Local News Halloween origins: The legend of Stingy Jack
Halloween origins: The legend of Stingy Jack
by Richard Nenoff, Guest Reporter
Volume 15, Issue 7
October 13, 2009
One of the hallmarks of Halloween, some might even argue the iconic symbol of the holiday itself, is the Jack o’ lantern. Come October, pumpkins can be found on doorsteps and in the windows of houses in every state in the country, their grinning faces lit from within by candles and glow sticks. But, while everyone knows the tradition, few know the back story of one of our greatest American traditions. Ever wondered why they’re called Jack o’ lanterns? It comes from an old Irish myth about a man who was too smart for his own good. So sit back, children, and listen to the tale of “Stingy Jack.”
Once Upon A Time, there lived a man named Stingy Jack. He was known far and wide as a thief, a con artist, but above all, a drunk. So lecherous was Jack that even the Devil came to hear of him. And so it was, one fateful night, that the Devil decided to call on Jack. Stumbling drunkenly down the road, Jack came across a corpse grinning in a most disturbing and evil manner. Realizing that it was the Devil come to claim his soul, Jack hailed the silent stranger. When he got no reply, he said that he would go willingly, if the Devil would grant him just one request. He wanted one last drink.
Seeing no harm, the Devil agreed, taking Jack to a nearby tavern where the two proceeded to drink until the wee hours of the morning. When it came time to settle their tab, Jack slyly asked the Devil to turn himself into a silver coin, so that after the barman took the money, it would disappear and Jack would enjoy one last trick. The Devil, always one to enjoy a bit of mischief, agreed and did as he was asked. As soon as the Devil changed, Jack, true to his name, snatched up the coin and plunged it into his pocket where he also carried a silver crucifix. Unable to escape, the Devil had no choice but to agree to Jack’s demand that his soul be spared for 10 more years.
Ten years passed quickly, and sure enough, on the anniversary of his deal, Jack once again found himself staring at the Devil’s evil, grinning face. Jack once again promised to go willingly if only the Devil would climb a nearby tree and pick him an apple, as he was now too old and frail to do it himself. When the Devil jumped into the branches, Jack bent down and drew crucifixes all around the tree, once again trapping the Devil. This time Jack made the Devil promise never to take his soul when he died, thereby guaranteeing his place in Heaven.
Years later, when it was finally Jack’s time, he found himself before the gates of Heaven. However, due to his unsavory past and sinful ways, he was denied admission and instead sent down to Hell. True to his word, the Devil refused to let Jack in and turned him away. Damned to wander the Earth in darkness, Jack begged the Devil to help him. Grinning maliciously, the Devil tossed Jack a burning ember from the depths Hell. Jack took his piece of Hellfire and placed it in a hollowed out turnip to create a lantern.
Sometime after his death, farmers and peasants began seeing the eerie flame of Jack o’ the Lantern wandering in the dark. Those unfortunate enough to cross paths with the ghost found themselves tricked out of their lives and sometimes their souls. It is said that every Halloween night, Jack wanders the Earth, sometimes disguised as an old man, other times as a mangy dog, and every so often, as a silver coin left on someone’s doorstep. To ward off his malevolent spirit, people carve faces into turnips and pumpkins, place inside a lit candle, and leave them on front porches. Some say the crude lanterns are designed to remind Jack of his penance, while others claim that the glowing grins remind Jack of the Devil’s visage and force him to flee in terror.
