Halloween

Behind the name Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland, means All Hallows Eve, or the
night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on
November 1. In old English the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctify'. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and
Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown. They used
to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the Church year. And
Catholics, all and sundry, was obliged to attend Mass. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia,
intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered
up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. The festival was celebrated on February 21, the end of
the Roman year. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan
festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. Later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1. The
Greek Orthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Despite this connection with the
Roman Church, the American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient (preChristian) Druidic fire festival called "Samhain", celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Samhain is pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow. In Ireland the festival was known as
Samhein, or La Samon, the Feast of the Sun. In Scotland, the celebration was known as Hallowe'en. In
Welsh it's Nos Galen-gaeof (that is, the Night of the Winter Calends. According to the Irish English
dictionary published by the Irish Texts Society: "Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan
and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May,
during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this
season. From it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess).(1) The Scottish
Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."(2)
Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary
evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for the
British, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "lord of death" as such. Thus most of the
customs connected with the Day are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the Druids
and then transcended amongst the Roman Christians who conquered them.
Halloween history is one of religious traditions, sacrifices and folklore. While it seems strange to
understand the motivation of these ancient actions, it is good to know the roots of our current practices of
Halloween.

Witches
Witches have had a long history with Halloween. Legends tell of witches gathering twice a year when the
seasons changed, on April 30,the eve of May Day, and the other was on the eve of October 31, All
Hallows Eve.
The witches would gather on these nights, arriving on broomsticks, to celebrate a party hosted by the devil.
Superstitions told of witches casting spells on unsuspecting people, transform themselves into different
forms and causing other magical mischief.
It was said that to meet a witch you had to put your clothes on wrong side out and you had to walk
backwards on Halloween night. Then at midnight you would see a witch.
When the early settlers came to America, they brought along their belief in witches. In American the
legends of witches spread and mixed with the beliefs of others, the Native Americans - who also believed
in witches, and then later with the black magic beliefs of the African slaves.
The black cat has long been associated with witches. Many superstitions have evolved about cats. It was
believed that witches could change into cats. Some people also believed that cats were the spirits of the
dead. One of the best known superstitions is that of the black cat. If a black cat was to cross your path you
would have to turn around and go back because many people believe if you continued bad luck would
strike you.

Jack-on-lantern
This is based on an old Irish legend about the drunk, Jack. One day he was out in the woods and tricked
Satan into a tree to throw down some fruit. Once Satan had helped him he carved a cross into the tree and
trapped him there. He then struck a deal that Satan would leave his soul alone when he died. This backfired
when he died since heaven would not take him either. When he kept bothering the Devil to let him in the
Devil gave him a burning ember instead. He carried the ember in a hollowed out turnip (sometimes
described as rotton) to light his way as he wandered through eternal darkness on the earth. Eventually this
was replaced with the pumpkin in America and became the modern Jack-o-Lantern
According to Rees & Rees, the folks who were abroad in the night imitating the fairies would some- times
carry turnips carved to represent faces. This is the origin of our modern Jack-o-lantern. It became popular as
house decorations in the United States after immigrant Irish discovered how much easier pumpkins were to
carve than turnips, unleashing what has turned into quite an art form in the last decade or so. This later
assumed a spooky touch, especially when the glowing faces appear from the darkness.

