It’s time for goblins and pumpkin carving

This is the time of year when “the goblins will git you if you don’t watch out!” The line is from a poem by poet James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916). But what exactly are goblins and what do they do with you once they capture you?
Goblins are mythical creatures of old Germanic and English folklore. They are the mischievous, and sometimes downright evil, counterpoints to elves and fairies. They tend to be small, green and have pointy ears, although their actual appearance varies as to who is telling the story and at what point in time it is told. They are similar to the boogyman in that children are their favorite prey.
I never did find out what happened to the victims of these beings. Perhaps the goblins ate them for supper. Perhaps they adopted them and raised them as their own. Or maybe they simply used the children as playthings before releasing them back to their families with the admonition to be good. As goblins aren’t real, we may never know the whole truth.
Few people today believe in goblins or other mythological beings. Goblins do turn up in books such as “The Hobbit,” and the Harry Potter series. They also appear in some games such as Dungeons and Dragons.  Most of us recognize these as products of an active imagination rather than as something to be feared.
In addition to watching out for goblins, this is the time of year we torture pumpkins. We pick and choose just the right one before slashing a hole in it and dragging out the insides. How many future baby pumpkins have sacrificed their lives in this barbaric ritual? The thought of it makes me shudder.
Then we continue the carnage by carving designs into the carcass of the fruit. Yes, I know that most of us consider it to be a vegetable, but scientists are a contrary bunch and classify it as a fruit. Anyway, once we are done hacking on the now dead pumpkin, we display our barbarity for the world to see.
We also decorate our homes with bats and spiderwebs. Any other time of year we do everything in our power to rid our abodes of spiderwebs. And woe unto any flying mammal that dares wiggle through a tiny hole to get warm in our attics. We chase it around with a broom or tennis racket until the poor thing either finds its way back outdoors or dies from heart failure. This is the thanks it gets for eating all those mosquitoes all summer.
Some people also visit corn mazes in order to get lost safely. Others visit haunted houses, woods and caves for a harmless scare. Sadly, the only haunted place I ever visited was a haunted basement that I helped set up, so I have no experience with these common Halloween activities.
One of my favorite end of October rituals involves trick or treating. Any holiday that encourages mass consumption of candy is a good one. It may be an attempt to fatten us up before winter, but that is also what Thanksgiving is for. Estimates are that one fourth of all the candy sold annually in this country is purchased for Halloween. I do my part to contribute to this statistic, do you?
In addition to eating all the candy we can hold, there is the annual search for the perfect costume. Inspiration often comes from cartoons or other shows targeted to children. While most kids wear the costume one or two days a year, there are some who wear the specialized apparel year round.
My grandchildren fall into this category. It is very common to see a variety of superheros in my daughter’s yard. In fact, when we were baby-sitting last year, the youngest, Nicholas, hurt himself. I had to peel his Captain America outfit off in order to see how badly he was hurt. He is fine now.
A little role play is a healthy thing. Nicholas has declared that he is always the hero. He is never the bad guy. Other kids may relish the opportunity to be bad, but Nicholas will always save the day. If he knew what goblins were he would prevent them from carrying anyone away.
It is almost Halloween. It is time to replenish the candy you bought early then just had to taste. Torture pumpkins if you must. Decorate with spooky decorations and be sure to watch out for goblins.