Stingy Jack eventually died, and he was not allowed into heaven, probably due to, y’know, the fact that he and the Devil seemed to hang out semi-frequently. However, he was not sent to hell either, as the Devil had agreed not to claim his soul. This left poor Jack to wander as a spirit for all eternity. To give Stingy Jack light for his travels, the Devil gave him a piece of coal, which Jack put in a turnip that had been carved as a lantern.
This carved turnip with the coal in it is the inspiration for carving faces in pumpkins today. Stingy Jack became “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack-o’-lantern,” and the tradition has grown ever since. Pumpkins, which are now synonymous with the Halloween tradition, were not used in original Irish jack-o’-lanterns, as the gourd isn’t native to Ireland. Instead, they carved turnips, beets, potatoes, and other root vegetables.
It is worth noting that the tradition of carving faces in turnips existed long before the Stingy Jack story. It began as an ancient Celtic tradition for the celebration of Samhain. This pagan festival, which seems to have inspired much of our modern Halloween, involves a tradition in which spirits roam the earth for a limited time. To scare them away, faces were carved into root vegetables.
Regardless, the tradition of carving vegetables into lanterns was brought to America by Irish immigrants in the 19th century. Pumpkins became the crop of choice for jack-o’-lanterns, as their hollow shape was a natural fit for carving. Plus, turnip jack-o’-lanterns are downright terrifying.
And so, the next time you celebrate the spookiest day of the year through an artistically sliced gourd, remember to thank Stingy Jack for his questionable life choices and for easily fooling the Devil twice.
Top Image: Peter Kratochvil/Wiki Commons
Related: 6 Holiday Traditions From History So Creepy We Killed Them
Discover the History You Missed…
and so much more! One Cracked Fact delivers one new story from the worlds of history, science and pop culture, directly to your inbox every day. Sign up now!
Recommended For Your Pleasure
Jack-O'-Lanterns Becoming A Thing Involved Tricking Satan (Twice)
Source: Pinoy Daily News
![Disclaimer](<a href="https://rebrand.ly/LazadaSalePh"><img src="http://getfreefollowers.net/images/lazhorizontal.jpeg" /></a>){kind=link}
0 Comments