trick or treat

Trick or treat

a children's custom of calling at houses at

Halloween with the threat of pranks if they
are not given a small gift

The custom of 'trick or treat' probably has several origins. Again mostly Irish. An old Irish peasant practice
called for going door to door to collect money, bread cake, cheese, eggs, butter, nuts, apples, etc., in
preparation for the festival of St. Columbus Kill. Yet another custom was the begging for soul cakes, or
offerings for one's self - particularly in exchange for promises of prosperity or protection against bad luck.
It is with this custom the concept of the fairies came to be incorporated as people used to go door to door
begging for treats. Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical jokes being visited on the
owner of the house.
Since the fairies were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was frequently left for them on the
steps of the house, so the houseowner could gain the blessings of the "good folk" for the coming year.
Many of the households would also leave out a "dumb supper" for the spirits of the departed.
Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge, ii, 370, states that in parts of Count Waterford: 'Hallow E'en is called oidhche na
h-aimlise, "The night of mischief or con". It was a custom which survives still in places -- for the "boys"
to assemble in gangs, and, headed by a few horn-blowers who were always selected for their strength of
lungs, to visit all the farmers' houses in the district and levy a sort of blackmail, good humouredly asked
for, and as cheerfully given. They afterward met at some point of rendezvous, and in merry revelry
celebrated the festival of Samhain in their own way. When the distant winding of the horns was heard, the
bean a' tigh [woman of the house] got prepared for their reception, and also for the money or builn (white
bread) to be handed to them through the half-opened door. There was always a race amongst them to get
possession of the latch. Whoever heard the wild scurry of their rush through a farm-yard to the kitchendoor -- will not question the propriety of the word aimilis [mischief] applied to their proceedings. The
leader of the band chaunted a sort of recitative in Gaelic, intoning it with a strong nasal twang to conceal
his identity, in which the good-wife was called upon to do honour to Samhain..." According to Tad Tuleja's
essay, "Trick or Treat: Pre-Texts and Contexts," in Santino's previously mentioned anthology, Halloween's
modern trick or treating (primarily children going door-to-door, begging for candy) began fairly recently in
the US, as a blend of several ancient and modern influences. In 19th Century America, rural immigrants
from Ireland and Scotland kept gender-specific Halloween customs from their homelands: girls stayed
indoors and did divination games, while the boys roamed outdoors engaging in almost equally ritualized
pranks, which their elders "blamed" on the spirits being abroad that night. Its entry into urban world can
probably traced back in mid-19th Century New York, where children called "ragamuffins" would dress in
costumes and beg for pennies from adults on Thanksgiving Day. Things got nastier with increased
urbanization and poverty in the 1930's. Adults began casting about for ways to control the previously
harmless but now increasingly expensive and dangerous vandalism of the "boys." Towns and cities began
organizing "safe" Halloween events and householders began giving out bribes to the neighborhood kids as
a way to distract them away from their previous anarchy. The ragamuffins disappeared or switched their
date to Halloween.
The term "trick or treat," finally appears in print around 1939! Pranks became even nastier in the 1980's,
with widespread poverty existing side-by-side with obscene greed. Unfortunately, even bored kids in a
violence saturated culture slip all too easily from harmless "decoration" of their neighbors' houses with
shaving cream and toilet paper to serious vandalism and assaults. Blaming either Neopagans or Halloween
for this is rather like blaming patriots or the Fourth of July for the many firecracker injuries that happen
every year (and which are also combatted by publicly sponsored events). Given this hazardous backdrop

town councils, school boards and parents in the 1930's invented this custom as it is being celebrated today
to keep their kids out of trouble.
As far as the custom across the Atlantic goes, by the mid- 20th century in Ireland and Britain, the smaller
children would dress up and parade to the neighbors' houses, do little performances, then ask for a reward.
American kids seem to remember this with their chants of "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an
egg," and other classic tunes done for no reason other than because "it's traditional."

Legend has it that an Irish blacksmith called Jack shared drinks with the Devil on a Halloween night. Jack was an evil
and stingy man, but he was also very clever, and he knew that the Devil had come to claim his soul. So, he quickly
devised a plan. When it came to paying the bartender, Jack told the Devil, You can take any form you wish; just
change yourself into a silver coin, let me use you to pay for the drinks, and then you can change yourself back and
take my soul.
The Devil agreed and changed himself into a silver coin. Jack, however, quickly put the coin in his pocket where he
also kept a little silver Cross. The Devil wasnt able to change back to his original form, so Jack offered him a deal, If
you leave me alone for 10 years, Ill set you free. The Devil had no choice but to agree.
Ten years later, the Devil came back to claim Jacks soul. Okay, you can have my soul now, Jack said, Could you
just climb that apple tree first and give me an apple? The Devil thought he had nothing to lose and climbed the apple
tree, but Jack quickly pulled out his knife and carved a Cross in the trunk of the tree. Thus the Devil wasnt able to
come back down again, and Jack offered him another deal, If you promise never to come back to claim my soul, Ill
set you free. Again, the Devil had no choice but to agree, and he never came back to claim Jacks soul.
Many years later, Jack finally died. When he went to Heaven, he was denied entrance, because he had been so evil
and stingy all his life. Then Jack went to Hell, but, as he had tricked the Devil, he wasnt allowed to stay there either.
Instead, the Devil sent Jack back to earth and gave him a burning coal as a light to guide him. Jack placed the piece
of coal inside a turnip, and went back to earth, where, ever since, he has been wandering alone in the darkness.
Jack and his lantern became the symbol of a lost or damned soul. To scare these souls away on Halloween, people
in Ireland carved or painted faces on turnips and placed them in windows or doorways. In America, Irish immigrants
discovered that turnips were hard to get. So they started to make their lanterns out of pumpkins, a fruit native to
America.

