0
This is an old tale that should explain things (from pumkinnook.com)
"Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who liked to play tricks on everyone: family, friends, his mother and even the Devil himself. One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. Once the Devil climbed up the apple tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. The Devil was then unable to get down the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses and let the Devil down.
Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and too cruel, and had led a miserable and worthless life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell. Now Jack was scared and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell. He asked the Devil how he could leave as there was no light. The Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out Turnip, one of his favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. For that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his 'Jack O'Lantern'."
a pumpkin
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What does the o mean in Jack-o'-lantern?
The "o" in Jack-o'-lantern is a shortened form of "of." So "Jack-o'-lantern" originally meant "Jack of the lantern," referencing a light source made from a carved pumpkin or turnip.
Halloween words that start with a j?
· Junior Mints (candy for trick or treat bag) · Jack-o-lantern
What is Jack-of-the-lantern contraction?
It is Jack-o’-lantern.
Where does the Jack-o'-lantern originate from?
the Jack o' lantern comes from Europe
What is the Jack o lantern mushroom?
the jack lantern is when you cut the pumpkin and take all the things in it and put the light in it that called jack o lantern
When was Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern created?
Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern was created in 1908.
Is a jack-o'-lantern an abstract noun?
No. A jack-o-lantern is not an idea, but a physical carved pumpkin.
What do you call an overweight jack-o'-lantern?
An overweight Jack-O-Lantern could also be called a 'Plumpkin'.
What is the plural form of jack-o'-lantern?
Jack-o-Lanterns
What is the difference between a Halloween leaf and a jack-o-lantern?
halloween leaf is a leaf and jack-o-lantern is a pumpkin
What did the people from Ireland and Scotland use for jack-o-lantern?
See the Wikipedia article: Jack-o'-lantern for details.
What happened to Jack of Jack-o-lantern fame?
The term Jack-O-Lantern is not a person nor was a person. The term Jack-O-Lantern was originally used to describe the unusual phenomenon ignis fatuus or "foolish fire" known as a will-o'-the-wisp in English folklore. This was used especially in East England, its earliest known use dates is circa 1660s. The term "will-o'-the-wisp" uses "wisp" which is a bundle of sticks or paper used as a flame torch and the proper name "Will", therefore, "Will-of-the-torch." However, the term Jack-O-Lantern is of the same type of construction. The "Jack of the lantern (Jack-O-Lantern) means to Jack (old English meaning to make or carve) the lantern - Jack-O-Lantern.
