The Tragedy of Sweet Pumpkin

Happy Post-Halloween! Thanks to everyone who voted in our pumpkin election!
I hope a wonderful and spooky holiday was had by all.
Things on our end were a bit grim. The pumpkin vote was tallied and the winner, by a landslide, was Scary Pumpkin.

Oh the cruelty! Scary defeated Sweet Pumpkin soundly in a 26 to 10 victory. I, equally defeated, was the creator of Sweet Pumpkin and Lisa (the winner!) was the artistic force behind Scary. As the victor of our little contest, she will get to choose a fancy night out on the town (plus bragging rights!).
And I must wallow in defeat! --at least until next Halloween.
But what did the victor, Scary Pumpkin, get out of this?

The newly-crowned Evil Pumpkin King wasted no time in ridding his empire of all who would seek to usurp his glory. He immediately issued a Decree of Death for poor Sweet.

"Blindfold the prisoner!" Scary commanded. "Nooooooo!" cried Sweet.

But Scary was unmoved. He laughed cruelly and declared, "Death by Truck! Any last words?"

"Boo hoo," whimpered Sweet.

"That's Boo to you!" sneered Scary Pumpkin, and hit the gas. "Ooooooooohhhhh!" Splat!

And Scary Pumpkin gloated!

But his gloating was short-lived! While jumping for joy, he slipped and landed poorly. Oh sad, clumsy Evil Pumpkin King.

Happy Halloween!

The Legend of the Jack O' Lantern

Happy Halloween!

Almost!

Yesterday Lisa and I carved our pumpkins. Of course mine is awesome, but Lisa foolishly insists that hers is the better. Can you help us out? In the comment section below, vote for your favorite: Scary Pumpkin or Sweet Pumpkin. Of course, Scary Pumpkin is the one sporting the gleeful BOO. We've wagered a dinner out on the town. Hopefully, my pumpkin will garner me a nice, juicy steak! On Halloween night we'll reveal which pumpkin is mine and which is Lisa's, then tally the votes and declare a winner!

But what is the story behind the Jack O' Lantern? The legend goes back several centuries to old Ireland where the miserable drunkard Stingy Jack met the Devil on a lonely road and invited him for a drink. The two traveled to a pub in a nearby village. Stingy Jack, tight with his purse strings, suggested that the Devil turn himself into a coin so that Jack might pay for the drinks. The Devil agreed and transformed into a coin. Stingy Jack quickly placed the coin inside his coat pocket where he also kept a silver cross. The Devil was trapped! Jack made a deal with the Devil. In return for his freedom, the Devil agreed never to claim Stingy Jack's soul.

Stingy Jack led a long and miserly life. Upon his death, his soul traveled to the Pearly Gates where St. Peter turned him away. "But where will I go?" cried Jack. He wandered in darkness to the mouth of Hell where the Devil was waiting. "Away!" shouted the Devil. The Devil reached into Hellfire and tossed a burning coal at Jack. Stingy Jack placed the coal in a hollowed out turnip and wanders the darkness to this day.

There are several legends of Jack and the Devil. The stories traveled from Ireland on the tongues of immigrants. In England, beets and rutabagas were carved out to hold the Devil's fire. In the United States, pumpkins are perfect. So now we light Jack O' Lanterns to remind us of Stingy Jack, poor wandering Jack. And to be wary of the Devil on a lonely road.