Over the years, we’ve seen an abundance of symbols involving Halloween, that foreshadow the spooky season ahead. Ranging from ghosts to vampires and even mummies (not the one you call mom, rather the ones from sarcophaguses.) The one constant symbol that embodies the spirit of the holiday is that of the pumpkin; particularly the Jack-o-lantern. It’s so commonplace that we don’t typically stop to question the story of the spooky fruit – but there is a storied history behind it’s ties to Halloween.

_{The Man Behind The Myth}

Once you understand the context of this old legend, you may find it more of a comedy than a tragedy. This eerie tale originates from 19th-century prints and follows Stingy Jack, a blacksmith who outwitted the Devil himself. The story goes that one night, Jack invited the Devil for a drink but then tricked him into transforming into a coin to pay the tab. Instead, Jack pocketed the “coined” Devil alongside a silver cross, preventing him from changing back. After some “aggressive negotiations,” Jack agreed to free him in exchange for a year of peace and the assurance that, should Jack die, his soul wouldn’t be claimed.

A year later, Jack and the Devil crossed paths again, and Jack convinced him to climb a tree for some fruit. While the Devil was up in the tree, Jack carved a cross on the trunk, trapping him once more. This time, Jack struck a deal for an additional ten years of peace. However, his tricks had unintended consequences; when he died, Heaven denied him entry, and the Devil, still holding a grudge, barred him from Hell as well. True to his word, the Devil refused to claim Jack’s soul and sent him off with only a burning ember to light his way.

Unable to hold the ember, Jack placed it inside a hollowed-out turnip, roaming the earth endlessly as “Jack of the Lantern,” which evolved into the Jack-o’-lantern we know today. The Irish and Celts kept his story alive, carving eerie faces into their lanterns to scare away wandering spirits—including Jack himself.

_{Have You Seen Jack?}

In modern times, there are surprisingly few film adaptations that tell this tale. The 1995 film Jack-O features a story about grave robbers awakening two evil spirits, including a hanged warlock. More recently, the 2019 short film The Tale of Stingy Jack retells the original legend. These may seem lackluster compared to the tale’s potential, but one adaptation is worth mentioning: The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Halloween special, Billy & Mandy’s Jacked Up Halloween. In this Cartoon Network episode, the mischievous Jack seeks revenge on Grim, the show’s Reaper figure, while also attempting to take over the fictional town of Endsville. It’s a fun spin that captures the legend’s trickster spirit.

Maybe this is why Halloween is filled with trick-or-treaters—just be careful not to take your tricks too far, or you might be in for a real treat…

https://theableshow.com/the-legend-of-jack-of-the-lantern/

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Works Cited

Claire Gunster-Kirby, Claire. “The Celtic Legend of Stingy Jack.” The Celtic Legend of Stingy Jack, Poolsville Seniors, https://poolesvilleseniors.org/the-celtic-legend-of-stingy-jack/.

“Jack-O (1995).” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113449/. Accessed 17 October 2024.

“Jack O’Lantern | The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Wiki | Fandom.” The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Wiki, https://grimadventures.fandom.com/wiki/Jack_O%27Lantern. Accessed 17 October 2024.

“The Tale of Stingy Jack (Short 2019).” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9699128/. Accessed 17 October 2024.