Castle news

31-10-2009


Yesterday was the eve of All Hallows night, known by most as Halloween. Lady Cheryl had been out and about preparing for the following night, when all the children in the village would come calling. It was a tradition that had lasted for centuries, and was celebrated in many Kingdoms.

Our Lady had decorated the castle and grounds. Using hollowed out pumpkins with candles placed inside. Spider webs with make believe spiders were put in window casements and entrances. She had raided the broom closets and taken the brooms , strategically placed to look like witches brooms. Caricatures of skeletons and bats adorned the castle walls and ceilings. Murals of skeletons climbing over dungeon gates were pasted on the boundary walls. Banners ran along the perimeters warning all who entered that they did so at their own risk.

Believing that the children would be suitably duped into believing that this was a place of nightmares, she returned indoors to prepare the bucket for the treats of sweetmeats and pastries. This was the reward for the children dressing up as vampires, witches and pirates or whatever ghoul took their fancy. She covered the top with fake cobwebs and a huge spider with red glowing eyes. She had collected the hair for the spider from the stables. So lifelike was it that it would require nerves of steel to plunge a hand into the bucket and claim the reward for being so brave. A true test for the future Knights and Ladies.