The Story of the Jack-O-Lantern  One of the most famous Halloween traditions is carving a pumpkin into a Jack-O-Lantern. This custom originated in Scotland and Ireland, where large turnips or other fruits and vegetables were carved into lanterns and placed along the roadside to light the way to the harvest festivals. The term Jack-O-Lantern has been handed down to us from an old Irish legend.. . It seems that the town drunkard was an ill-tempered man by the name of Jack. One Halloween night, Jack had a little too much to drink in the local pub. When he was getting ready to leave for home, the Devil appeared and informed Jack that his life was coming to an end and that he had come to claim his soul. Not wanting to die, Jack asked the Devil if he would grant him the favor of having just one more drink. Feeling in a generous mood the Devil complied, but when Jack reached inside his pockets to pay the barman he found them to be empty. Jack turned to the Devil and asked him if he would be willing to change himself into a six pence just long enough to pay for his farewell cocktail. Once again the Devil agreed, but no sooner did he make the transformation that Jack scooped him up and placed him in a wallet marked with the shape of the cross. The Devil demanded to be set free, but Jack would only agree if his prisoner promised to disappear and not return again before a year's time had passed. The Devil accepted the proposal and was released. Because he was very grateful for having escaped death, Jack decided to forget his wild ways and turn over a new leaf. He gave up drinking and carousing in the pubs and started to regularly attend church with his family. But unfortunately this change in personality did not last for long, and soon Jack was back to his old tricks. The year passed, and once again on Halloween night the Devil appeared to claim Jack's soul. Hoping to fool his nemesis once again, Jack beckoned the Devil to climb a near-by tree and pick for him the largest apple he could find. The Devil agreed, and when he reached the top of the branches, Jack quickly carved a cross in the truck, thus trapping the devil in it's boughs. Jack refused to release him until he promised to go away and never bother him again. Once again the Devil agreed and he was set free. Jack's wild living finally caught up with him and it came time for him to die. Because of his drunken escapades on earth, he was refused entrance into heaven. Having nowhere else to go Jack turned to his old friend the Devil, but the rogue would have nothing to do with him as he refused to forgive Jack for tricking him all those times in the past. Instead, he gave Jack a lump of coal which he lit and placed inside a turnip that was carved into a lantern. With this as his only light, Jack was destined to spend eternity wandering about aimlessly, never being able to find a place to rest.