Nanguadengnyanniichuan
Nanguadengnyanniichuan, also referred to as "Pumpkin Lantern-Girl" or "Jack o' Lantern-Girl" is strange, and mysterious blessing. It's said the spring is located in a wild pumpkin patch somewhere in the Yuriba Forest. Despite its weird name the blessing is rumored to be used for protection.
History
No one is quite sure where the rumors started about this blessing. Or more appropriately the girl who bears the blessing. Generally the stories of this blessing crop up during the month of October, and the story changes countless of times with each telling and seems to come more from non-natives then the natives on the island. The most common story though involves a young woman from a long ago time in Yuriba's past. The general story involves this young woman who enjoyed playing tricks on people and scamming them out of their things. Others say stealing. Over time her pranks turned more to meanness and it's said the girl accrued a treasure trove of her stolen goods somewhere in the woods. All good things come to an end though, and eventually she was run from the village.
It's said the girl came across a dark fae or some sort or dark spirit and gained aid to get away. But then always the sly one, the girl somehow tricked her rescuer and captured it. Striking a deal, the girl gained immortality so that she could forever enjoy her treasures and continuing causing mayhem and tricks upon the island inhabitants. Eventually though the girl grew bored with being immortal and sought an end to it. The dark spirit she had tricked into giving it to her though would not undo it, laughing at her misery as serving her right. Eventually the girl tried beseeching the Goddesses of the island themselves. Day and night she prayed in the pumpkin patch near her hidden home. At last, after a long night of heavy rain a face grew in a nearby pumpkin. Simple eyes, triangle nose, and a mouth opened up showing an otherworldly glow from within the now hollow vegetable. It's said the goddess told the girl she couldn't remove her immortality, the dark curse had warped her too much. But there was hope, and maybe in time if the girl could redeem herself she could break the curse with the light and strength of her spirit. To help her she would be put to task. The goddess told the girl to dip herself in the small pool that had formed in a corner of the pumpkin patch. Confused, but hopeful the girl did just that and found herself changed under the Nanguadengnyanniichuan blessing.
The girl discovered herself changed. Some versions say her head became like that of a pumpkin lantern or Jack o' Lantern. Others say her head just became orange, her hair either brown or green with vines and maybe even a short stump on her head. All recollections agree her eyes and mouth shone with an intense and some say eerie, inner light. Her body became more plant-like, brown or green and with vines wrapped around her with her feet becoming short roots. After the change people say the girl now wanders the island, even to this day supposedly. The stories say after her transformation she would wander the island, and use her shining light to chase away bad spirits that would come to the island, protecting the inhabitants. Others say her light is also a beacon to lost spirits, those that can't find their way forward on the Spiral and wander the island. The story has come to be one to teach people things of right and wrong, but also to show that even those who do screw up can still atone and turn their lives around, a story of hope some say. People also speculate on the identity of the goddess that created the blessing. Some say it must be Kikoutei, for who else would appear to a person in the form of shining light. While others think the answer is Zokutou because of the supposed abilities dealing with the spirits, the Spiral, and the afterlife.
Legitimacy
As many will say, Yuriba's past in full of many mysteries and there are probably countless stories and events that've happened that no one knows about. But to date no evidence of a Pumpkin Lantern-Girl spring has been uncovered, and a good bit of the forest has been searched and even populated. There's also the fact that the form of the blessing is quite a unique one, some would even go so far as to say downright strange if the stories are true that the girl's head turned into that of a glowing Jack o' Lantern. Again too, some people especially the natives, question the fact that the girl was made immortal or nearly immortal, which is quite a powerful thing and also too that the goddesses couldn't do anything about removing the supposed curse. While others say it's not so much they couldn't but that they chose not to, to see if the girl in the story could in fact redeem herself. Many also question whether the tradition of the Jack o' Lantern could really have been here on the island so long ago or if this is merely a story concocted by a zealous immigrant.
In the end though the mysteries behind this supposed blessing remain just that, mysteries. Some enjoy the tale of a greedy, bad seed of a girl getting her just desserts while others find comfort in the idea that of people out there guarding against evil spirits and also helping the good spirits who might become lost after death. One thing is for sure though, it still might be a good idea if you see an eerie light in the middle of the night, steer clear. Unless you wish to find out where spirits are led.