It's time for my next Halloween question.
The correct answer gets a copy of The Halloween Book of Facts and Fun.
Ready?
What was the first Jack-o-Lantern?
(extra points for mentioning a little bit about the original story.)
-wendieO
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4 comments:
The first jack-o-lantern was an Irishman named Jack who traded his soul to the Devil for one last drink. When he died he was cast out of Heaven and Hell. All he asked for was a light, so the Devil gave him an ember that he put inside a turnip he had been eating. He is doomed to wander and his name and lantern are synonymous with a damned soul
The first jack-o-lantern was a turnip! I know that from your book!
First Jack-o-lantern hails from Ireland, when "Stingy Jack" talked the Devil into turning himself into a coin to pay for a drink. Jack kept the coin next to a silver cross. When he died he was forced to wander with just an ember in a turnip for light.
I love all these different versions of the Jack-o-lantern legend! All slightly different than the one I used.
I recently mentioned somewhere that sometimes I learn more about the subject of my books AFTER they've been published -- and then I moan, 'gee, I wish I'd known that when I was writing the book.'
When I'm finished with this month's packet for Vermont College, I'll be contacting you-all about where I can send your prizes.
-wendieO
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