Appalachian Folklore: The Legend of Stingy Jack (HIstory of the Jack o' Lantern)

As I was recently reading some Appalachian Folklore, I came across a tale that I had never heard but thought would be good to share now that it's time for Halloween! As you may know, much of Appalachian folklore was brought to the area from wherever the settlers came from and this tale is said to have originated in Ireland. Out of all the versions I read, Dave Tabler's over at Appalachian History is my favorite. Hope y'all enjoy! 

     There's an old Irish myth about a man nicknamed "Stingy Jack." Stingy Jack was a drunken brawler who found great enjoyment from playing tricks on anyone who crossed his path Jack also had the great misfortune of running into the Devil more than once.

     Jack's first encounter with the devil happened at a local Irish pub within the village. Obviously Stingy Jack was called Stingy Jack for a reason, and he wasn't about to change now in the face of the Devil. Jack convinced the Devil to transform into a sixpence piece so that Jack could use him to pay for their drinks. In exchange for this transaction, the Devil would receive Jack's soul. Little did the Devil know, Jack sill had a few tricks up his sleeve. 

After changing into the sixpence piece, Jack quickly tossed the Devil into his pocket next to a silver cross - thus preventing the Devil from returning to his original form. Jack then bargained with the Devil to keep his soul for 10 more years - in return for the Devil's freedom. The Devil reluctantly agrees and Jack frees him. Ten years pass and Jack crosses path with the Devil a second time. With the Devil ready to claim his soul, Jack made a last request: "I'll go, but before I do - will you retrieve and apple from that tree for me? I'm awfully hungry!"

The devil began to climb the tree, and while the Devil was climbing to the top of the tree, Jack carved a large cross into the back of the tree. Again, the Devil had been tricked and could not get down. 

Jack being quite pleased with himself; bargained yet again with the Devil - this time for the promise that the Devil would never, ever try to take his soul again. With no way out of the tree, the Devil agreed. 

Year pass and Jack finally passes away. Unfortunately for Jack, after all of his evil trickery and horrible deeds - God did not allow Jack into Heaven. The Devil, still bitter at Jack and his bag of tricks, kept his word and did not claim his soul. Jack was unable to get into Heaven, and unable to get into Hell. 

"Where shall I go?' Jack asked the Devil, confused and afraid.

"Back to where you came from!" The Devil growled angrily at Jack and sent him on his way back to earth.

Jack's journey back was very dark, and he begged for the Devil to lend him a light to help him lead the way. The devil provided Stingy Jack with a coal from the fires of Hell - which Jack then placed into a turnip he had in his pocket. The carved out turnip lead the way back to earth. Since then; Jack appears every Halloween. doomed to roam the earth in search of eternal rest - leading the way with his turnip lamp.

The Irish people began to refer to the ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern, " and soon "Jack O 'Lantern."

Traditionally on All Hallows Eve, many Irishmen make their own versions of Jack's lantern by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them near doors and windows to scare away the body-snatching spirits. 

According to Appalachian History, pumpkins weren't actually used until the Irish immigrants brought the tradition of the Jack-o-Lanterns with them to America - only to discover that pumpkins were easier to carve than their traditional turnips and potatoes. 

Have you ever heard this tale? I was very surprised to learn that the tradition all started with a turnip! Dave has all sorts of Appalachian related lore and info over at his website and I encourage you to check it out.

Hope y'all enjoyed the tale and I hope you have a Happy Halloween! 

Signs, Superstitions, and Omens: Week Three

Here is our last week of Signs, Superstitions, and Omens! If you happened to miss the past two installments, you can find them HERE and HERE.

*SIGNS*

A sign is believed to predict the future but unlike the omen, signs do not foretell negative happenings.

• According to Native American superstition, biting your tongue is a sign that you will soon receive either good news or a present.
• A dropped towel is a sign that you will have the arrival of an unwanted visitor. According to Scottish pioneers, you can nullify the sign by stepping backwards over the towel.
• If you dream that your teeth fall out, its a sign that your enemy will soon die. I always heard that it meant you would have sickness approaching.

