Characters: Captain Caitlyn, a brave buccaneer and software pirate. Amanda Anikova, pretty dancer/fairy/overall sweetie. Tea Party Brenda, all dressed up and nowhere to go. The Mummy of Tootandcomein. Cousin It's daughter.

Halloween, when thoughts turn to things ghostly, when witches knock on doors and ask for candy, when goblins and ghouls walk freely and people remark "how cute". Unfortunately this mania for dressing up and asking for candy has not filtered down into South Africa, and the Twinns were afraid that they would be left out. I said they could have their own little trick or treat session as long as they didn't break down the happy home. Finding costumes for 23" Twinns is no easy task either, and they had to make do with what they could find. Needless to say they enjoyed the celebration and I was glad when it was over. I had left them to their own devices when I heard the dreaded knock on the door.

I opened the door and saw 5 very small trick or treaters, trying desperately not to be blown away by the wind which had sprung up overnight. "Happy Halloween girls. You look so smart today. How can I help?" "Aaargh!" The pirate said, "Trick or treat!! gimme all your grub or I will keelhaul the crowsnest and batten the mainsail!" "Mmfph ph pfmmf?" the Mummy tried to say under its bandages. "Happy Halloween, trick or treat please." The courteous dancer/fairy said with a shy smile. "Greetings, trick or treat?" the very well dressed girl asked. "Mmepeepee eeep eepepepem?" the pile of hair with a halloween bag said. "Gee, I don't know, maybe trick?" I said. The pirate waved her sword around in glee while the Mummy suddenly made strange muffled groaning noises. The other 2 girls burst out in giggles, while Cousin It's daughter said something that sounded like a squeaking cupboard door.

"Mmmmfp wgg hffg ft wgg fgofd wrppfr teef!!!" the Mummy emphasised. "I cannot understand a word that the Mummy is saying. Anybody want to try translating?" "What Tootandcomein is trying to say is: "beware the beat of the cloth wrapped feet!!"" Amanda offered. "Who is the squeaking person with all the hair?" "Oh, that's Cousin It's daughter." Brenda replied helpfully. "She is out here on holiday." "Meeemeep mmepppm eeeemmppm mme ppeeempeep" "Um, what did she say?" "Better hand over the goodies or you will get hair in your food." Who could resist such persuasion? It was either trick or treat, and I handed over my goodies.

Needless to say the Twinns had won the battle, but not the war. They had had their fun and all that was left was to divvy up the loot! They headed across to the bedroom and dumped their ill gotten gains in a pile on the bed.

"Not a bad haul me hearties!" Captain Caitlyn said, waving her hook around, "although where the tin of beans comes from is anybodies guess. I bet it belongs to the Mummy." "Yummy, lots of chomps! I like chomps, they are dolly sized choccies." said Amanda, clutching a chomp in her hand. "Meeppp peem meppem's ppee ppmmm!" said Cousin It's daughter. "What did she say?" asked Caitlyn. "It sounded like "I taught I taw a puddy tat,"" ventured Amanda. "No, I think she said "I think I am getting a hairball." Said Brenda, obviously the only one who could understand Cousin It's daughter. "Hhmpf! Hhmpf! Hhmpf!" laughed the Mummy of Tootandcomein. "I expect Tootandcomein got all those beans and biscuits because Mummy's love beans and biscuits?" The Mummy nodded vigorously, "Mmmfieees frt Hmmpfffff fftp ftfppgfhm rrrtf fhmmmp mhfp!" "She says, everybody knows that Mummy's, beans and biccies are very good for each other." Translated Amanda. "Maybe we should tell the Mummy that she wont be able to eat the biscuits seeing as her mouth is all bandaged up." remarked Brenda. "HHPPFF!!!!!!!" shouted the Mummy, "HHHHHHHPPFFFF!!!" Everybody burst out laughing except the poor Mummy, who was desperately trying to unwrap the packet with her bandaged hands. "HHPPF!! HPFFFFFFHHMBBBB!! ARRRRGHHHHHHHHHH!!!! And so Halloween was over for another year, and the Twinns happily guzzled their goodies, they even helped the Mummy to unwrap herself and everybody was ready for the all important ghost story evening, but, thats another story for another day. Happy Halloween everybody!