect
their homes during the coming year, but on Salin itself
they counted on the bonfires for special protection. On Salin,
they believe the ghost of everyone who died during the
past year came back with elves, fairies, and other scary creatures.
(10:42):
No one wanted to fill a ghostly hand touch them
as they slept. No one wanted an elf to snatch
their hair on a faery or a fairy to sour
their milk. So they let the bonfires burn bright and
hoped that so much light would frighten the spoops away.
In ad for three the Romans conquered the Celts. The
Romans held different beliefs, but they also celebrated a harvest
(11:05):
ceremony around October thirty first. Their feast honored Pomona, their
Goddess the fruits. Since the Romans had just finished harvesting
apples and nuts from the trees, they offered some of
each to Pomona. This was their way of saying thank
you and of encouraging Pomona to give them a good
crop again the next year. Of course, the Romans ate
(11:28):
some of the apples and nuts too, but they also
used them to tell the future. And the years that followed,
Christian missionaries came to the Celts and told them about
a different God. Gradually, the cells S accepted their ideas,
until Christianity became the main religion of Great Britain in
the age seven hundreds, the Roman Catholic Church decided that
(11:48):
November one would be All Saints Day or All Hallows
Holy Ones Day, a time to remember and honor special
people have died. On the evening before All Hollows Eve,
which was shortened to Halloween, people visited cemeteries and prayed
for loved ones buried there. But people in Great Britain
still held on to some of their old ideas. Many,
(12:11):
especially those who lived in the country, continued to believe
that scoops wandered around. On October thirty, first bothering their
crops and animals. So they went on burning bonfires, telling
scary stories, eating nuts and apples, and playing a game called.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Bobbing for apples.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
In some parts of England, folks wandered from house to
house begging for soad cakes, which were currant buns, or
a penny. At least, they sang, if you haven't got
a penny, half a penny will do. If you haven't
got half a penny, then God bless you. Not all
of these old time trick or treaters wanted soad cakes
or pennies. However, some would rather make mischief. They traveled
(12:51):
in groups, walking up their neighbor's stores or covering their
chimneys so the smoke would stay in sight. Often they
wore masks so their neighbors wouldn't know who they were,
just as trigger treaders often do today, and if someone complained,
they just said, oh, the spirits did it. Folks in
Ireland also held onto some of the old traditions. Groups
(13:12):
of people traveled from house to house asking for food
and money, sometimes for the poor and sometimes for themselves.
They promised good luck for the generous and trouble for
the stingy. But while some did all this in the
name of Saint Columba, a Christian monk, others did it
for muck.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Halla, a druid god.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Instead of using regular lanterns to light up their all
hollows Eve activities, the Irish often hollowed out large turnips,
rude begos, and potatoes. Then they carved ugly faces into
the vegetables and stuck candles inside. The people of Great
Britain remember the old custom of fortune telling on Halloween.
(13:53):
They still believed that the world of the spirits came
closer to the world of the living at that time
than any others, and just maybe they thought those spirits
would help them learn what lay in their future. In Ireland,
people ate cal Canyon, a mixture of mashed potatoes, parsnips
and onions. Hidden in the food were four objects. Whoever
(14:14):
got the ring would be married that year, whoever got
the little China doll would have children, the finder of
the thimble would never marry, and the finder of the
coin would get rich. Others use apples to tell their futures.
They would toss the whole hill over their left shoulder,
and when it landed, whatever initial it appeared to form
would be that of a person they would marry. In
(14:37):
eighteen forty, the potato crops failed in Ireland. Potatoes who
are a big part of the Irish diet. Without them,
many people didn't have enough to eat. Thousands of them
decided to flee to the United States to begin new lives,
but the Irish also brought with them many old traditions
from their former lives, including those of Halloween. After that,
(14:58):
more and more Americans began to see celebrate Halloween.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
One story the.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Irish brought to the United States told of a man
from long ago named Jack.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Jack was not a good man.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
He drank too much, and he wouldn't share anything with anyone.
Jack's sustingiust man around folks said. Everyone knew Jack wouldn't
get into heaven, but after he placed some dirty tricks
on the devil, he couldn't get into hell either. All
he could do was wander around the dark. Eventually, even
the devil felt sorry for Jack. He gave Jack a
(15:29):
glowing coal so he could see where he was going.
Jack stuck it into a carved turnip, and that became
his lantern or Jack O' lantern. American substitute a local vegetable,
the pumpkin for Jack's turnip. There were plenty of pumpkins
around in late October. They were easier to carve than
they looked just right grinning on Halloween. By the end
(15:51):
of the eighteen hundreds of people all across America were
celebrating Halloween. They especially liked trick or treating, a tradition
that came partly from the Irish went around and masked,
asking for food and money, and partly from the English,
who asked for soap, cakes and pennies. Some mischievous Americans
ignored the trees and just played tricks. Their neighbors might
(16:12):
wake up on November first to find their windows soaked,
their hay wagon on the roof, or their pigs shut
up in the outhouse, and if someone complained, they just heard, oh,
the goblins did it. Americans also fell in love with
costumes as part of Halloween, an idea that might have
come from several different places.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Some Irish wanderers.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Wore masks, and sometimes boys dressed like girls and girls
like boys. In England, people wore costumes for Guy Fox Day,
a holiday on November fifth, and hundreds of years before
Americans ever heard of Halloween, Europeans she used to hope
parades around their churches on All Hollows Day, when some
people dressed as saints, angels, or devils. Maybe American trick
(16:55):
or treers just decided to dress up as ghosts, which is,
goblins and other fright in creatures because they were still
frightening even after so many years. After all, a big
part of Halloween today continues to be acting scary or scared. Unfortunately,
some plankasters did real damage with their tricks. They broke
street lights, slash car tires, and even set fires. People
(17:18):
used to be afraid of spooky creatures on Halloween. Now
they had to be afraid of other humans, and it
was no longer safe for young children to go trick
or treating. Community leaders talked about the problem. They knew
how much people loved Halloween. They didn't want to stop
celebrating it, but they had to do something to make
it safer, especially for children. Soon, different communities came up
(17:40):
with different solutions, and some everybody who wanted to march
in one big parade. In others, schools, parks and shopping
areas held smaller parades for children They often gave prizes
for the best costumes. Some store owners cleverly figured out
how to stop children from soaping other people's windows. They
had children draw Halloween picks and enter them in a contest.