*SUPERSTITIONS*

A superstition is an irrational belief, usually arising from ignorance or fear, that is believed by a number of people but is without foundation.

• Is there a thief in your community? Have a group of suspects dance around an upturned axe & when if falls over, the shaft will be pointing to the thief.
• If a baby sees it's image in a mirror before the age of six months, it will die before it turns one year old. 
• I remember when my Dude was around 5 months old, I left him sleeping on the couch while I went to make up my bed. I heard a thump and a cry not even 2 minutes after leaving the room. I raced back to the living room and scooped him up and cried right along with him. My Papaw Glenn happened to call about that time and calmed me down. He told me that he had always heard that if a baby didn't roll off of the bed before it was a year old, it would die. I'm not sure if that was really a superstition he had actually heard or if he was just trying to make me feel better...it helped a little.

*OMENS*

Omen- a phenomenon that is believed to tell the future, which also signifies change...usually negative.

• Bad luck will come to a household if someone dreams of an axe.
• Dreaming of a lizard is an omen that you have a secret enemy.
• If a bat comes close to flying into a person, it is an omen that the person will be betrayed by a friend. 
• A cat in a coal mine is an omen and the cat must be killed to avoid a death in the mines.

I hope that y'all have enjoyed this last week of SSOs. I've enjoyed reading the ones some of you have shared in the comments here and over on the Appalachian Mountain Roots Facebook page!

Signs, Superstitions, and Omens: Week Two

It's time for our next installment of signs, superstitions and omens! If you missed last week's you can  CLICK HERE to catch up.

*SIGNS*
A sign is believed to predict the future but unlike the omen,

signs do not foretell negative happenings.

• Two blackbirds flying together is a sign of good fortune.
• If a person's medicine has been spilled accidentally, it is a sign that he will soon recover. 
• A bee that flies into the house is a sign that a stranger is coming. 
• If a chair falls over as a person rises from the table, it is a sign that the person is a liar. 
• It's a sign of good luck when your right eye itches.

*SUPERSTITIONS*

A superstition is an irrational belief, usually arising from ignorance or fear, that is believed by a number of people but is without foundation.

• If you walk barefoot in the first snow of winter you will not catch cold all year. -submitted by Mary Blevins
• If you leave a piece of tin on top of an ant's nest during the full moon it will turn to silver.
• Placing a knife on the doorstep of the house where a birth had taken place will prevent witches from entering and harming the baby. (Scottish)
• You should not was a baby's right hand for its first three days or life or you will wash all of it's luck away.
• If a coal miner washes his back right before going to work, the mine roof will collapse on him. 

*OMENS*

Omen- a phenomenon that is believed to tell the future, which also signifies change...usually negative.  

• If a picture falls off a wall for no apparent reason, it is an omen of a coming catastrophe. 
• It is an omen of an extremely hard winter ahead if several plants come into bloom out of season. 
• See a butterfly at night? It is an omen of unexpected death. 
• A candle that has been put out but continues to glow is an omen of misfortune. 
• If a rooster crows as you leave to go on a trip, it is an omen of trouble. 

I loved reading some of these that you shared with me here and over on Facebook. I would love to hear any more that you happen to thing of! *This post was originally published here on 9/27/16*

Signs, Superstitions, and Omens: Week One

As the diversely ethnic settlers came into the Appalachian region, a detailed system of folklore was developed by combining signs, superstitions, omens, music, stories and beliefs. This system was passed down orally through the years and practiced as a way of keeping the folklore alive. I've heard many of these stories and beliefs while growing up and while I would not consider myself a superstitious person, the possible outcomes of not abiding by these rituals will inevitably worm its way into my mind. Better safe than sorry, right?

Over the next few weeks, I plan on sharing some of these signs, superstitions, and omens and hope that you will be willing to share any that have been passed on in your families and communities. 

*SIGNS*

A sign is believed to predict the future but unlike the omen, signs do not foretell negative happenings. 

