Tall trees sway afore the moon, as shadows dance across the path. The air is moist and heavy and the moss hangs low at night. With a dark robe covering his head, the long staff marks his pace with a hollow thumping sound. A still comes over the forest as the high priest presses on. Clouds begin to gather in the darkness and a cool breeze rises from the forest floor. "Clump, clump", the staff sounds out, faster and faster, as the druid priest proceeds on his quest. It is autumn's end; the harvest stored away, Samhain has arrived.
Stone tables are now in sight and the peasants begin to gather. It won't be long till the sacrifice begins. Firewood is gathered and added to the ring. Once torched, it will carry them to the heavens. Offering their sacrifice to the gods for the harvest will last them through the year. Tools are placed, according to the Book, upon the stone alter clean and smooth. Everyone is waiting for the witching hour so the ceremony can begin. The clouds have all but blocked out the moon and the wind is blowing fiercely. Huddled together in small groups, the peasants ready themselves for the feast.
Time has come to begin: the high priest stands up. With his hands held up to the sky, he thanks the gods for the harvest just completed. The torch lights the sacrificial fire. Flames jump out and leap toward the sky. Small embers float off into the darkness and light from the fire shines all about. The high priest stands over the stone alter and begins his murmured chant. Echoes reach to the far borders of the forest as the druids make their offering. A sacrifice will be given once the peasant queen has been chosen.
The elders enter in a single line as the queen in her white linen robe draped gently over her shoulders appears. She carries a basket filled with the finest items the harvest has produced, placing it in the center of the stone alter. Then, she slowly turns away. The chanting becomes louder, the druids start to move. Around the seated peasants, they begin to walk and spin, their arms stretched to the heavens and their eyes hidden by their hoods. The druids are now offering the gods the best from the harvest yield.
As it begins to shiver, a young lamb is placed upon the stone. The Druid priest gently strokes the poor animal to try and calm it down. The young lamb lowers its head down to the stone table. The high priest raises an axe high into the night sky. With one quick downward motion, the lambs head is detached. Quickly the priest holds a small round bowl under the lamb's neck, catching the precious blood as it runs from the body. The bowl of ritual blood is raised to the heavens and placed upon the highest stone slab. Chants roar out of happiness and thanks for the harvest bounty. Here, it will be left for the gods along with the body of the young lamb born during harvest.
The young children dance and sing as the old ones sit keeping time with their hands. The druid priest leads the peasants in a prayer for continued bounty. As the night goes on, the clouds get thicker and the moon has passed from sight. With a chill that has blanketed the forest and a mist as thick as smoke, the Druids leave to return to their burrows to rest. The peasants are left to continue the feast until the break of day.
The druids call this day Samhain which is also known as Halloween. Upon this dark and gloomy night, a strange tale took place. The fire went dark for a short time and all the children disappeared. Peasants began crying for the children and calling them by name. Into the forest they went, but none was ever found. The elders went to the high priest and asked him why this has happened. As the story was being told of how the fire went dark, then suddenly starting up again, the high priest intones "It's the demons from the underworld coming to lay claim to the harvest". "Come," the priest yells out "we must make a human sacrifice and ask the gods for their help". Off they go to the stone altars, the worship place high upon the hill, for one more final gift. This time it must be a young virgin member from the clan, a human sacrifice. They all go to the tailor from the village as his daughter is the only one left who is pure and virgin. "No" he cries as she is led away "She is all I have left". At the worship hill, upon the stone table, she lies quietly waiting to save her village. Cries from the peasants grow louder as the high priest stands chanting over her. He raises his hands up to the sky and asks mercy from the gods. "Take this young lady and release the children from the damned". So said, he plunges the knife deep into her chest. Her body heaves and slowly drops back to the stone alter. They all turn and walk away looking for the children.
As day break comes and it is easier to see, they continue to look for the children. Day after day they never come back and the old ones start to die. The clan is slowly dwindling and no one knows just why. Day after day, month after month, not a single child do they find. A year passes and many members have now fled so that only a few are left. No harvest this year: no one was left to plant. Even the high priest has gone away. It seems like this village was damned and evil took control. No one wanted to live here if the children couldn't be found.
The following year, those that did stay went to the stones upon the hill of the worship to ask what they can do. A light from a distant world grows and brightens the forest. Smoke appears and blocks the stones as noises come and go. Then as quickly as it came, the smoke lifts. Sitting on the stone are the children smiling bright and waving to those who came. The children run to meet them and give all a hug. When asked where they have been, they replied "Nowhere, we were sitting here all the time".
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