The sun appears to be defeated. Hours of daylight shrink, and cold and dark take over the world. It's a time to think of death. Many can expect to perish from cold and starvation before the sun's warmth is felt again. The pig herds have to be thinned and meat preserved for winter.
People assess their chances.
As darkness grows so does the power of the spirits of the underworld. Any fruits not harvested by late October have to be left for the hungry spirits who will soon claim the dying world. Blackberries, in particular, can not be picked after October 14, for on that day the devil fell in a blackberry bush and cursed its thorns. The pagan tradition is still strong in most of Europe a thousand years ago. Halloween is the most important of the year's festivals.