Halloween
or the "All Hallows' Evening" is near! And so is the time for making jack-o'-lanterns and dressing up for Halloween parties, but do you know the real story behind this holiday?
This is an old Irish myth about a man "Stingy Jack." Stingy Jack once invites the Devil to have a drink with him and tricks the devil to turn himself into a coin. Jack puts the coin into his pocket with a silver cross. The devil could not change back into his original form till he promised Jack that he would not bother him for one year and if should Jack die, he would not claim his soul.
Come next year, Jack again tricks the devil into climbing into a tree to pick fruit and carves a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so the devil could not come down until he promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.
Soon after, Jack dies. God would not allow such a cheat into heaven. The devil, being upset with Jack and keeping his word not to claim his soul, wouldn’t allow Jack into hell. He sends Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and as the legend goes, roams the Earth with ever since. This ghostly figure came to be known as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply "Jack O'Lantern."
In Ireland and Scotland, people carved scary faces into turnips or potatoes. In England, large beets were used. Immigrants from these countries brought the Jack o' Lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack-o'-lanterns.
There
are many ways to celebrate the ghostly spirit of Halloween in SL ! Here are a few
ways..
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