Rachel H. White           

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Will-o-the-Wisp
monotype print

Will-o-the-wisps are a strange phenomenon of a ball of light that appears at night in forests and swamps. Many folktales were told of the origins of these lights in the days of old in Europe and the stories were carried over to America. One of these is the tale that also inspired the Jack-o-lantern.:
Jack was a wicked man who drank heavily and treated his family awful. So when the Devil came to take Jack away he was obliged to follow. On their way they passed a grog shop and Jack proposed that if the Devil were to turn himself into a dime than he could buy two drafts for the Devil and himself, which the Devil did. Jack scooped up the dime and quickly put it in his change purse, then made the sign of the cross so the Devil couldn't get out until he promised Jack that he wouldn't come after him 'til a year had passed. When the Devil promised this, Jack opened the purse and *poof* the Devil was gone. Jack said, "I'll repent my sins and the Devil can never come after me" But he was in no hurry to do that and went carrying on his wicked ways and forgot all about the Devil until the year had passed and once more Jack had to follow. On the way they passed an apple tree and Jack talked the Devil into climbing up and get some apples for he (Jack) was too sick with the delirious tremblins to climb himself. The Devil leaped into the tree and when he did Jack pulled out his pocket knife and carved the cross on the trunk. Jack wouldn't let the Devil down until he promised to never come after him again. After that was done Jack went on about his wicked ways until he was to old and worn to live anymore, and so he died. He went up to the Pearly Gates but St. Peter just looked at Jack and shook his head. Jack went down to the Gates of Hell but the Devil wouldn't let him in, for he said "not after you treated me so disgracefully up there on earth." "But Devil," said Jack, "it's so cold and dark out here; where am I to go?" So the Devil took a piece of burning brimstone and tossed it out to Jack and said "Just take this here lump of coal and go make a hell of your own." And to this day on a summers' evening you look out into the night and see the will o'wisp floating in the dark that's ol' Jack and his lantern looking for a hell of his own.

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