(18:02):
The winners could then color their pictures on big store windows.
In nineteen fifty, a group of Sunday school children near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
collected seventeen dollars while trigger treating. They decided to send
the money to the United Nations Children Fund UNICEF, which
helps pouring stick children around the world. Other people felt
(18:23):
this was a great idea. Now, millions of children in
the United States trigger treat for UNISSEF, Some get money
and candy. They take the money to collection centers where
adults give them a party that Ironshod collected food and
money for the poor centuries ago would be proud of
these children. Today, Halloween parties have become another way to
(18:45):
celebrate in the United States, and once again, some of
the traditions.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Go way back.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Bobbing for apples in a tub of water and eating
candy apples bring to mind the ancient Romans and their
Goddess of fruits. Pomona, ghosts and other creatures that frighten
the celts show up his costumes and decorations. Today, so
do creatures such as owls, bats and spiders, which scared
people want to go because they come out at night.
A cheerful jacqueline in someone's front window is the descendant
(19:13):
of a ruta baga, turn up or potato on long Ago, Ireland.
And when someone begins telling spooky stories at a Halloween party,
here she is doing the same thing others did in
Great Britain hundreds of years ago. A cloudy October night,
no moon, no stars. The dog barks, and you step
outside for her. It's chili. Suddenly something brushes against your face.
(19:37):
Is it a ghost or just a spiderweb? You shudder?
The dog barks again. Now you see them, horrible grinning
faces coming towards you. No, they're just a bunch of
carved out vegetables with lights in sight. But who are
the people in masks carrying them? Why they're your neighbors
collecting food and money. Now everyone is talking and laughing.
(19:58):
The dog is wagging his tell you give your visitors
some coins and apples, lots of apples. Whatever year it is,
Happy Halloween. Her next book is called How to Scare
a Ghost a spooky how to book and it was
published by Alfred A. Knoff has a copyright year of
(20:21):
twenty eighteen and the author of our story is Jeane Reagan.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Do you want to scare a ghost?
Speaker 1 (20:30):
The easiest, spookiest time to try is Halloween. First, you
have to find one. How to attract a ghost high,
scarecrows in your yard, Tangle up the porch, carved creepy pumpkins.
No ghost shit, Keep your eyes wide open while you
do more Halloween things, even at school. Ghosts can't resist
(20:51):
bobbing for apples, cupcakes, games, glitter.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Still no luck.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Don't give up. Try one last trick. Makes scary sounds?
Which is he he and als woo in eerie ghostly boo?
Yes you found one. But is the ghost real or
just a kid in a costume? How to tell if
(21:19):
a ghost is real. Instead of walking, ghosts float, They
never ever open doors. Ghosts are only visible to kids
and cats, not to grown ups, not to dogs. Okay,
your ghost is real. Time to get scary. Pop out
with your most frightening face, make a gigantic monster shadow.
(21:41):
Read spooky creepy stories. Your ghosts might say ghosts aren't
scared of anything.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Except room room, who are too scary.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Help your ghosts calm down with a cup of warmsighter
room room, promise no more scary, and instead play together.
How to play with a ghost take trs writing, piggyback,
we put on a magic show. Scare other people, just
a teeny bit. What not to play with a ghost
(22:16):
seesaw when a ghost plops down and doesn't even budge.
Jumping on a trampoline, yep, not bounce, hide and seek.
Ghosts are too good at hiding. It's almost time to
trick or treat. Your ghost probably wants a costume too.
How to choose a costume. Be your favorite thing, a
soccer ball, a sparkling red robot, a banana split, be
(22:39):
something scary, a skeleton, a witch, a vacuum cleaner.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Team up together and be a traffic light.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Remember, a ghost in a costume can be seen by everyone.
But don't worry. Your parents will just think you made
a new friend. Ghosts know nothing about trick or treating,
so share your tips.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
How to trick or treat. Don't go through doors knocking
you out.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Trick or treat, then say as fast as you can
Thank you very much, goodbye, and zoom to the next house.
Remind your ghosts not to float too highe now wish
everyone happy Hollowen. Our next story is called Happy Halloween
Witch's Cat and it was published by Harper and Imprint
(23:25):
of HarperCollins Publishers. It has a copyright year of twenty
fifteen and the author is Harriet Moncaster. My mom is
a witch and I am our special witch's cat. She's
a good witch, and together we are just right. Halloween
is coming. Well, what will I be?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
A green frog too slimy.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Maybe a silver skeleton too bony? How about a pink
ballerina too freely for a black vampire tooth feet, a
yellow mummy too tangly, an orange.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Pumpkin too smiley?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
I know, a white ghost too spooky. Nothing feels right,
so we go home for supper just before bed. I
have the best idea of all, Mam. I say, I
will be a witch and you can be my special
Witch's Cat. This concludes our children's story ire for today.
(24:31):
Please join us next time as we will read more stories,
fables and fairy tales. Thank you for listening, and please
stay tuned for the lex and Hair leader on radio
I
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