Long, long ago in a land far away a man made ready for a long journey from his village to the great capital city on important family business. He received a warrant from his noble baron that gave him permission to travel and went to the village priest for a blessing. The priest blessed his journey, but warned him that he would be on the road during All Hallow’s Eve, the night before All Saints Day, at which time all manner of ghoulies, ghosties, long leggity beasties, and things that go bump in the night would be abroad and causing havoc. The traveler said he would be wary and started his journey.
In this time there was no public transportation. Only the nobility could own horses and travel was strongly discouraged. People very seldom journeyed more than a mile or two beyond their place of birth so this would be a strenuous and even dangerous journey. The traveler set out on foot. As he walked he noticed that the farmers were gathering in their harvest and he was pleased because it looked as though the harvest would be bountiful. There was cabbage, onions, turnips, peas, beans, squash, and cucumbers. There would be food for the winter. The traveler had walked from sunup to sundown and he was very tired. He found an inn where he could sleep in safety next to a fire.
He set out once again early the next morning. As the morning sun rose higher in the sky he saw fields of wheat, oats, and barley waiting to be harvested and again he was pleased knowing that there would be bread and beer. At noon time he came to a well just off the road. There was a group of farmers standing around it. As was their custom, they were taking their noon day meal of bread and cheese. The traveler joined them and asked if he could drink from the well and fill his water skin. The farmers consented and he refreshed himself.
“Where does your journey take you?” asked one of the farmers.
“To the great capital city, on important business” replied the traveler.
No one said anything for the next few minutes, but finally another of the farmers asked the traveler “Are you going to walk through the dark forest?”
“If that is where the road takes me,” replied the traveler.
“In the name of heaven, you shouldn’t go into the dark forests!” cried the farmer.
“Why not?” asked the traveler.
“Because all manner of dark and evil creatures dwell there!” said another of the farmers.
“Demons, ghosts, and monsters will grab you and dragged your soul to Hell,” shouted the first farmer. “I have been blessed by a priest and I have my crucifix about my neck,” answered the traveler.
“It matters not. Tomorrow night is the feast of Samhain when the ways of the ancient gods talk precedence. Be warned,” pleaded the farmer. “Down the road you will find the hut of a herb woman. For a gold coin she will let you stay the night and she will tell you what you must do.” At sunset the traveler came to the hut of the herb woman. She let him in and he gave her a gold coin. She gave him a bowl of porridge for dinner and some wine. Nothing was said for a while. Finally the woman spoke “I know why you are here. You journey to the great city and you are going to walk through the dark forest. YOU MUST NOT! Instead you will come to a crossroads. You must take the road that heads to the east to the town of Karlsbad. There you can stay the night at the abbey. Then you can take the road that bypasses the forest. It is a longer walk but much safer.”
The next morning the traveler awoke. The herb woman was not in her hut. He gathered his things and went outside to the road. The herb woman came up behind him. He turned and she held out a talisman. She then put it around his neck. She had filled it with garlic, rosemary, and other herbs. “This will protect you,” she whispered. “Tonight is All Hallow’s Eve, Samhain! If you wish to keep your soul do as I say.”
The traveler resumed his journey. He walked without stopping to rest for the whole morning and into the afternoon. There were no longer crops but field grass, bushes, and scrub. He came to the crossroads. In the distance to the south he could see the dark forest looming ahead. He looked east to the road to the town of Karlsbad. He fingered his crucifix and then the talisman and then proceeded south to the dark wood.
As he walked the road grew more narrow. Tall dead grass lined the road and there were scrub trees and overgrown bushes. The trees grew closer together until they formed a canopy over his head. At once a flock of ravens flew at him. He ducked his head but moved forward. The road shrunk to a trail. He was in the deep woods now and it was becoming very dark He saw a four legged creature in the distance ahead of him. No matter how quickly he walked, the creature kept the same distance. The trail became a path rutted and muddy. There were fallen trees and dead stumps lining the road. Bats came swooping down from the top of the trees. He wanted a drink of water, but somehow his water skin was gone. The path disappeared as the traveler stumbled deeper into the woods. The traveler realized that no sound was coming from the woods around him — just an eerie silence. He felt for his crucifix. It too was gone!
He still had the talisman. He could smell the garlic. He could not escape the feeling that he was being followed. But, when he turned around he could she nothing. The forest seemed to be dimly lighted by an eerie green glow. He came to a clump of trees. A huge black owl flew down at him clawing at his eyes. He fell into a ravine. He got back up and looked upward. There was an opening in the trees and he could see the sky black and starless. He grabbed the talisman and though to himself, “This is useless.”
He pulled the talisman from his neck and threw it away. Again he thought to himself, “I am a good Christian man. I obey the commandments, and fear the Lord. I have done no harm. If my soul can be dragged to Hell, there isn’t any justice!”
Behind him, the traveler heard a frightening voice scream “THERE ISN’T!”
Epilogue
The following spring, the farmers were once again at work, this time preparing the fields for planting. They hoped that the harvest from these crops would be as bountiful as last year’s. At noon they gathered by the well to eat their noonday meal. One of the farmers queried “I wonder what ever became of that traveler who was walking to the capital city? Did anyone see him return?”
A voice behind him said “No human eyes shall ever gaze upon him again!” The herb woman came to the well. “He did not heed our warnings. He ventured into the dark forest. He shall never come out!”