October--Jack-O-Lantern

[Matt Costa]

Jack-O-Lantern

To celebrate the Ghoul tide season this month's creature is not a creature but a man. A man named Jack; Jack O'Lantern...
The old Irish legend says that Jack also known as Stingy Jack was a lonely drunkard who would play mean trick on family, friends; even his own mother was not safe from his trickery. One Halloween Jack coming home from a long night at the pub, came across the Devil. Jack being the prankster that he is made a deal will the Devil promising his soul in exchange for an apple atop the tree they were standing under. So the Devil always looking for more souls to add to his collection climber the apple tree to retrieve an apple, while up the tree Jack quickly carved a cross into the bark of the tree. This act would not allow the Devil to descend from the tree. Jack overjoyed the his trick worked took this opportunity to bargain with the Devil Making him promise never to take Jack's soul and he would be let down. the Devil agree disgruntly and Jackk went o his merry way. Years later when Jack passed on he found himself at the pearly gates being denied access to heaven; Jack then went to Hell and the Devil hearing Jacks conundrum would not go back on his promise. When exiting Hell the Devil gave him a fiery ember to carry with him as a source of light in the darkness of limbo and as a reminder of his Prank on the Devil. Jack placed this ember in a turnip which he was eating an created a lantern. Jack was then cursed to walk the earth forever in limbo with only his lantern to guide him.

* The first traditional Jack-O-Lanterns were Turnips and Gords then later in the 18th century Irish immigrants who came to American figured pumkins were a lot easier to carve.

info
www.new-life.net/halowen4.htm
www.pumpkinnook.com/facts/jack.htm
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[lildebcc]

That is a cool story, I had not heard that one before. It is harder to carve a turnip or gord, but they can make real interesting lanterns.

>^o.o^<

[aneaglesangel]

No, I've never heard this one either! Excellent story!! Hmm, I never thought of carving a gord or a turnip before! They must look pretty cool, now that ya say that! I know some of them, if you let them dry out they make rattles because of the seeds inside of them, but I've never seen one carved before!!

[lildebcc]

A butternut squash looks pretty cool carved out too. >^o.o^<

[aneaglesangel]

I'm going to have to try that this year!! I bet it would be pretty cool looking! My son is pretty artistic, maybe I'll let him go to town on it and see what he comes up with, LOL!!

[lildebcc]

Be careful; the butternut squash is harder to cut into than a pumpkin.

>^o.o^<

[aneaglesangel]

I haven't tried it yet, but I bet it's easier to cut one than to peel one, LOL!! I hate peeling them so much, I buy the pre-cut ones now! I'll try to remember to take pics!

[lildebcc]

They are easy enough to peel and cut. Just buy it ahead of time. If you let it sit for 3-4 weeks, it starts to get a bit over rip and softer. I have been doing that for years. Then I cut it, cook it, and freeze it. A lot cheaper than getting the pre-cut stuf.

>^o.o^<