The Howling Man

Another great Twilight Zone ep.

It's a fantastic story about a group of obscure monks who do not welcome a lost and wounded wayfarer. they practically kick him out only letting him stay because he collapses.

Occasionally the eerie sound of a wailing howl splits the air. At first the monks deny it but then relent.

In a dialog with the abbot, the man learns the monks have captured the devil, satan himself and keep him in a cell stopped by a wooden crook of truth.

The traveller disbelieves and in a dialog with the man who asks for help in the name of mercy, not God to be released.

Upon release, the man is revealed to be the devil and disappears into the night.

In the ensuing years WW2 and other horrific events plague mankind.

Before this, the disbelief of the traveller is countered by the abbot, who is emphatic but not shrill nor unbalanced.

Satan was captured shortly after WW1. Yes there were still sins and terrible things but it was argued not on a global scale.

The point of the exercise partly was that the abbot pointed out satan does cause evil as Man chooses it. But Man is capable of evil himself. There is a catalyst but free will is the tipping point. then evil can become epidemic.

I don't buy the 'relative calm' between world wars. There is always great travesty.

What I DO buy is evil either pretending to be bland or seducing ever so slowly.

As always The Howling Man got this kid to think even in grade school.

Then again, we were all taught that back then.

Pass it on.