folklorist | ϡ - Chapter Sixteen; this is halloween [voice/action]

Halloween...Halloween. [ He sounds contemplative and hums a little before continuing. ] What to say about it. [ A pause there's the sounds of something be unwrapped probably a candy knowing Helios's sweet tooth. Then almost automatically there's the sound of 'mmm' in the silent background. How has he not gotten a cavity yet? ] I do hope the ghosts in the castle behave themselves this year. They love playing practical jokes around this time...April Fools isn't any better. [ Damn ghost kids always making trouble for him! Good thing he doesn't have to deal with it this year, haha! Though Ra might light the castle on fire... ] Ah...best to not think of such things. [ He'll just clear his throat because oh the horror, his poor castle. ] I distinctly recall that Halloween's roots go back to Samhain and the Celtic festival held in light of that. But today it's widely distributed and practiced pretty much everywhere. Samhain is...er Gaelic for summer's end. It was originally a harvest festival as they were generally more prominent back in the day you know? [ He laughs. ] What with farming relying on the sun Samhain was the end of the lighter half of the season and the beginning of the darker one. Something like day lights savings time or the summer and winter solstices.

Ah but! There's a catch! Many people believe that on this day the border between the living and dead became so thin that spirits could cross over and thus allowed the dead to cross back over from the living world into their own. This event brought up the custom of wearing costumes and masks which people did back then to help ward off the spirits and were used them to calm them down. I'd imagine pumpkin carving came from the old tradition of carving faces into turnips to ward off evil spirits as well.

It's such a wonderful holiday, very rich in folklore and the transition into modern culture is fascinating! The story of Mongfind for example is a folktale for this specific holiday. Modern times has done away with most of that but you know...the spirits of our deceased are always passing over, perhaps more so on that day than most. [ That's totally not a creepy thought nope. He's actually perfectly neutral in saying that it must be the dork in him. ] Ah what typically goes on here during Halloween, trick or treating I would hope? Oh! Perhaps a haunted house or a walk through the woods would definately be eerie. The spirits don't seem to be acting any differently though. [If you only knew what was in store for you Helios. ] Hm...I do wonder if the indigenous population here even knew what it was. There's just so much we don't know about this place. [ Sighs. So many questions yet so little answers. But back to the treats... ] But the best part about Halloween is...the candy! [ He sounds like a five year old don't mind him. ] What's everyone's favorite type? You can never go wrong with having too many favorites either!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There were these little gummy fishes I'd sometimes get at port. [thinks to himself] Candy apples, a lot of different fruit dipped in sauces, that kind of thing.

Gummy fish...ah so like Swedish fish. [ He likes those. ] Hm well people dip apples and other fruits into caramel and chocolate and things. They're quite good I must say.

Swedish...?

So it's universal, eh? [a grin, mostly to himself] Then maybe I'll make a patch for this Halloween business.

It's a country in my world, Sweden. But I don't think the name has any relation to the candy. [ He is not really sure. ]

It must be which is fantastic, really! Out of all things to have in common, food being one of them! [ A pause. ] You know how to make them? [ He sounds excited about that. Because while he knows how to cook he's never tried candy before. ]

And they have their own cuisine? [Intrigue! He could use more excuses to nerd about something. And oh, Helios, Sanji's excitement starts matching your own]

Isn't it? In fact, I think some cultures might be kinda universal, too. Or customs.

The dipped fruit? That's not difficult. I might need to dig up a recipe for the gummy fishes, though. But I bet I could manage some, if you want.

Oh but of course. Every country in my world has some variation of indigenous cuisine. England, Romania, Japan they all have dishes only found there. But they also have widely distributed cuisine too.

I believe you're about that, which makes this multiple worlds business all the more interesting.

Ah you wouldn't mind? I'd be grateful, truly! I'm somewhat intrigued to see if they taste anything like the one's from my world.

Oh, you're from the same world that's got Japan. [muses over that] I'll probably check into it later.

You've got France too, right? I already knew a lot of their dishes without having heard of the place.

And don't worry about it; I'll end up making candy for my crew anyway, so might as well hand out the extras. [I-if there are extras]

Ah so you've heard of it? [ He sounds pleased. ]

Is that so? Are there similar ones in your world then? Perhaps just with a different name? [ A pause he definately sounds happy about that prospect. ] That's very kind of you! Oh, where are my manners! I'm Helios Sprensonne by the way, it's a pleasure to meet you.

Here and there, mostly from whatever the library can tell me.

And see, the names are only sometimes different. But Blanquette de veau is the same in my world as it's probably in yours.

Same here, Helios. The name's Sanji.

I've tried a few new recipes from the cook books in the library. Some of them are actually quite good! [ He listens only giving a sound of acknowledgment. ] That is interesting. A different name but the same idea; it's amazing how culture can sometimes overlap into different countries, or in our case, worlds.

I gotta wonder if it's purely coincidence. Does everyone naturally gravitate towards the same ideas?

Hm it's hard to say. I'd imagine someone somewhere had a thought similar to another persons. It does make you wonder how disconnected these worlds truly are or person the minds of the people I should say.

Yeah. [He utters a thoughtful hum - most of this stuff isn't something he's deeply considered until now, at least outside the realm of food.

But he has nothing else to say on the matter - so he asks instead what had pinged him before]

You some type of scholar? Or just that learned?

A scholar...heaven's no! I'm but a simple headmaster of a school. [ He lets out a sheepish laugh. ] But I do have friends who are quite learned in these things. [ Gods, angels, demons, yep they know lots. ] Folklore and myths are better understood when the people who created them tell you their thoughts and ideas about them. And it's simple enough to go around and ask them but books are useful as well.

[snerk] Just a headmaster, huh? Sounds like a big job to me.

And can't argue that. Always better to get it from the source.

Oh it's not so bad. I mean I do get plenty of help from the other faculty members. [ Sometimes. ]

Exactly!

ϡ - Chapter Sixteen; this is halloween [voice/action]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject