According to Irish folklore a man named Jack, well known for his drunkenness
and quick temper got very drunk at a local pub on all Hallows Eve. As his life
began to slip away the Devil appeared to claim Jack's soul. Jack, eager to
stay alive, begged the Devil to let him have just one more drink before he
died. The Devil agreed. Jack was short of money and asked the Devil if he
wouldn't mind assuming the shape of a sixpence so Jack could pay for the drink
and after the transaction the Devil could change back.

Seeing how the Devil is quite gullible in almost all of these folk tales, he
agreed again to help Jack out and changed himself into a sixpence. Jack
immediately grabbed the coin and shoved it into his wallet which just happened
to have a cross shaped catch on it. The Devil, now imprisoned in the wallet
screamed with rage and ordered Jack to release him.

Jack agreed to free the Devil from his wallet if the Devil agreed not to
bother Jack for a whole year. Again, the Devil agreed to Jack's terms.
Realizing he now had a new lease on life, at least for a year, Jack decided
to mend his ways. For a time Jack was good to his wife and children and
began to attend church and give charity. Eventually Jack slipped back into
his evil ways.

The next Hallows Eve as Jack was heading home the Devil appeared and
demanded that Jack accompany him. Once again Jack, not too eager to die,
distracted the devil by pointing to a nearby apple tree. Jack convinced
the Devil to get an apple out of the tree and even offered to hoist the Devil
up on his shoulders to help him get the apple. The Devil, fooled once again by
Jack, climbed into the tree and plucked an apple. Jack took out a knife
and carved a cross into the trunk of the tree. Trapped once again the Devil
howled to be released and told Jack he would give him 10 years of peace
in exchange for his release. Jack, on the other hand, insisted the Devil
never bother Jack again. The Devil agreed and was released.

Almost a year later Jack's body was unable to keep up with Jack's evil ways,
gave out and Jack died. When Jack tried to enter Heaven he was told that
because of his meanness he would not be allowed into Heaven. When Jack
attempted to gain entry into Hell, the Devil, still smarting from years of
humiliation refused Jack admission. However, being the kind Devil that he was,
the Devil threw Jack a piece of coal to help Jack find his way in the dark of
limbo. Jack put the piece of coal into a turnip and it became known as a
Jack-O-Lantern. On all Hallows Eve if you look you can still see Jack's
flame burning dimly as he searches for a home.

You might be asking yourself, that was an interesting story but where do the
pumpkins fit into this? Well I will tell you my friend. The use of Jack-O-Lanterns
as festival lights for Halloween is a custom that descended from the Irish who
used carved out turnips or beets as lanterns. On Halloween, these lights
represented the souls of the dead or goblins freed from the dead. When the
Irish emigrated to America they could not find many turnips to carve into
Jack-O-Lanterns but they did find an abundance of pumpkins. Pumpkins seemed to be
a suitable substitute for the turnips and pumpkins have been an essential
part of Halloween celebrations ever since.

Trick or Treating Origins

Trick or Treating probably originated with a ninth-century European custom called souling.
On All Souls Day which was on November 2nd, early Christians would walk from
village to village begging for soul cakes which are square pieces of bread with
currants. In exchange for the cakes, the beggars would promise to say prayers
on behalf of the donor's dead relatives. Thus the Halloween association with
ghosts and souls in limbo.

Frightening Funnies
It's Almost Halloween
Pumpkin Carving
Pumpkin Patterns
Terrifying Treats
The Twelve Days Of Halloween
Urban Legends

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