Tradition: Irish Mythology
Alternative Names: Drunk Jack, Jack-o’-Lantern, Willy the Whisp
Category: Flame
The Myth
Stingy Jack, also known as Drunk Jack, is a cunning trickster from Irish folklore who became a wandering spirit carrying a supernatural lantern. When the Devil came to claim his soul, Jack persuaded him to transform into a coin so that he could pay for one final drink. Once the Devil had changed shape, Jack placed the coin in his pocket beside a crucifix, preventing the Devil from returning to his original form. The Devil was eventually released after agreeing to spare Jack’s soul for another ten years.
When the ten years had passed, the Devil returned to collect Jack. Once again, Jack outwitted him, persuading him to climb a tree. While the Devil was among the branches, Jack carved a cross into the trunk, trapping him there. The Devil could descend only after promising to forgive Jack’s debt. Yet Jack’s life of wrongdoing meant that he could not enter heaven when he eventually died.
Turned away from heaven, Jack travelled to hell and asked the Devil to admit him. The Devil refused in revenge for their past encounters but gave Jack a burning ember from the fires of hell to light his way through the twilight world where lost souls wander forever. Jack placed the ember inside a hollowed-out turnip, creating a lantern that illuminated his endless journey through the darkness. From then on, he became known as Jack-o’-Lantern, a restless spirit condemned to roam with his little light.
Sources
“Will-o’-the-wisp.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 11, 2026. Section: “Asia.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will-o%27-the-wisp#Asia