Readings | V The Hierophant

V

The Hierophant

Guidance, knowledge, revelation, belief

Upright: Teacher.  Mentor through spiritual guidance. Searching for the truth. Offering lessons from a place of intelligence and experience. Acknowledging the crafted skills and experience of others. Vows given and taken. Rituals and participation in spiritual practice. Tithes and vows.

The Halloween Tree

(1972)

I love gray characters.  They are such a mixed blessing, a cocktail of risk.  Moundshroud reminds me quite a bit of Baron Samedi and I wanted to portray him as such.  He is a little bit mummy, a little bit voodoo king and a little bit something else entirely.  Take his lessons with a hefty shake of care. Mr. Bradbury used this extraordinary character to teach the histories of Halloween traditions.  Moundshroud takes young treat or treaters on the adventure of their lives to save their friend.  There is quite a toll at the end.

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“So," said Moundshroud. "If we fly fast, maybe we can catch Pipkin. Grab his sweet Halloween corn-candy soul. Bring him back, pop him in bed, toast him warm, save his breath. What say, lads? Search and seek for lost Pipkin, and solve Halloween, all in one fell dark blow?"

They thought of All Hallows' Night and the billion ghosts awandering the lonely lanes in cold winds and strange smokes.

They thought of Pipkin, no more than a thimbleful of boy and sheer summer delight, torn out like a tooth and carried off on a black tide of web and horn and black soot.

And, almost as one, they murmured: "Yes.”