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| THE JACKOLANTERN |
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| There are many different versions to this story. This is only one of at least 4 that I have heard or read about. |
| There once wasa fellow named Jack, not a bad person of sorts, but not exactly a decent man either. Jack was tall and lanky and had himself a mischievious grin about him. Always playing pranks and jokes on the townsfolk. Well as it happened one day, the devil became bored torturing the souls he had collected below and decided to make atrip to the earthworld. The devil came across old Jack sleeping under a big Oak tree and woke him up. The devil smiled evily at Jack and said, "I've come to take your soul." Jack opened one eye and replied, "If you can climb this here Oak tree and touch the top, you can have it." The devil begins to climb the tree but his horns get stuck midway up, so he yells down, "Jack, I'm stuck, help me down." "Nope," replied old Jack, "If I do that you'll take my soul." The devil thinks for a moment and then says, "If you help me down Jack, I'll grant you one wish, anything you ask and it's yours." Jack rubs his chin and thinks for a moment, then smiles, "Ok, if I help get you down, you have to promise to never allow me into hell." The devil grimaces but finally agrees to the bargain. The devil left Jack, realizing he had been defeated. Jack wandered off smiling, because he knew right then he had beat the old devil and could do whatever he pleased, he was safe from the pits of hell. So Jack began to do things not so nice, talking about his adventure with the devil. But nobody woud believe old Jack and he took to drinking. |
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| So it came to pass as with all souls, Jack passed away all alone and was buried. Jack found himself standing at the front of the Gates of Heaven where a man dressed in white stood with a gold staff. The man shook his head and said, "We have no room in here for the likes of you Jack, you'll have to go to the other place." Dismayed, Jack found himself then standing at the gates of hell, fire and the smell of sulpher all around. The devil appeared and stood, pitchfork in hand, he smiled grimly at Jack. "Sorry Jack, but a bargain is a bargain, I gave you one wish, I cant let you in here." "What do I do?" Jack asked dismayed. "You can exchange your soul for the soul of another." the devil smirked. "But it's dark down here, I cant see nothin" Jack said. The devil tossed Jack a burning piece of coal, glowing brightly in the darkness. Jack then found himself back on earth in a lonely field. He took a turnip and hollowed it out so that the burning coal would not burn his hand and placed the coal inside. It is said that on Halloween Night when the portal between the Spirit World and the Living World opens, Jack can be seen wandering around, still holding that hollowed out turnip with the burning coal, looking for a soul to exchange for his. |
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| It's Been Said that if you take a turnip and hollow it out and adda burning piece of coal to it, Jack will think you are lost too and wont try to take your soul. This is where the lighting of the Jack O Lanterns first began...or so they say |