The Story of Jack O’Lantern

Once upon the time on the edge of a huge forest there was a little village. People who lived there were gentle and kind to each other but very poor.

In the smallest and poorest cottage there lived an old woman and her son Jack, who was very naughty – he only did what he wanted. He never obeyed his mother.

One day when he as usual ran out to the forest, Jack heard the sound of thunder and suddenly in front of him he saw a Devil.

The Devil offered him a deal:

For one hundred years he will serve him as a slave in exchange for Jack’s soul. He promised to make him the richest man in the world.

The boy agreed and signed a pact with the Devil.

At the same moment everything around him changed. He became a king and lived in a wonderful palace. At last Jack did what he wanted. 

He spent his time hunting and playing, forgetting completely about his Mum, his cottage and friends.

After one hundred years Jack still looked like a young man. He enjoyed life so much that he had forgotten about   the deal.

One day, when he was walking in his garden, he heard a strange noise. That was the Devil, who said:

-         I want you to  give me your soul. Remember !

Jack was so scared and he felt hopeless but as he was  very clever he had an idea how to cheat the Devil.

He said:

-         I have only got one last task for you. Can you see that red apple on the apple tree. I want you to pick it for me.

While the Devil   was  climbing the tree, Jack draw a sign of the cross on the trunk.

This time that was the Devil, who was scared and started to beg Jack to erase the cross. Jack said that he would do that if the Devil promise not to come back for his soul.

The Devil promised and ran away.

But after that Jack became a poor little boy again. What’s more all his family and friends died. He felt lonely and tired of life.

He decided to go to Heaven and asked Saint Peter to let him in there but the Saint said:

-         Sorry Jack, your life hasn’t been good and there is no place for you.

So poor Jack went to  Hell. 

The Devil was so scared of Jack that he didn’t even want to open the door but he felt pity on a little homeless boy and gave him a pumpkin filled with flames from Hell to light him the way to the Earth.

The legend says that poor Jack is still wandering looking for a place to rest.

On the 31 st October after dark children make lanterns and light up the candle  inside the pumpkin. They want to help Jack find the way home.  

P.S. Based on the book I bought twenty five years ago published by Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne, Warszawa 1992.

I use it and tell the story every Halloween and believe it or not but even teenagers listen carefully.

Today one boy asked why Jack hadn't decided to have a family with a comment that it would be better for him and he wouldn't feel so lonely.