Ask Kytka Archives: March 2, 1999

Once there was a little hobgoblin who lived deep in the woods, in a little rocky dell. He was a very naughty little hobgoblin, for his favorite pastime was to play tricks on the farmers, and on the farmer’s children, and on the townspeople, and on the townspeople’s children.

When night came and it was dark outside, the little hobgoblin would peer out of {+++} his little rocky dell, and if the moon were shining, and the stars were peeping, the little hobgoblin would creep out through the woods. He would sneak right into a farmers stall, where the cows were peacefully munching hay, and do you know what that naughty little hobgoblin would do? Quickly and Quietly he would take the tail of one cow, and then the tail of another cow, and tie them together in a knot. Then the next day when the farmer came to lead them out to pasture, what a time he would have!

Next that naughty little hobgoblin crept into the henhouse; he took all the nice brown eggs out of the nests and hid them in the corner under some straw. The next morning the farmers’ children could find no eggs to gather.

Then the little hobgoblin went right into the town, to the people’s houses; if there were any of the children’s toys in the yard, that naughty little hobgoblin quickly took them away and hid them. Then he would go up on porches and ring the doorbells, and quickly, before the people could see who was at the door, he would run away and hide.

Finally the farmers, and the farmer’s children, and the townspeople, and the townspeople’s children became very tired of the hobgoblin’s silly tricks, and one day they all gathered to try to decide what to do. They thought and thought, and then someone said, “I know how we can put a stop to that naughty hobgoblin’s silly tricks! Now, everybody go out into the fields and bring back the biggest vegetable you can find.”

So everybody went into the fields, and the largest vegetables they saw were the big, round, yellow pumpkins. Everyone brought one back. Then the man said, “Now, watch what I do.” He cut out the top of the pumpkin to make a hat. Then he scooped out all the pulp, and all the seeds, and then he said, “Now comes the important part.” And he took his knife and he cut two eyes, and a nose, and a big, smiling mouth. Then he said to all the people, “You must all make jack-o-lanterns like this, and put a candle inside each one. Then tonight, when it is dark, put your jack-o-lantern in your front window or on your front porch, and light the candle. We’ll fool that naughty little hobgoblin!” So the people took their pumpkins home, and when night came, they put the jack-o-lanterns in their front windows or on their front porches, and lit the candles.

That night, the little hobgoblin peered out of his little rocky dell, and sure enough, the moon was shining brightly and the stars were peeping, so he crept out through the woods to the first farm. He was just about to sneak into the cow stall when suddenly he noticed a big, golden face smiling at him. “Oh, ” he exclaimed, “someone is watching me – – I’d better not go in there!” and he ran off quickly. On to the hen house he ran, and he was just about to go in, when he saw big, golden face smiling at him. “Oh, he exclaimed, “I’d better not go in here – – someone is watching me,” and off he ran to the town. But just as he was about to go up on the porch and ring the door bell of the first house he stopped. “Oh!” he exclaimed, “I’d better not go up there – – someone is watching me, and there was another big, golden face smiling at him.

So that naughty little hobgoblin ran a fast as he could back to his little rocky dell, and from that time on, he minded his manners!

*Special Thanks to Miss Kathryn for sharing this story.