The Dance of the Dead (2021)

Throughline

NPR

Society & Culture, History, Documentary

4.7 • 15K Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2022

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Halloween — the night of ghost stories and trick-or-treating — has religious origins that span over two thousand years. Over time, the Catholic Church, pagan groups, and even the brewing company Coors have played a role in shape-shifting the holiday. How did Halloween turn from a spiritual celebration to a multi-billion dollar industry? From the Great Famine of Ireland to the Simpsons, we present the many evolutions of Halloween.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	One November night, a woman, coming home later the hour of the dead, grew tired and sat down
0:19.1	to rest, when a young man came up and talked to her.
0:23.2	Weasel bit, and you will see the most beautiful dancing you ever looked on.
0:28.2	There, by the side of the hill, she looked at him steadily.
0:33.1	Why are you so sad?
0:35.1	And his pale as if you were dead?
0:38.1	Look, well at me.
0:39.6	Do you not know me?
0:42.1	Yes.
0:43.1	I know you now.
0:45.1	You were your breathing that was drowned last year when out fishing.
0:49.1	What are you here for?
0:52.6	Look at the sides of the hill, and you will see why I'm here.
0:57.2	And she looked and saw a great company dancing to sweet music.
1:02.2	And among them all, the dead who died as long as she could remember.
1:07.7	Men, women, and children, all in white, and their faces were pale as the moonlight.
1:14.7	Now, run for your life, for at once the fairies bring you into the dance, you will never
1:21.0	be able to leave them anymore.
1:23.5	I am right.
1:24.5	When they were talking, the fairies came up and danced round her in a circle, joining
1:29.5	their hands.
1:30.5	And she felt the ground in a faint, and knew no more till she woke up in the morning,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.