BASIC Studios

 

Jack of the Lantern

By: Kaie

 

Halloween is both beloved and feared by the masses, with a variety of stories to tell in the dark when all is still and just a little too quiet. Some are terrifying tales, while others teach us the history of what Halloween once was and what it looks like today. One of the most popular symbols of Halloween is the Jack-o’-lantern, and it absolutely has a history.

 

Where did it come from? Why do we carve Jack-o’-lanterns? today?

 

Now, keep in mind that there can be more than one origin story about something like a Jack-o’-lantern. Today, we will discuss the trickster from Irish myth who may be the cause.

 

Are we ready for story time? Wiggles Fingers… Shall we begin?

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Tricksters are a common and entertaining part of myths and legends. Naturally, All Hallow’s Eve has a fair share of tricksters who get themselves in trouble, but perhaps none quite like Stingy Jack.

 

An old Irish folktale told of Mr. Jack and his sly dealings that left many a person a victim to his chicanery. Whispers of good ol’ Jack extended beyond his home and wound up in the ears of a foe not many could cheat.

 

The Devil.

 

Intrigued by this fellow, our dear old Devil decided to try his hand at tricking the trickster. For how could it be that a mere mortal would challenge the Fallen One’s hijinks without difficulty? 

‘Twas not possible, the Devil declared, and so he set out to prove that he was still the master of tricks. Unfortunately, even the Father of Lies would not escape Stingy Jack’s shenanigans.

 

The first bit of the tale leads us to a pub, a frequent haunt of ol’ Jack for his drunken tomfoolery. Our poor Devil came out, chest filled with pride, to steal away Jack’s mortal soul and bring it back with him to the depths of Hell. There was no possible way this couldn’t work, thought he, Lucifer. Into the dimly lit pub he did venture, sliding into a booth where Jack sat waiting.

“A final drink, oh devious one… then I shall go without complaint.”

 

Ah! I have him, thought Lucifer, finding that the renowned trickster was far from special. Perhaps he should have considered that this soul hunt was far too simple;  maybe then he would have seen what was coming next.

 

Together the two shared a final drink, Satan reveling in his win while Jack tucked away his smile to bid farewell to the world! “Ah! My apologies, most horrid one! I seem to have forgotten a bit of coin in which to pay for this venture. Surely, you could help me relieve my debt before you take me away?”

 

“Payment? Me? Why, I have no coin…”

 

Jack’s sly grin curved his tipsy lips, his words slurred as he murmured, “No. But you are the Father of Tricks and Lies. You, almighty deceiver! Surely you could shift into a silver piece, allow me to pay, then return to your most incredibly terrifying form and take me away?”

 

A trickster of the highest quality, Lucifer was also terribly vain. His proverbial plumage fluffed up now that his ego was thoroughly stroked, and he turned himself into that coin. Quick as lightning, Jack scooped up the little round bit of silver and buried it into his pocket where there lay a crude rendition of…

 

A CROSS!

 

Roaring his fury, the Devil realized too late that he had been tricked, and now that he was condemned to his hard metal prison, negotiations were at hand. Jack told the Devil in his pocket that he would release him if he could have one year of peace. Desperate for freedom, Lucifer agreed to this deal and was released from the pocket.

 

But was the Devil done with Jack? Of course not. How could he risk his reputation and allow the mortal man to get away with his deceptions?  It was fine if he did it to others, but it was absolutely not fine to do it to the Lord of Lies.

 

A year passed before Jack saw Lucifer again, and this time he tricked him up a tree to gather an apple dangling above…

 

A bit on the nose, perhaps? Jack was not only a trickster, but he was a funny one at that!

 

Carving a quick cross onto the tree trunk, the Devil found himself stuck once more and was forced to make a deal. Ten years of peace, no more and no less.

