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The Legend of Stringy Jack

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Date: 10/31/01

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apple climb cross devil drinking earth entrance giving heaven hell helping mean pumpkin traditional windows

The traditional use of pumpkins as Jack-O-Lanterns has Irish roots. Legend has it that a stringy blacksmith named Jack, renown for his mean streak, tricky ways and drunkenness, was cursed to roam the world endlessly because he tricked the devil. In his time, Jack was famous for helping himself at other folks’ expense – stealing pies cooling on a windowsill, making a tasty snack of a farmer’s chicken, or just drinking too much and getting out of hand. As far as Jack was concerned, things were going pretty well. Then one day, the Devil came to take Jack away. Always quick on his feet, Jack made a deal with the Devil; he wanted a one last apple to eat before the Devil claimed his soul. Jack convinced the Devil to climb an apple tree. Once he was in the tree, Jack carved a cross in the trunk—trapping the Devil. Jack said he would release the Devil if he promised to never bother him again. Not having much of a choice, the Devil agreed. A year later Jack died and was denied entrance into Heaven because of his mean ways. Of course, the Devil, after being tricked, would not let him into Hell either. Jack was condemned to wander between heaven and hell for eternity with nothing but a piece of coal the devil gave him to light his way. Being too hot to handle, Jack put the piece of coal in a turnip and the Jack-O-Lantern was born. Carving Jack's turnip became a tradition in Ireland. The Irish carved rutabagas, potatoes, turnips, and even beets. The carved vegetables became symbols of Jack's wanderings. They were placed in the windows to scare away spirits that are said to walk the earth on Halloween. The pumpkin was not used as a Jack-O-Lantern until immigrants brought the legend with them to America. In that way, Stringy Jack has become an immigrant too, giving up his turnip for the pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern we are familiar with today.