Irish Folktale

Retold by The Legendary Connection

TLC#00204

Once upon a time, there lived a man named Jack, but many knew him as Stingy Jack. Jack was known far and wide for his sour personality. He was grumpy and unkind, and he never showed any warmth to the travelers or beggars who came by his home. He lived on his farm, avoiding people whenever he could, and his neighbors saw him as a bad-tempered man who cared only for himself.

One evening, Jack was returning home from a fair, riding his horse along a dark path. He reached a spot near a rushing stream, a very dangerous place known for its spooky stories. Suddenly, Jack heard a low groan. He felt a chill run down his spine, and he stopped his horse, trembling as the sound filled the air. Just as he began to fear the worst, he heard a voice call out, “For the love of heaven, please help me! I am no ghost, just a lost traveler who cannot cross this swift water. I am weary and alone, and I’ve lain down here to die.”

Hearing the voice, Jack’s fear faded, and, for the first time in his life, he felt compassion. He climbed off his horse and found an old man lying on the ground, his face pale and tired. Jack helped the man up, wrapped him in his coat, and brought him home. Jack’s wife was surprised to see her husband showing kindness, but she welcomed the stranger and gave him a warm meal. They offered him a bed to rest in, and the old man soon fell into a deep sleep.

As dawn broke, Jack was awakened by a bright light. He opened his eyes and saw a handsome young man standing before him, dressed all in white with great white wings on his back. “Jack,” the angel said, “I thank you for your kindness. You have a good heart buried beneath your rough manner, and I want to reward you. I will grant you three wishes. Choose wisely.”

Jack thought for a moment. Then he said, “First, I wish that anyone who tries to break a branch from the sycamore tree by my door will be stuck to it until I release them. Second, I wish that anyone who sits in my favorite chair will not be able to get up until I let them go. Third, I have a wooden box for my tools—let anyone who reaches into that box be unable to remove their hand until I give them permission.”

The angel granted his wishes, but he sighed, knowing Jack could have asked for much greater things. And because Jack’s wishes were so selfish, Jack failed the test to live a more generous life. So he was denied access to heaven from that day on.

Years passed, and Jack continued to live his life as usual. One day, as he sat in his favorite chair, a dark figure appeared. It was a demon sent by the devil himself, he came to take Jack away to hell. Jack was terrified, but he did his best to act unmoved by the demon. Jack agreed to go with the demon, but first he invited him to sit in the chair while he fetched his belongings. The demon sat down, but when he tried to get up, he realized that he was stuck! Jack grabbed a large stick and began to beat the demon, who finally promised to leave him alone in exchange for his freedom.

The demon returned to hell, but the Devel soon sent another demon to bring Jack to hell. This time, when Jack invited the demon to sit down, but the demon refused. He had heard what Jack did to the last demon. So then Jack, thinking quickly asked the demon to hand him a tool from his wooden box so that he could mend his shoes before the long walk to hell. The demon reached in and found he couldn’t remove his hand. Jack used the stick once more and beat the demon until the demon begged to be released and agreed never to return.

Finally, the Devil himself came to take Jack. No matter what Jack said, the Devil would not enter his house to sit on his chair or reach into the box. By this time, Jack was outside, leaning on his sycamore tree. “Very well, I am ready to go with you,” Jack said. “But I’m too old to walk without a branch to lean on. Help me break one, and I’ll come along.” Jack had complained so much about the walk to hell and his need for a walking stick that the Devil was sick of hearing his voice. So the Devil reached for a branch to pull it down and became stuck to the tree. Jack seized his beating stick and beat the Devil until he vowed never to return for him again or to give him entrance to hell.

Although Jack could trick the Devil and his minions, he was never able to outsmart Death. So when Jack’s time on earth finally came to an end, he tried to enter heaven, but they refused him because he had lived such a selfish life. When he went to ask for a place in hell, the demons and the Devil absolutely refused him and ran away from him. Left with nowhere to go, Jack was given a single coal to light his way and sent to wander the earth as a ghostly figure with a lantern. And so, Jack became known as Jack-o’-the-Lantern, wandering forever, with only his light to guide him through the night. And when the Jack-o-lanterns are lit, it is a reminder of Stingy Jack.

Original Text: The Dublin Penny Journal. (1834). Ireland: J.S. Folds.