“Night was rapidly falling, and rolling clouds involved the heavens in
pitchy blackness. Fearful thunder resounded through the deserted vale.
A storm of wind and rain burst upon the cabin with terrible fury. In
the midst of it Strap proceeded to cook his supper of hoe-cake and
fried bacon. The bacon sizzled deliciously, and the hoe-cake grew to a
rich brown. When all was ready, he spread his table, and was invoking
an earnest blessing on him who invented fried bacon and hoe-cake, when
suddenly an impetuous blast of the tempest blew open one of his
windows. Strap raised his eyes and saw two fiery balls, about four
inches apart, staring at him through the open window. ‘Ah,’ said Strap,
‘Ocelot—wildcat—hast thou come to interview me?—or wouldst thou forget
thy sorrows in a sip from my jolly jug?—or wouldst thou take a little
fried bacon and hoe-cake?—or is the tempest too much for thy glossy
skin that thou comest to implore refuge with me under my roof? Truly, I
might accord thee of all these and feel myself blessed to do it, but
thy glaring, infernal eyes betray thee, and say that thou wouldst
return villainy for these mercies. Speed thee away! What! Starest
still? Wouldst fight? Then take this!’
“He plucked a stone from his hearth and threw it with all his might at
the glaring balls, but it missed its mark and they did not move.
“‘Ah, thou art brave,’ said he, ‘and my hand is unsteady. Wouldst beard
me in my den? Then let me try thee with my pestle!’ With that he seized
his iron mace and strode with it uplifted to the window. He drew back
to plant the blow of a giant between the glaring balls. The blow fell,
but it struck only against the window-sill, with such force that it
sank half through the heart of oak. The balls disappeared in the outer
darkness. Strap then barred the window more firmly than before, and sat
down to sup.
“He was chewing a lengthy piece of bacon, whose ends protruded from
each corner of his mouth, when a blinding flash of lightning fell,
accompanied with a burst of thunder. For a moment Strap felt himself
stunned with the flame and concussion. ‘Bless me,’ said he, ‘now has
the Father given us enough of lightning and dire thunder! But what, ye
gods, is this?’
“He beheld, dancing on the floor before him, a remarkable black figure,
with insolent eyes of fiery redness. It was in the shape of a man, but
was not three feet high, it had two red horns on its head, and its
feet, which were large, were cloven like the hoofs of a bull. Its nose
was prominent and hooked like the beak of an eagle, and its face was
gaunt and thin. Though so small of stature, its visage was hard and
wrinkled, and showed age and infinite villainy. As it danced before
him, it placed the thumb of the right hand against its nose and made at
Strap the insulting sign of derision; but it spake not.
“Strap was amazed, but he was not overcome. He let the long piece of
bacon drop from his mouth. The singular object ceased to dance, and
stepping by Strap’s side, took a seat unbid in a chair upon the hearth.
As it did so, it commenced growing, and did not stop until it had grown
to twice its original proportions. It drew from between its legs a long
tail, with a hard pronged point, which Strap had not observed before,
and twirled it over so that the point fell on Strap’s knee. This
disgusted Strap. He hastily pushed his chair away to the opposite
corner of the hearth, and observed: ‘Keep thy prolongation to thyself,
strange visitor!’
“‘Skin for skin,’ said the figure. At the same time he twirled his tail
over again with such force and accurate aim that the sharp point of it
stuck deeply into the mantel-piece, and there it hung fixed.
“‘What might thy name be,’ said Strap, ‘who visitest me at this
unseemly hour? Speak! thy name and thy business!’
“‘Sir,’ said the object, rising from the chair, extracting its tail
from the mantel-piece, and advancing a step toward Strap, ‘men call me
by many names. Thou hast called me “black imp of hell, thou Satanas!”
So be it. Skin for skin! Thou hast thrice challenged me to duel, and
thrice have I accepted. I have come to meet thee now, or to fling thy
challenge into thy teeth.’
“He seized his tail in his right hand, and held it like a javelin about
to be thrust. Strap gazed upon this singular instrument, and
meditatively spake: ‘Good Sir Devil, take a seat. Wouldst thou attack a
gentleman in his cups? None but a thief and coward would do that. Put
thy prolongation away, I prithee. Leave me to my sleep and restoration,
and I will meet thee man to man. Tomorrow morning at nine o’clock will
I meet thee.’
“The Devil advanced again, saying: ‘Give us thy hand, Strap Buckner;
skin for skin: tomorrow morn at nine o’clock, under yon oaks that
overlook thy dwelling from the south.’ They shook hands heartily.
‘Now,’ said he, ‘will I leave thee to sleep and restoration. Truly, he
hath neither courage nor honor who would attack a gentleman in his
cups.’
“The Devil then stepped toward the door. Strap moved forward to unbar
it and let him out, but the Devil made a bound for the key-hole, and
passed through, tail and all, in the twinkling of an eye. As he did so
he filled the room with a strong odor of brimstone. The champion burned
a few cotton rags to deodorize the room, and then sat quietly by his
table and ate a hearty repast of hoe-cake and bacon. Afterward he
walked his cabin an hour to promote digestion.