The original Jack O'Lantern was not a pumpkin. The Jack O'Lantern legend goes back hundreds of years in Irish History.
Of Course, the Devil being the Devil...
Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and too cruel and had led a miserable and worthless life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell.
"But where can I go?" asked Jack.
"Back to where you came from!" replied the Devil.
Now Jack was scared and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell. The way back was windy and very dark. He asked the Devil how he could leave as there was no light. The Devil, as a final gesture, tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out Turnip, one of his favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. From that day forward, Stingy Jack has been doomed to roam the earth without a resting place and with only his lit turnip (or his "Jack O'Lantern") to light the way in the darkness.
Congratulations to EdenMarie226 on her first FTF!