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A stingy drunkard of an Irish blacksmith named Jack
had the misfortune to run into the Devil in a pub, some say on
Halloween night. Jack had too much to drink and was about to fall into
the Devil's hands, but managed to trick the Devil by offering his soul
in exchange for one last drink. The Devil turned himself into a
sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack quickly pocketed him in his
purse. Because Jack had a silver cross in his purse, the Devil could
not change himself back. Jack would not let the Devil go until he
promised not to claim his soul for ten years.
The Devil agreed and ten years later Jack came across the Devil while
walking on a country road. The Devil wanted to collect, but Jack,
thinking quickly, said "I'll go, but before I go, will you get me
an apple from that tree?" The Devil, thinking he had nothing to
lose, jumped on Jack's shoulders to obtain the apple. Jack pulled out
his knife and carved a cross in the trunk of the tree. This left the
Devil in the air, unable to obtain Jack or his soul. Jack made him
promise to never again ask for his soul. Seeing no way out, the Devil
agreed. No one knows how the Devil ever managed to get back down!
When Jack finally died years later, he was not admitted to Heaven,
because of his life of drinking and being tightfisted and deceitful.
When he went to apply for entrance to Hell, the Devil had to turn him
away because he agreed never to take Jack's soul. "But where can
I go?", asked Jack. "Back where you came from!",
replied the Devil. The way back was windy and dark. Jack pleaded with
the Devil to at least provide him a light to find his way. The Devil,
as a final gesture, threw a live coal at Jack straight from the fire
of Hell. To light his way and to keep it from blowing out in the wind,
Jack put it in a turnip he was eating. Ever since, Jack has been
doomed to wander in darkness with his lantern until "Judgment
Day." Jack of the lantern (Jack o'Lantern) became known as the
symbol of a damned soul.
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