history of the jack-o-lantern
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 12:20 am
The Irish brought the tradition of the Jack-o-Lantern to America. But, the original Jack-o-Lantern was not a pumpkin. The Jack-o-Lantern legend goes back hundreds of years in Irish history. As the story goes, Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who liked to play tricks on everyone. One day he tricked the devil into climbing up an apple tree. Once the devil climbed up the tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. The devil was then unable to get down. Stingy Jack made the devil promise him that he would not take his soul when he died. Once this devil promised this Jack removed the crosses and let the devil down.
Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and cruel and had led a miserable and worthless life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to hell, the devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter. Now Jack was sacred and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell He asked the devil how he could leave as there was no light. The devil tossed him an ember from the flames of hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out turnip, one of his favorite foods which he always carried with him. For that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his "Jack-o-Lantern".
On all Hallow's eve, the Irish hollowed out turnips, rutabagas, gourds, and potatoes. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack-o-Lanterns. In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America and they quickly discovered that pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out so they decided t ouse them instead for Jack-o-Lanterns.
Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and cruel and had led a miserable and worthless life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to hell, the devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter. Now Jack was sacred and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell He asked the devil how he could leave as there was no light. The devil tossed him an ember from the flames of hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out turnip, one of his favorite foods which he always carried with him. For that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his "Jack-o-Lantern".
On all Hallow's eve, the Irish hollowed out turnips, rutabagas, gourds, and potatoes. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack-o-Lanterns. In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America and they quickly discovered that pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out so they decided t ouse them instead for Jack-o-Lanterns.