• A chin dimple is a sign of bad character. Dimples on the chin are said to be made by the devil's shoe. (Why not start off with one the applies to me, huh? I have a chin dimple and like to think that I'm not known for my bad character!)
• Tingling or itching ears are a sign that someone is talking about you. If it is the left ear, you're being gossiped about. If the right, good things are being said.
• Sole of your foot itching? This is a sign that you are about to embark on a long journey.
• If you have a candle that is hard to light, it is a sign that rain is on the way.
• Dreaming of bees is a sign of good fortune.

*SUPERSTITIONS*

A superstition is an irrational belief, usually arising from ignorance or fear, that is believed by a number of people but is without foundation. 

• An acorn placed on a window will will protect the house from lightning strikes.
• Treading on an ant nest will cause rain that day.
• A man who wipes his hands on a girl's apron is sure to fall in love with her. (German)
• Spitting on a new baby will bring the child good luck. (Irish)
• Never leave a baby's washed diapers on the clothesline during a full moon because they will attract evil forces.

*OMENS*

Omen- a phenomenon that is believed to tell the future, which also signifies change...usually negative

• A chicken laying an uneven number of eggs is an omen of danger.
• If a rabbit crosses your path before sunrise, unhappiness will cloud your day.
• If the dough for baking bread cracks while being shaped, a funeral will occur soon.
• If a broom falls over for no reason when someone walks past, it is an omen of bad fortune.
• Calling out the name of a deceased person while dreaming is an omen of a death.

I would love to hear any of the signs, superstitions, and omens that are a part of your families or communities. Feel free to share in the comments section below or you can send me a message on the Appalachian Mountain Roots Facebook page. 

*This post was originally published here on Appalachian Mountain Roots on 9/20/16.*

Signs, Superstitions, and Omens- Week 1

As the diversely ethnic settlers came into the Appalachian region, a detailed system of folklore was developed by combining signs, superstitions, omens, music, stories and beliefs. This system was passed down orally through the years and practiced as a way of keeping the folklore alive. I've heard many of these stories and beliefs while growing up and while I would not consider myself a superstitious person, the possible outcomes of not abiding by these rituals will inevitably worm its way into my mind. Better safe than sorry, right?

Over the next few weeks, I plan on sharing some of these signs, superstitions, and omens and hope that you will be willing to share any that have been passed on in your families and communities. 

*SIGNS*

A sign is believed to predict the future but unlike the omen, signs do not foretell negative happenings. 

• A chin dimple is a sign of bad character. Dimples on the chin are said to be made by the devil's shoe. (Why not start off with one the applies to me, huh? I have a chin dimple and like to think that I'm not known for my bad character!)
• Tingling or itching ears are a sign that someone is talking about you. If it is the left ear, you're being gossiped about. If the right, good things are being said.
• Sole of your foot itching? This is a sign that you are about to embark on a long journey.
• If you have a candle that is hard to light, it is a sign that rain is on the way.
• Dreaming of bees is a sign of good fortune.

*SUPERSTITIONS*

A superstition is an irrational belief, usually arising from ignorance or fear, that is believed by a number of people but is without foundation. 

• An acorn placed on a window will will protect the house from lightning strikes.
• Treading on an ant nest will cause rain that day.
• A man who wipes his hands on a girl's apron is sure to fall in love with her. (German)
• Spitting on a new baby will bring the child good luck. (Irish)
• Never leave a baby's washed diapers on the clothesline during a full moon because they will attract evil forces.

*OMENS*

Omen- a phenomenon that is believed to tell the future, which also signifies change...usually negative

• A chicken laying an uneven number of eggs is an omen of danger.
• If a rabbit crosses your path before sunrise, unhappiness will cloud your day.
• If the dough for baking bread cracks while being shaped, a funeral will occur soon.
• If a broom falls over for no reason when someone walks past, it is an omen of bad fortune.
• Calling out the name of a deceased person while dreaming is an omen of a death.

I would love to hear any of the signs, superstitions, and omens that are a part of your families or communities. Feel free to share in the comments section below or you can send me a message on the Appalachian Mountain Roots Facebook page.
*This post was originally published here on Appalachian Mountain Roots on 9/20/16.*