 

Without any other recourse, the  Deceitful One was forced to bend and make  the oath so that he could be free. The Devil could not claim Jack for ten years…

 

Which would be fine if the Devil was the only higher power Jack had to contend with. For Death waits for no God, and eventually comes calling for a price ol’ Jack could not trick his way out of.

 

After his troubled behavior in the mortal realm, God denied him entry to the Kingdom, stating he was not worthy to rest in the hallowed halls of the Saints and the virtuous. Lord Satan did not claim his soul either. The versions of why vary, with some claiming Jack ensured his soul would never enter Hell: the ten years were not yet up between the Devil and Jack’s last bet, or that the Devil simply refused to allow him entry.

 

Either way, the mightiest of tricksters was thoroughly outricked. With no Heaven nor Hell in which to spend eternity, Jack was destined to wander between worlds in the darkness. With naught but a hunk of hellfire coal, Jack heaved a turnip from the earth and carved it into a lantern.

 

There he placed the bit of light Lucifer provided and set about to wander for eternity. (1,2,3)

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The above story was a retelling with information from the sources below. There are undoubtedly other renditions that exist across the internet and in books that we encourage our readers to explore.

 

From Irish Myths, there are other explanations of where the term Jack O’ Lantern originates. However, Stingy Jack is a popular folktale that sets a disturbing mood that fits perfectly with Halloween. Whether Jack-o’-lanterns come from Stingy Jack, are put out to protect us from him, or come from Celtic origins and Samhain, today’s Jack-o’-lantern has earned its place in our traditions (1).

 

Perhaps the reason why we carve  jack-o’-lanterns today has to do less with old myths and more with community? As Irish Myths says, the practice of carving  jack-o’-lanterns is popular across North America and may relate more to celebrating Halloween as a community (1). In my region, Halloween decorations, including the jack-o’-lantern, are used to inform children that the house with decorations is open for trick-or-treating.

 

What are some of the reasons for jack-o’-lanterns in your communities? Basic Studios would love to hear from you.

 

Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain.

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Resources:

1. “The Jaw-Dropping History of the Jack-O’-Lantern: A Tale of Turnips, Samhain, and Severed Heads.” Irish Myths, 19 Sept. 2021, irishmyths.com/2021/09/19/jack-o-lantern-history/. 
2. Stoffel, Amanda. “Stingy Jack and the Birth of the Jack O’Lantern.” Saints & Scholars Irish Pub, 25 Oct. 2023, www.saintsandscholars.com/blog/stingyjack.
3. “Stingy Jack.” Myth and Folklore Wiki, Fandom, mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Stingy_Jack. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

 

 

My Breast Cancer Journey

By: Kenzie

 

I was twenty-one years old when they told me that there was something on the ultrasound—but it was nothing to worry about. I had found a lump in my left breast. I was twenty-two when my godmother told me that I looked bigger than I used to be on my left side. I went to the hospital, where they told me that I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. It’s something I’m going to have for the rest of my life. I have to be on estrogen blockers for the rest of my life. And it took doctors two  years to finally do something about it. 

  

It took numerous doctors’ appointments.  They told me I needed to lose weight. Then there were times I got told I’m too young for cancer. Despite the fact that my whole family had numerous other cancers, I was not taken seriously. I finally found a woman, a very lovely doctor who actually listened to me and referred me to the best breast clinic in the state. That’s when they confirmed that I had stage 1 breast cancer. After that, there were biopsies and surgeries. 

 

But worst of all, I had family members tell me that I was lying just because I didn’t show documentation of my cancer. But if you, the reader, have cancer and have lost family members, you are not alone. If you have been to see doctor after doctor, supposed experts who think that they know your body better than you do, you are not alone. Listen to your body.  Listen to every warning sign that there possibly is. And most importantly, keep trying. Don’t be afraid to get a second, third, or even fourth l opinion; it’s worth it in the end. You need to stand up for yourself and not be afraid to ask for help.  Do the at-home tests, do the routine mammograms, do everything that you can. And remember this: you are strong, and you are brave.