Since at least the 1800s, stories and poems have relayed lore about the jack-o-lantern, and the tales themselves are probably much older.
Figuring prominently in the tales is the Irish and Welsh character Stingy Jack, a churlish man of evil repute. So evil, in fact, that the devil himself came to check out his competition.
According to the tale, Jack, in his usual surly mood, was confronted in the countryside by Satan, who intended to take Jack to hell. But the clever Jack convinced the Devil to first take him to a pub, where he drank, but had no coin to pay. Jack prevailed upon Satan to turn himself into a silver coin, fool the bartender, then change back — a kind of magical ripoff. Satan loved the idea of cheating the bartender, so he did. But Jack slipped the Satan coin in his pocket with a crucifix, and thus prevented Satan from escaping.
Jack struck a bargain with Satan that, if he let him go, Satan would not take Jack for 10 years. When the time was up, Satan came to fetch him. But again Satan allowed himself to be fooled by Jack, who demanded that Satan agree never to take him to hell. Again the devil agreed, but the joke was on Jack.
When Jack eventually died, he was not welcome in heaven, nor was he allowed in hell, as per Satan's promise to him. Satan gave Jack a glowing ember so that he could wander the world. Jack carved out a turnip in which to carry the ember, and so it was that Jack of the lantern was born, a soul doomed to wander the spaces between heaven and hell.
