Welcome to Disney's Magic of Storytelling podcast, sponsored by Wake Med Children's, because inside every child is a story waiting to be told.
Our storyteller is ABC 11 news anchor Amber Rupinta.
Alice in Wonderland, Happy Hollerween!
The crisp fall air made Alice shiver as she walked through the apple orchard.
All around her, people were picking apples for the All Hallows Eve Festival that night.
Alice quite enjoyed the festival.
People bobbed for apples, they told spooky stories about spirits and they carved faces into turnips to scare the spirits away.
Alice was thinking about scary spirits when she heard someone yell.
The sound was coming from inside the trunk of a hollow apple tree.
Hello, Alice called into a hole in the tree.
Is somebody in there?
Howdy-hoo, the voice hollered.
Curious, Alice stepped inside the tree.
Soon she found herself falling down, down, down.
Alice landed in a dark passageway.
Pushing open the door, she found herself back in Wonderland.
In front of her were the Mad Hatter and the March Hare.
They were sitting at their tea table and yelling at each other.
Hooty-hoo-hoo, cried the Mad Hatter.
Wee-haw, shouted the March Hare.
My goodness, you're both yelling quite loudly, Alice exclaimed.
Whatever is the matter?
Why, there's nothing the matter, answered the Mad Hatter.
In fact, everything is quite wonderful.
It's Hollerween.
Don't you mean All Hallows' Eve?
Alice asked.
I do not, the Mad Hatter replied.
Tonight is Hollerween.
It's the night when everyone hollers at each other, like this.
He turned to the March Hare and hollered loudly.
Hooty-hoo!
Howdy-hoo-how!
The March Hare hollered back.
Then he looked at Alice.
It's your turn, he said.
Oh, heavens no, Alice replied.
My governor says the children must never holler.
But it's Hollerween, the Mad Hatter said.
Hollering is a tradition.
You must.
I suppose if it's a tradition, Alice said.
She cleared her throat.
How, she said, unsure of herself.
If you're going to holler, you've got to be louder than that, the Mad Hatter said.
Alice took a deep breath.
She cried.
Not bad, the Mad Hatter said, but it needs a little more pizzazz.
Alice sighed.
I'm afraid I'm just not any good at hollering.
Are there any other hollerween traditions?
Sure, the Mad Hatter replied.
We bob for ice cream.
Ice cream?
Alice asked.
But you're supposed to bob for apples.
Well, that's silly, the Mad Hatter said.
Who wants to catch an apple?
The March Hare nodded and scooped a ball of ice cream into a large bowl of water on the table.
Then he stuck his face in it.
When he came up for air, his whiskers were wet and there was ice cream on the tip of his nose.
Doesn't that look like fun?
The Mad Hatter asked Alice.
It looks quite messy, she replied.
Are there any other traditions?
Why yes, the Mad Hatter answered.
We carve tea cakes.
Tea cakes, Alice asked.
But you're supposed to carve turnips.
The March Hare looked confused.
No, no, I'm sure it's tea cakes, he said.
The Mad Hatter picked up a tea cake and used a spoon to carve a silly face in it.
What are you supposed to do with that, Alice asked.
Why, you eat it, of course, said the March Hare.
He took the tea cake from the Mad Hatter and popped it into his mouth.
The Mad Hatter clapped his hands.
And now it's time to tell toast stories, he announced.
Toast stories?
Alice asked.
The March Hare nodded and lifted the lid of a teapot.
The Dormouse popped out.
In a small, squeaky voice, he began to recite.
Hey, Doodle Doodle, I like to eat noodles and porridge and pudding and ham.
But if I have none, there's nothing as fun as a fine piece of toast with some jam.
When the Dormouse finished, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare cheered.
Alice clapped politely.
That was a very good poem, but it was not a proper story at all, she said.
In fact, you're not doing anything properly.
This is not how to celebrate All Hallows' Eve.
The Mad Hatter shook his head.
We told you, it's Halloween.
Well, I have never heard of Halloween, Alice said.
Where I am from, it is All Hallows' Eve, and we do not tell toast stories.
We tell stories about ghosts.
G-g-ghosts, stammered the Mad Hatter.
You mean like spirits?
Specters?
Phantoms?
Yes, Alice replied.
Ghosts with spooky glowing eyes that appear out of thin air?
The March Hare asked.
Exactly, Alice replied.
You mean like that ghost over there?
The Mad Hatter asked, pointing.
Alice turned around to see two yellow eyes floating in the air.
Beneath them was a round open mouth.
Boo!
Good heavens, Alice cried.
Frightened, she jumped backwards.
The Dormouse jumped back into the teapot.
The Mad Hatter and the March Hare ducked under the tea table.
Alice's heart pounded quickly as the yellow eyes floated closer to her.
Suddenly, she realized something.
Those eyes look very familiar, she said.
Is that you, Cheshire Cat?
A purple striped body appeared around the eyes and mouth.
Yes, it's me, he said, just having a bit of fun.
Toodaloo!
Happy All Hallows' Eve!
The Cheshire Cat disappeared and the Mad Hatter and the March Hare climbed out from under the table.
If that's what happens on All Hallows' Eve, I'll stick with Halloween.
Thank you, the Mad Hatter said.
Alice was still trembling from the Cheshire Cat's trick.
I believe I agree with you, she said.
Happy Halloween!
Hooty-hoo! hollered the March Hare.
The end.
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