The Story of Trick or Treat

Many centuries back in the eons of history when druidic superstitions and magic meant the minds of mortals were marred by murky miasma and myth, there lived a man named Jack.

Jack was slovenly and disreputable, never breaking a sweat from honest labour and wasting his gambled wage in various dens of iniquity.  As for all of flesh and bone, the appointed time came for Jack to end his span on earth.  The Devil himself appeared to him in a gloomy tavern to claim his blackened soul but though death is cunning, Jack was shrewd. 

Exasperating the sin of pride he degraded the fiend, “If you really are the Devil prove it.  Grant me a last pint of ale.  Transform yourself into a shiny shilling to pay the bill.”

Offended the Devil complied but Jack had lied.

He ceased the coin in his hand which was branded by a holy cross, a symbol that stole his tormentor’s power.  Boldly he bargained for another year of life so that he may repent and escape the clutches of hell and in return he would release his captive.  But when that year had past Jack had still to mend his ways so he challenged the Devil to a game of dice. 

Tension rose as his opponent threw the winning snake’s eyes but Jack’s dice were loaded and so again he claimed the prize of another year on earth.  When that had past Jack died without confrontation of the waiting harbinger.  He approached the pearly gates but they were locked to him.  Choosing the condemned door even the Devil, scorned and angry turned him away throwing a burning coal at his feet.

Jack was doomed to forever walk the lonely soil, a displaced spirit without refuge.  He carved out a pumpkin he found on his travels and placed the glowing ember inside to light the darkness on his eternal journey.

Sometimes he would stop and knock at villager’s doors begging for food or shelter, a treat one might say and if they refused the night caller his wrath would curse their home.  Even now Jack of the Lantern (Jack-o-lantern) is remembered and feared.