Jack and the Lantern

When the month of June arrives in the Ten Thousand Islands, summer reaches out with a sweltering grip that seems like vengeance. When midsummer night arrives on the longest day of the year, it seems like forever until sunset on June 21. As the weeks of July and August creep along the calendar, almost every day loses a moment until the shadows of September become the gripping fingers of a different sort of vengeance.

Physiology is the science of life and a division of biology that studies the mysteries of all living things. From the basics of simple cellular function to the most complex behaviors of any creature, scientists are now confident the changes of the seasons, and the craving of light over darkness, are the basis for every legend and lore of the supernatural world. 

Once upon a time on another emerald isle, long ago in autumn, there was a man named Jack. Jack was a happy-go-lucky fellow in the long summer days before midsummer night, but when the shadows of September began to reach toward October, Jack began to change. Jack was always a sensible and frugal individual, but as the years and the seasons began to pass, Jack began to harvest a dreadful bounty of crafty thinking and stingy ways. After many seasons, and during the failing light of a particularly dark and stormy autumn, Jack became known by his fellows as Miserly Jack.

One day in late September, Jack was lonely. He wanted to go to the pub but was unwilling to part with the money needed to buy a drink. After some deliberation, and a quickly concocted plan, Jack invited the Devil for an afternoon libation. When the Devil did appear with only the slightest scent of brimstone, drinks were soon on the bar as the light of autumn began to slant. After the shadows became darkness, and the Harvest Moon was on the rise, the barman stood before the two odd patrons and demanded payment. Miserly Jack, however, believed he was prepared and convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks. After the Devil complied, Jack took the coin, popped it into his pocket, and slipped out the backdoor when the barman was not watching. Unbeknownst to the Devil, Jack kept a silver cross in his pocket that forced the Devil to remain in the form of a coin. After a time, Miserly Jack released the Devil from the coin, but only after Beelzebub promised not to trouble Jack for one year and a day and promised not to take his soul after he died.

On the following eve of the thirteenth full moon, the Devil returned. It was autumn again on the emerald isle and the trees were aflame with the colors of red and gold. After searching the entire island, the Devil finally found Miserly Jack, but soon fell to trickery again when Jack pointed to a ripe apple in the top of a gnarled old tree. After the Devil climbed aloft Jack quickly carved a cross in the trunk of the tree and the Devil was stuck and could not climb down.

This time, but before Beelzebub was free, the Devil had to promise Jack twenty years of freedom and renewed the pledge not to take the miserly man’s soul. After agreeing that Jack would never arrive in the depths of Hades, the image of the cross was scratched away and the Devil was released from the tree with the tempting apple.

Before the two decades were over, Miserly Jack died and arrived at the entrance to the pearly gates. His arrival was foretold, and when the crafty and stingy man was standing before St Peter, there was an unyielding reminder that no man who makes deals with the Devil could ever enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jack was also under reproach for his miserly ways and sneaky behavior, and soon found himself in a dark cave with glowing embers and smoking brimstone. Before Jack could turn around, Beelzebub appeared with an evil smirk.

“There is no haven or rest for you Miserly Jack,” the Devil declared. “You are not allowed in heaven and I promised you were to never enter my kingdom.”

“Then what’s to become of me?” Jack cried to his old drinking friend from the bar.

The Devil shook his head. “Your fate, Miserly Jack, is to roam forever in the darkness of the netherworld. No heaven for you and not even a haven in Hades.”

“But how will I find my way?” Jack protested.

“For we have been friends, I will allow a lasting token to remind everyone of our companionship. I will give to you, Miserly Jack, a glowing coal of brimstone so you can forever light your way and stave off the terrible darkness.”

“But how can I carry a burning coal?” Jack cried again.

“Look in your pocket Miserly Jack,” the Devil encouraged. “You will find there a moldy old turnip that can be hollowed out to carry your burning coal.”

And so it was done and Jack was cast out from the entrance to Hades to wander the darkness of the spirit world. All the folk from every island have always made the claim that whenever a glowing and ghostly lamp is seen above the foggy backwaters or the quicksand bogs, it is Jack and the Lantern.

As Irish immigrants came to America, seasonal traditions followed and pumpkins have replaced turnips to remind us of the ever wandering and miserable Miserly Jack. Our modern “Jack-O-Lantern” is merely the Irish brogue for “Jack of the Lantern.”

Even now, and during every haunting season, pumpkins are prepared with scary faces so that Jack-O-Lanterns with lighted candles can frighten wandering spirits away.