The Man Who Was A Rake

    Jake was ready for Halloween. His costume was a Jack-in-the-box. He was Jake-in-the-box. Out he went with his friends through the neighborhood, ready to fill his sack with treats. They dared him to go to the mysterious old man Whithers' house. Not one to back down from a juvenile rite, he went up to the house and knocked on the door.  After some time, slow footsteps approached the door. Jake began his cranking-tune in anticipation. The door opened, revealing a frightening scarecrow, but Jake popped out of his box at the same time. Old man Whithers threw his hands in the air, stiffened in fright. He fell to the side, bumping the doorway on the way to the floor.

    Not knowing what to do, Jake ran from the house, past his friends, back to his home. When she heard the news, Jake's mother scolded him. It was already too late to return this night, so she sent him back first thing in the morning. Jake approached old man Whithers' house and found him still lying there stiff on the floor, hands clawed out high above him as he was the night before. Jake told him he would go get help, but old man Whithers cackled saying no one would believe him, and the only way to relieve him would be to rake his yard. Jake agreed and went to the shed to find a rake. He opened the door to the shed and found nothing but an old bike wheel, and some cobwebs. Returning to old man Whithers, Jake decided he didn't have time to go to the store to get a rake, so he used old man Whithers in his stiff, scary form instead.  Though heavy and cumbersome, and rather petulant with leaves in his face, old man Whithers proved to be a sufficiently useful rake. As Jake raked up the last of the leaves, old man Whithers fell limp on his face, grumbled, and put his hands down, lifting himself up shouting "let me go!" Jake dropped his legs and old man Whithers gave another cry.  Finally able to move, and having raked enough leaves, he told Jake to go home and never scare him like that again.