Legend has it that an Irish blacksmith _ Jack shared drinks with the Devil on a Halloween night.Jack was an
_ and stingy man, but he was also very clever, and he knew that the Devil had
toclaim his soul. So, he quickly devised a

. When it came to paying the bartender, Jack told th

,You can take any form you wish; just

for thedrinks, and then you can change yourself back and

The Devil

yourself into a silver coin, let me use you t

my soul.

and changed himself into a silver coin. Jack,

, quickly put the coin in his poc

ketwhere he also kept a little silver Cross. The Devil wasnt able to change
o Jackoffered him a

to his original form, s

, If you leave me alone for 10 years, Ill set you

. The Devil had n

o choice but toagree.

Ten years later, the Devil came back to

Jacks soul. Okay, you can have my soul now, Jack said

,Could you just climb that apple tree first and

lose and

me an apple? The Devil thought he had nothing to

the apple tree, but Jack quickly pulled out his

k ofthe tree. Thus the Devil wasnt

and carved a Cross in the trun

to come back down again, and Jack

eal, If youpromise never to come back to claim my soul, Ill set you
ice but toagree, and he
Many years later, Jack finally

him another d

. Again, the Devil had no cho

came back to claim Jacks soul.

. When he went to Heaven, he was

entrance, because h

e hadbeen so evil and stingy all his life. Then Jack went to Hell, but, as he had tricked the Devil, he wasnt
to stay there either. Instead, the Devil sent Jack back to
as alight to guide him. Jack

and gave him a burning coal

the piece of coal inside a turnip, and went back to earth, where, ever

since, he has been wandering alone in the darkness.

Jack and his lantern

n

the symbol of a lost or damned

, people in Ireland carved or painted faces on turnips and placed them in windows or doorways.

In America, Irish immigrants discovered that

r

. To scare these souls away o

were hard to get. So they started to make thei

out of pumpkins, a fruit native to America.

Legend has it that an Irish blacksmith _ Jack shared drinks with the Devil on a
Halloween night. Jack was an _ and stingy man, but he was also very clever, and he
knew that the Devil had _ to claim his soul. So, he quickly devised a _. When it came
to paying the bartender, Jack told the _, You can take any form you wish; just _

yourself into a silver coin, let me use you to _ for the drinks, and then you can change
yourself back and my soul.

The Devil _ and changed himself into a silver coin. Jack, _, quickly put the coin in his
pocket where he also kept a little silver Cross. The Devil wasnt able to change _ to his
original form, so Jack offered him a _, If you leave me alone for 10 years, Ill set you
_. The Devil had no choice but to agree.
Ten years later, the Devil came back to _ Jacks soul. Okay, you can have my soul
now, Jack said, Could you just climb that apple tree first and _ me an apple? The
Devil thought he had nothing to lose and _ the apple tree, but Jack quickly pulled out
his _ and carved a Cross in the trunk of the tree. Thus the Devil wasnt _ to come back
down again, and Jack _ him another deal, If you promise never to come back to claim
my soul, Ill set you _. Again, the Devil had no choice but to agree, and he _ came
back to claim Jacks soul.
Many years later, Jack finally _. When he went to Heaven, he was denied entrance _ he
had been so evil and stingy all his life. Then Jack went to Hell, but, as he had tricked
the Devil, he wasnt _ to stay there either. Instead, the Devil sent Jack back to _ and
gave him a burning coal as a light to guide him. Jack _ the piece of coal inside a turnip,
and went back to earth, where, ever since, he has been wandering alone in the
darkness.
Jack and his lantern _ the symbol of a lost or damned _. To scare these souls away on
_, people in Ireland carved or painted faces on turnips and placed them in windows or
doorways. In America, Irish immigrants discovered that _ were hard to get. So they
started to make their _ out of pumpkins, a fruit native to America.

Choose the correct option of the word on the right.

Nick Fury, the 1.
( direct) of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D arrives at Project
P.E.G.A.S.U.S., a very remote research facility, during an 2.
(evacuate) . Fury's
second-in-command, Maria Hill, explains that an energy source of 3.
(know )
potential, has been found and activated and It has opened a portal through space,
from which the god, Loki, steps through. Loki is captured and 4. (prison), he uses his
magic to control the minds of several S.H.I.E.L.D. 5 . (person) including Agent Barton
and physicist 6. (consult) Dr. Erik Selvig in order to escape.
In response, Fury 7.
(active) the Avengers Initiative . Agent Natasha Romanoff
recruits Dr. Bruce Banner while Agent Coulson visits Tony Stark and ask him to 8.
(view) Selvig's research. He also approaches Captain America with a special 9 .
(assign) - retrieve the power source called the Tesseract from Loki.

Loki becomes allies with an alien race called the Chituari. In 10 . (change) for the
Tesseract, the Chitauri agree to help Loki take over the Earth.