SATAN'S SUPPER.[24](#a24)
by James Bowker
](https://xmoj.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpustaka.org%2Flibrary-files%2Fenglish%2Fjames_bowker%2Fgoblin_tales_of_lancashire%2Fsatans_supper_24_a24%2Fimages%2Fcover%2Fcover_001.png&w=800&h=1064&fit=cover&output=webp&q=80)
Mr. Naughty's Spooky Party
Once upon a time, in a dark, dark forest, lived a very naughty leader named Mr. Naughty.
Mr. Naughty sat on his big chair. It was under an old, dark tree. He played his fiddle. The music was spooky. He liked to play spooky music. He was a naughty leader.
His spooky friends came. They sat around Mr. Naughty. They sat near his feet. They waited for the fun. They liked Mr. Naughty's party.
Little imps popped up. They came from under the ground. They were many shapes. They danced to the music. Mr. Naughty played his fiddle. They liked to dance.
The spooky friends clapped their hands. They laughed and giggled. They shouted with joy. They jumped and danced. Everyone had much fun.
Mr. Naughty stopped his music. It was snack time now. Everyone went to the food. They ate strange, funny snacks. They were yucky, pretend food. It was a naughty party.
The spooky friends drank red juice. It was a special drink. They drank from shiny cups. The cups were rough. It was a funny drink.
One small, hungry imp watched. He wanted some food. Mr. Naughty said no. The imp did not play tricks. He did not play naughty tricks today. So he got no food.
A rooster flapped his wings. He made a loud sound. It was morning time soon. The party would end.
The hungry imp saw a jar. It had a yummy snack. He grabbed the jar. Then he ran away fast. He wanted his snack.
The spooky friends flew away. Mr. Naughty walked away quickly. He went into the dark trees. He did not like the sun. The party was over.
The flowers looked sad. The trees looked sad too. They drooped their leaves. Mr. Naughty's naughty magic made them sad.
And so, the naughty party was over. The sun came up, and the forest was quiet again, but the plants looked a little sad where Mr. Naughty had been.
Original Story
SATAN'S SUPPER.[24](#a24)
I.
Ye Evil One giveth unto them a stayve.
The 'Old Lad' sat upon his throne, Beneath a blasted oak, And fiddled to the mandrake's groan, The marsh-frog's lonely croak;
II.
Ye corpses dashe their wigges.
Whilst winds they hissed, and shrieked, and moaned About the branches bare, And all around the corpses groaned, And shook their mould'ring hair;
III.
Ye hagges crowde to ye *levee*.
As witches gathered one by one, And knelt at Satan's feet, With faces some all worn and wan, And some with features sweet,
IV.
Ye power of Musicke.
The earth did ope and imps upsprang Of every shape and shade, Who 'gan to dance as th' welkin rang With tunes the 'Old Lad' played;
V.
Ye poetrie of motion.
At which the witches clapped their hands, And laughed and screamed in glee; Or jumped about in whirling bands, And hopped in revelry,
VI.
Ye delicacies of ye season,
Till Satan ceased, when all did rest, And swarmed unto the meat: The flesh of infants from the breast, The toes from dead men's feet,
VII.
Ye ditto,
With sand for salt, and brimstone cates, With blood for old wine red; On glittering dish and golden plates The dainty food was spread.
VIII.
Ye coolinge drinkes.
From heavy cups, with jewels rough, The witches quenched their thirst; Yet not before the ruddie stuff Had been by Satan cursed.
IX.
Ye barde telleth of an outcaste impe.
But one lank fiend of skin and bone, With hungry-looking eyne, Gazed at the food with dreary moans, And many a mournful whine;
X.
Of hys unparalleled wickednesse;
For Satan would not let him feed Upon the toothsome cheer, (He had not done all day a deed To cause a human tear);
XI.
Of hys gamboles and praieres,
And so he hopped from side to side, To beg a bit of 'toke,' And, vagrant-like, his plea denied, He prayed that they might choke
XII.
And of hys revylyngs of goode menne.
Themselves with morsels rich and fat Or die upon the floor, Like paupers (grieving much thereat The guardians of the poor).
XIII.
Ye earlie byrde prepareth for ye 'Diet of Wormes.'
A cock then flapped his wings and crew, Announcing coming light; When, seizing on a jar of stew, The snubbed imp took his flight.
XIV.
*Les Adieux.*
And at the solemn sound of doom The witches flew away, While Satan slunk off through the gloom, Afraid of break of day;
XV.
Ye fruitlesse remorse of Beelzebubbe.
And in the darkness drear he cried— His voice a trifle gruff, 'Those omelettes were nicely fried; I have not had enough!'
XVI.
Ye resulte of ye meetynge uponne ye
A blight fell on the trembling flowers And on the quivering trees— No buds there drink the passing showers, Or leaves wave in the breeze;
XVII.
Agryculture of ye dystricte.
For Satan's presence withered all The daisies and the grass, And all things over which like pall His sulphurous tail did pass.
