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As the story goes, several centuries ago amongst the myriad of towns and
villages in Ireland there lived a drunkard known as "Jack the Smith". Jack
was known throughout the land as a deceiver, manipulator, and otherwise
dreg of society. On a fateful Hallow eves night the Devil overheard the tale of
Jack's evil deeds and silver-tongue. Unconvinced (and envious) of the
rumors, the Devil went to find out for himself whether or not Jack lived up to
his vile reputation.
Typical of Jack, he was drunk and wandering through the countryside at night
when he came upon a body on his cobblestone path; the body with an Erie
grimace on its face turned out to be the Devil. Jack in a somber mood
realized this was his end; the Devil had finally come to collect his malevolent
soul. Jack made a last request: he asked the Devil to let him drink ale before
he departed to hell.
The Devil finding no reason not to accept the request took Jack to the local
pub and supplied him with many drinks of alcoholic beverages. Upon
quenching his thirst Jack surprised the Devil by asking him to pay the tab. He
convinced the Devil to metamorphose into a silver coin so he could pay the
bartender. Impressed upon by Jack's unyielding nefarious tactics, the Devil
agreed and transformed. But Jack immediately snatched the coin and
deposited it into his pocket, next to a silver cross that he was carrying. Thus,
the Devil could not change himself back and Jack refused to allow the Devil
to go free until the Devil had promised not to claim Jack's soul for ten years.
The Devil agreed.
Exactly ten years senior to the date upon which Jack originally struck his
deal, Jack found himself once again in the presence of the Devil. This time
Jack ran into him standing in the middle of a country road. Jack didn’t try to
run, instead he told the devil that he accepted it was his time to go to Hell for
good. As the Devil prepared to take him to the underworld, Jack asked if he
could have one apple, so he could feed his starving belly one last time. The
Devil thinking he had nothing to lose Foolishly agreed to this last request,
and climbed up the branches of a nearby apple tree, As soon as he did, Jack
placed crosses all around the trunk of the tree, thus trapping the Devil,
whom frustrated at the fact that he been tricked again, demanded his
release. Jack refused unless the Devil agreed that he would never take his
soul into Hell EVER! With no other way out he grudgingly agreed and was set
free.
Eventually the drinking and unstable lifestyle took its toll on Stingy Jack,
several years later he died the way he had lived. As Jack's soul prepared to
enter Heaven through the gates of St. Peter he was stopped. He was told that
due to the lifestyle he had lead, the life full of deceit, drinking, and sinful
behavior, he was not permitted entrance into Heaven. Jack in a dreary state
now went and stood before the Gates of Hades and begged for commission
into underworld.
"Go away," shouted the Devil.
"But where can I go?" said Jack.
"Go back to where you've come" snapped the Devil. "You tricked me, and
made me promise not to claim your soul."
The way back was windy and very dark. Stingy Jack pleaded with the Devil to
at least provide him with a light to help find his way. The Devil, as a final
gesture, tossed Jack an ember straight from the fires of Hell. Jack placed the
ember in a hollowed-out turnip...one of Jack's favorite foods, which he
always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. From that day
forward, Stingy Jack has been doomed to roam the earth without a resting
place and with only his Jack O’ Lantern to searching for a place to rest.
villages in Ireland there lived a drunkard known as "Jack the Smith". Jack
was known throughout the land as a deceiver, manipulator, and otherwise
dreg of society. On a fateful Hallow eves night the Devil overheard the tale of
Jack's evil deeds and silver-tongue. Unconvinced (and envious) of the
rumors, the Devil went to find out for himself whether or not Jack lived up to
his vile reputation.
Typical of Jack, he was drunk and wandering through the countryside at night
when he came upon a body on his cobblestone path; the body with an Erie
grimace on its face turned out to be the Devil. Jack in a somber mood
realized this was his end; the Devil had finally come to collect his malevolent
soul. Jack made a last request: he asked the Devil to let him drink ale before
he departed to hell.
The Devil finding no reason not to accept the request took Jack to the local
pub and supplied him with many drinks of alcoholic beverages. Upon
quenching his thirst Jack surprised the Devil by asking him to pay the tab. He
convinced the Devil to metamorphose into a silver coin so he could pay the
bartender. Impressed upon by Jack's unyielding nefarious tactics, the Devil
agreed and transformed. But Jack immediately snatched the coin and
deposited it into his pocket, next to a silver cross that he was carrying. Thus,
the Devil could not change himself back and Jack refused to allow the Devil
to go free until the Devil had promised not to claim Jack's soul for ten years.
The Devil agreed.
Exactly ten years senior to the date upon which Jack originally struck his
deal, Jack found himself once again in the presence of the Devil. This time
Jack ran into him standing in the middle of a country road. Jack didn’t try to
run, instead he told the devil that he accepted it was his time to go to Hell for
good. As the Devil prepared to take him to the underworld, Jack asked if he
could have one apple, so he could feed his starving belly one last time. The
Devil thinking he had nothing to lose Foolishly agreed to this last request,
and climbed up the branches of a nearby apple tree, As soon as he did, Jack
placed crosses all around the trunk of the tree, thus trapping the Devil,
whom frustrated at the fact that he been tricked again, demanded his
release. Jack refused unless the Devil agreed that he would never take his
soul into Hell EVER! With no other way out he grudgingly agreed and was set
free.
Eventually the drinking and unstable lifestyle took its toll on Stingy Jack,
several years later he died the way he had lived. As Jack's soul prepared to
enter Heaven through the gates of St. Peter he was stopped. He was told that
due to the lifestyle he had lead, the life full of deceit, drinking, and sinful
behavior, he was not permitted entrance into Heaven. Jack in a dreary state
now went and stood before the Gates of Hades and begged for commission
into underworld.
"Go away," shouted the Devil.
"But where can I go?" said Jack.
"Go back to where you've come" snapped the Devil. "You tricked me, and
made me promise not to claim your soul."
The way back was windy and very dark. Stingy Jack pleaded with the Devil to
at least provide him with a light to help find his way. The Devil, as a final
gesture, tossed Jack an ember straight from the fires of Hell. Jack placed the
ember in a hollowed-out turnip...one of Jack's favorite foods, which he
always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. From that day
forward, Stingy Jack has been doomed to roam the earth without a resting
place and with only his Jack O’ Lantern to searching for a place to rest.
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