 Article taken from 'History Facts'.
The jack-o’-lantern has its roots in Irish lore — specifically, the legend of a man called “Stingy Jack,” who tried to trick the devil and suffered the consequences. There are many versions of the tale, but the gist is that Jack invited the devil for a drink but balked when it came time to pay, and asked the devil to transform into a coin he could use for payment. The devil went along with this, but Stingy Jack kept the coin for himself, putting it next to a silver cross in his pocket to keep the devil from reverting to his original form. Jack’s next move was to free the devil if he agreed not to bother Jack for a year and not to take his soul when he died. A year later, Jack once again tricked the devil, this time getting him to agree to leave Jack alone for 10 years. After Jack died, God wouldn’t allow the trickster into heaven, and the devil, honoring his deal, wouldn’t take Jack into hell, either. The devil sent Jack away with only a burning coal from the fiery underworld to light his way. A ghostly Jack placed the coal in a carved-out turnip lantern, sentenced to roam the Earth for eternity. The Irish referred to the specter as “Jack of the Lantern,” and eventually, “Jack o’ lantern.” People even began carving out lanterns to mimic the story. The first jack-o’-lanterns were made by carving out turnips, beets, and potatoes and illuminating them with a candle. These date back at least to 1640, when author Sam Howell referenced “a turnip cut like Death’s head with a candle in’t.” Pumpkins aren’t native to Ireland, so the tradition as we know it didn’t come about until Irish immigrants brought the legend to the United States, where pumpkins had been introduced to Europeans by Indigenous people in the Americas.
18 Comments
6/15/2024 10:13:58 pm
With nothing but a flaming coal from the blazing abyss to guide him, the devil banished Jack. 8/19/2024 04:04:34 am
Fascinating read! I had no idea that the tradition of Jack-o'-lanterns originated from an Irish legend. It's incredible how cultural stories like these evolve and spread across the world, eventually becoming beloved holiday traditions. Thanks for sharing this piece of history! 11/27/2024 03:50:59 pm
I’m curious about your sources—where did you find that data? 2/17/2025 04:15:23 pm
Yay! I want to witness that kind of awesomeness! 4/8/2025 09:32:28 am
The jack-o’-lantern, a hallmark of Halloween, has eerie roots in Irish folklore—specifically the tale of a clever trickster named Stingy Jack. As legend has it, Jack was not the kind of man you'd invite to dinner. He was notorious for outsmarting even the devil himself—and he paid the ultimate price for it. 4/15/2025 05:29:34 am
Wow, I had no idea jack-o’-lanterns came from such a wild legend! Stingy Jack really thought he could outsmart the devil — bold move. Love learning the spooky origins behind these traditions! 5/14/2025 01:16:25 pm
What a fascinating origin story—who knew jack-o’-lanterns came from such a clever (and spooky) Irish legend! 9/4/2025 10:27:15 am
Thanks for starting this discussion. It’s good to see different perspectives. 9/16/2025 06:09:05 pm
The devil sent Jack away with only a burning coal from the fiery underworld to light his way. 9/19/2025 12:06:58 pm
Wow, I love reading the origins of the jack-o’-lantern! It’s fascinating how a tale like Stingy Jack’s evolved into such a widespread tradition, and how Irish immigrants adapted it with pumpkins here in the U.S. 9/20/2025 01:17:24 pm
That’s a really fascinating piece of history! The way folklore evolves into tradition is always so interesting. The story of Stingy Jack shows how legends can shape cultural practices, like carving lanterns out of turnips, beets, and potatoes. It’s also striking how the custom transformed once Irish immigrants brought it to the U.S., where pumpkins were abundant and became the perfect fit for the tradition. It’s amazing to think that every glowing jack-o’-lantern we see today carries echoes of that old Irish tale. 🎃 10/22/2025 02:31:28 am
What an interesting origin story! I’ve always associated jack-o’-lanterns with fun Halloween traditions, but I didn’t realize they had such a dark and fascinating background in Irish folklore. It’s amazing how the legend of Stingy Jack traveled from Ireland to the U.S. and evolved from carved turnips to pumpkins. It really shows how cultural traditions adapt and change over time. Thanks for sharing this piece of history — it definitely adds more meaning to the glowing pumpkins we see every October! 🎃 Leave a Reply. |