---
Characters
Satan ⚔ antagonist
Implied to be large and imposing, with a 'sulphurous tail' that blights everything it passes over. His presence withers flowers and grass, suggesting an aura of decay and destruction.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but sits on a throne beneath a blasted oak, suggesting a regal yet dark aesthetic. Likely dark, flowing garments, perhaps with infernal symbols or made of unusual materials.
Wants: To revel in wickedness, preside over dark feasts, and exert his power over lesser demons and witches.
Flaw: Vulnerable to the coming of daylight, which causes him to flee.
No significant arc; he remains the powerful, malevolent figure he is at the beginning, only showing a moment of petulant gluttony at the end.
Cruel, powerful, capricious (denies the lank fiend food), gluttonous (complains about not having enough omelettes), musical (fiddles), and destructive (his presence blights nature).
Lank Fiend ○ minor
Lank, skin and bone, suggesting extreme thinness and hunger.
Attire: Not described, but as an outcast imp, likely tattered or minimal clothing, if any, perhaps dark and simple.
Wants: To eat and satisfy his hunger, which is denied by Satan.
Flaw: His hunger and his inability to perform deeds wicked enough to earn Satan's favor.
Starts hungry and denied, ends up stealing food and fleeing, suggesting a temporary victory in satisfying his hunger.
Hungry, desperate, mournful, resentful, spiteful (prays for others to choke), mischievous (seizes a jar of stew).
Witches ◆ supporting
Varied: some 'worn and wan' (suggesting old age, fatigue, or hardship), others with 'features sweet' (suggesting youth or deceptive beauty).
Attire: Not explicitly described, but as witches gathering for a dark feast, likely dark, practical, and perhaps tattered garments, or robes with occult symbols. Given the context, perhaps simple, dark dresses or cloaks, suitable for ritual gatherings.
Wants: To participate in Satan's feast and rituals, to revel in evil, to gain favor or power from Satan.
Flaw: Fear of daylight, which causes them to flee.
No individual arc; they serve as a collective audience and participants in the dark feast.
Devoted to Satan, gleeful in wickedness, revelrous, uninhibited, fearful of daylight.
Imps ○ minor
Of every shape and shade, suggesting a diverse and grotesque appearance.
Attire: Not described, likely minimal or tattered clothing, or none at all, consistent with their demonic nature.
Wants: To dance to Satan's music and partake in the unholy feast.
Flaw: Bound by Satan's will, fear of daylight (implied as they are part of the gathering that disperses).
No individual arc; they serve as a collective, reveling in the feast.
Mischievous, eager, revelrous, gluttonous.
Locations
The Blasted Oak in the Marsh
A desolate, open marshland dominated by a single, ancient, and 'blasted' oak tree with bare, gnarled branches. The ground is likely damp and muddy, with sparse, withered vegetation. The air is filled with the sounds of marsh-frogs and the groans of mandrakes.
Mood: Eerie, desolate, sinister, unholy, chaotic.
Satan holds court, playing his fiddle for witches, imps, and reanimated corpses, culminating in a grotesque supper and dance.
The Blighted Landscape
The area surrounding the blasted oak, now visibly withered and dead. Flowers are trembling and blighted, trees are quivering and lifeless, with no buds or leaves. The grass and daisies are dead, as if a sulphurous pall has passed over everything.
Mood: Desolate, cursed, barren, sorrowful.
The lasting, destructive impact of Satan's presence on the natural environment after his departure at dawn.
Story DNA
Plot Summary
Satan hosts a macabre supper under a blighted oak, entertaining his witch and imp followers with music and a feast of gruesome, cursed delicacies. One lank imp is denied food for not having committed enough evil deeds, leading him to curse the others. The revelry is abruptly ended by the crow of a cock, signaling dawn, causing Satan and his minions to flee. They leave behind a blighted landscape, and Satan laments his unfulfilled appetite.
Themes
Emotional Arc
malicious revelry to frustrated desire
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This poem draws on traditional European folklore and demonology, depicting a classic witches' sabbath with Satan as the central figure. The archaic language is a stylistic choice rather than a reflection of a specific historical period.
Plot Beats (14)
- Satan sits on his throne under a blighted oak, playing his fiddle to a grim accompaniment.
- Winds howl, and corpses groan, shaking their decaying hair.
- Witches gather, kneeling at Satan's feet, some wan, some sweet-featured.
- The earth opens, and imps of various shapes emerge, dancing to Satan's music.
- The witches clap, laugh, scream, and dance in glee.
- Satan stops playing, and everyone swarms to the feast of infant flesh, dead men's toes, sand, brimstone, and blood.
- The witches drink cursed red liquid from jeweled cups.
- A lank, hungry imp is denied food by Satan because he hasn't caused a human tear that day.
- The imp hops around, begging for food, then curses the others, wishing them to choke or die like paupers.
- A cock crows, announcing the coming dawn.
- The snubbed imp seizes a jar of stew and flees.
- The witches fly away, and Satan slinks off through the gloom, afraid of daylight.
- Satan cries out in the darkness, regretting not having eaten enough of the 'nicely fried omelettes'.
- A blight falls upon the flowers and trees in the district, withered by Satan's sulphurous presence.
