The Evil Leaf

Chapter 1

Witch Lucinda          

A long time ago in a land not so far away, there lived a witch named Lucinda.   It is through her story that Halloween came to be as we know it today.    Lucinda was known throughout the land as the finest teacher in witchcraft.   Her training included how to fly on a broom, make potions, the use of a magic wand and other witchcraft.  People from around the world would compete for one of the ten slots available for the three year course.  The student’s ages ranged from five to twelve years old depending on whom Lucinda considered to be the best of the best.  She would say that children over twelve are un-trainable because they think they are too smart.

Unfortunately for Lucinda, people stopped believing in witches and she fell out of favor.  She was truly lost in time for she did not keep up with the changing world.  What was even worse for all witches in general was that there were few witches in the world and none had been born for centuries.  Witches live for a thousand years and Lucinda was already in the latter part of her life.   I guess one might say that the time of the witch had come and gone. 

Through her teaching of the children she learned much about humans.  This knowledge was always used for good but due to unforeseen circumstances that ultimately changed Lucinda; she used it to carry out an evil curse on all humanity that is still spreading today.  

To understand the story of Witch Lucinda and the Evil Leaf and how they influenced Halloween as we know it today, we must go back a hundred years or so and start from the beginning.  This will explain why children must wear masks, why we must use jack-o-lanterns on our doorway, why we need to rake up the leaves, and of most significance, why the Evil Leaf is so important today. 

Our story begins by getting to know Witch Lucinda as she was back then. Like most witches she is tall and wears the traditional black bell shaped long robe cinched at the waist with a belt.   Her hat is a traditional witch’s hat except that she curls the top end in a circle.

“I don’t want to look too attractive,” she would say.

Her long hook nose, extended chin and other features make her not so pleasant for humans to look at, but are normal features for a witch.  She has a tomato-red wrinkled complexion with warts and red eyes that, when combined with her smile, are soft and loving.  Her eyebrows are thick and straight almost all the way across her face with only a small piece of red skin separating the two bushes.  No amount of careful trimming and training can ever hope to induce a curve on them.   Her hair comes out from under her hat tumbling down to her shoulders and is as dark as dark can get.    Although her clothes are plain, they are always neat.   Rarely does Lucinda use magic to maintain herself or her household because she wants the children to learn how to take care of themselves through example and training.

Lucinda is a full member of the Council of Witches and abides by all of their rules.  Their law states that during the year each witch (at her scheduled time) has to travel to the witch’s domain for training or to train other witches.   Every fifty years (in rotation) each witch has to stay in this realm for one year to help protect the human world.  The ancient Law Making Council of Witches made all the laws that witches must obey today.   They never make rules against witches teaching humans witchcraft.  However, Lucinda has always had trouble getting support for the work she does with the human children from the current council members.  The real truth behind the council’s disagreement is the fact that Lucinda teaches humans about witchcraft.  Most witches want their magic to remain a mystery.  This allows them to remain mysterious and promote control of humans through fear.  So great is the disdain for what she does that the Witches Council has even resorted to petty accusations of Lucinda such as accusing her of being too pretty.   According to humans that have seen other members of the Council, all witches look alike but Lucinda is held to be the greater beauty by her peers.