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Legend of the Jack o' Lantern

      The Devil was furious, but he couldn't leave the tree.  Jack, on the other hand didn't want the Devil coming after his soul any longer, decided to make another deal.  He would remove the cross if the Devil promised to never take his soul.  The Devil agreed.

      Years later, Jack finally died. He went to Heaven, but was dismissed from the gates due to his drinking, tricking, and miserly ways. He then went to Hell, but was denied entrance because the Devil remembered his promise. Jack asked, "But where am I to go?" And the Devil replied, "Back to where you came from".

     The way back was dark and windy, so Jack pleaded with the Devil to at least grant him light in which to find his way.  The Devil teased him, and toyed with Jack for a time, then got bored with Jack an tossed him one single coal.  Jack pulled a turnip from his pocket that he had been eating on to shield the coal. 

    Ever since, Jack has been doomed to wander in the darkness alone.  It was once believed that on Halloween, that the dead walked the earth on this night, and people placed carved turnips in their windows to scare away the dead spirits by reminding them what happened to Jack.  Pumpkins now replace the turnips, for they make larger scarier faces.

The End
Mays Greenhouse ©2010