Granny O’Loughlin is very old and knows a lot of stuff. She tells old, old, stories from long ago. Her grandchildren Sean, Niamh and Conor love to listen to her spooky tales, which she remembers listening to from her own grandmother.
Halloween was fast approaching, and Granny O’Loughlin started to recall many old traditions associated with Halloween. As she peeled apples for an apple pie she would stop and look off into the far distance. Then she would start... When I was a girl all the apples had to be picked by the feast of All Saint’s Day. In Irish, the time before All Saint’s Day was known as Samhain, and the festival of Samhain went back into pagan times. It was believed that on Samhain, the Púca spat on any unharvested apples so people couldn’t eat them.
Her grandchildren interrupted her…
“What are Púca?”“They are mischievous fairies who can change shape. They can turn into animals or humans.”“Wow, shape-shifters! That’s cool,” said Niamh.“There’s nothing cool about them,” replied Granny as she continued to peel the apples. “We did have great fun at Halloween though when I was a child.”“Did you bob for apples?” asked Sean. “Oh yes, we would get soaked trying to take an apple in our teeth, while our hands were behind our back.” Granny stopped coring and cutting the apples, and smiled to herself.“And did you play apples on a string?” Conor wanted to know.“We did. I remember my brother Paddy1 pulled the apple and the string from the ceiling and fell backwards with the apple in his mouth.” Granny chuckled as she looked for her rolling-pin in the kitchen drawers.“Yuck, I think that game is so unhygienic,” moaned Niamh. Granny laughed, and started rolling out the pastry for the apple pie.
As Granny lit the oven she recalled bonfires on Halloween night. The old people said it was to ward off evil. She made herself a cup of tea and sat down at the kitchen table with the children.
“Tell us more about the old days,” pleaded Niamh.
Granny looked at their eager faces. They are growing up fast, thought Granny…they are young people now, but still children at heart. Niamh was 12, her brother, Sean 14, and their cousin, Conor, was 13.
Grand-mère regardait leurs visages qui avaient hâte d'en savoir plus. Ils grandissent vite, pensa-t-elle... ce sont de jeunes ados maintenant mais toujours des enfants dans leur coeur. Niamh avait douze ans, son frère Sean quatorze et leur cousin Conor en avait treize.
“Well, you know how you like a bonfire at Halloween…”“Yes, and toasting marshmallows,” added Niamh. “Yes, Gran,” interrupted Conor.“Do you know why people built bonfires in the first place?”“To keep them safe,” suggested Sean.
“That’s right, Sean. They were supposed to keep evil away. And do you know why people wear masks and dress up for Halloween?”“Not really,” said Sean.
Granny leant forward. “People wore scary masks and different disguises to confuse the spirits and to stop the dead recognizing people who they didn’t like when they were alive.”
“You mean the dead mixed with the living!” Niamh’s eyes opened wide.“Well that’s what the old folks said, but they are only stories, and people often blamed beings from the otherworld when something strange happened,” Granny said, putting an arm around Niamh. “You know people talk about ghosts at Halloween, Niamh,” Sean sighed. “I suppose it is all about the dead at Halloween,” added Granny. We pray for those people who have died, that were so good that people called them living saints when they were alive, on All Saints’ Day. Then we pray the next day for all our loved ones who have died. It is known as All Souls’ Day2 . We shouldn’t be afraid of our loved ones that have passed on.”“I suppose not,” said Niamh.“What else did they do to keep the spirits away,” asked Conor.Granny turned to Conor, who looked at her expectantly.
“They used to make a right din to keep them away. Others tried to bribe them by leaving out food in their houses, or by the nearest hawthorn or whitethorn bush (where fairies were known to live), hoping that this would keep the spirits happy.”“Now I better get that apple pie out of the oven,” Granny said. She grabbed a tea-towel off a hook, opened the oven door and took out the golden brown pie.“Mmm that smells good!” Niamh said, sniffing the air like a hungry dog.“You make the best apple pies, Gran,” said Conor, eyeing the pie. Sean was already getting a knife and spoons out of the cutlery drawer to cut the pie. Granny took out four plates, and Sean cut four generous slices of pie and placed them on the plates.“Mind you don’t burn your mouths, it is very hot,” warned Granny. Silence reigned while they devoured their individual portions, until Conor let out a loud belch, which surprised everyone including himself. “Pardon,” Conor muttered. Niamh and Sean laughed. “I am glad you enjoyed it,” chuckled Granny. Now I must get a piece over to my neighbour, Tom O’Neill, he loves my apple pie and he hasn’t been very well lately. He is actually a distant cousin of mine. Sean, would you take it over to him?”
“They used to make a right din to keep them away. Others tried to bribe them by leaving out food in their houses, or by the nearest hawthorn or whitethorn bush (where fairies were known to live), hoping that this would keep the spirits happy.”“Now I better get that apple pie out of the oven,” Granny said. She grabbed a tea-towel off a hook, opened the oven door and took out the golden brown pie.“Mmm that smells good!” Niamh said, sniffing the air like a hungry dog.“You make the best apple pies, Gran,” said Conor, eyeing the pie. Sean was already getting a knife and spoons out of the cutlery drawer to cut the pie. Granny took out four plates, and Sean cut four generous slices of pie and placed them on the plates.“Mind you don’t burn your mouths, it is very hot,” warned Granny. Silence reigned while they devoured their individual portions, until Conor let out a loud belch, which surprised everyone including himself. “Pardon,” Conor muttered. Niamh and Sean laughed. “I am glad you enjoyed it,” chuckled Granny. Now I must get a piece over to my neighbour, Tom O’Neill, he loves my apple pie and he hasn’t been very well lately. He is actually a distant cousin of mine. Sean, would you take it over to him?”
“Of course I will, Gran. I like Tom. I’m sorry he hasn’t been well.”The rest of the apple pie was eaten for dessert after dinner that evening. The children were staying with, Granny O’Loughlin, that night as their parents had gone to a 40th birthday party.
“Thanks for a lovely day, Granny,” Niamh said, as she kissed her grandmother goodnight. Niamh, loved sleeping at Granny’s house. Her bed was snug and warm, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
Niamh, was woken in the early hours of the morning by an eerie wailing noise that made her shiver. She dived under the bed clothes and blocked her ears. After what seemed an eternity, Niamh uncovered her ears and dared to surface from under the covers. All was deathly quiet.
Niamh, fut réveillée à l’aube par d’étranges pleurs qui la firent frissonner. Elle plongea sous les draps et se boucha les oreilles. Après ce qui lui parut une éternité, elle découvrit ses oreilles et osa sortir de sous les couvertures. Il y avait un silence de mort.
