It chanced that once upon a time long years ago, in the days when
strange things used to happen in the world, and the devil himself
used sometimes to walk about in it in a bare–faced fashion, to the
distraction of all good and bad folk alike, he came to a very small
town where he resolved to stay a while to play some of his tricks. How
it was, whether the people were better or were worse than he expected
to find them, whether they would not give way to him, or whether they
went beyond him and outwitted him, I don’t know, and so cannot say;
but sure it is that in a short while he became terribly angry with
the folk, and at length was so disgusted that he threatened he would
make them repent their treatment of him, for he would punish them in
a manner which should show them his power. With that he flew off in a
fury, and the folk, knowing with whom they had to deal, were very sad
thinking what terrible thing would overtake them, and at their wits’
end to imagine how they might manage to escape the claws of the Evil
One.
Accordingly it was decided to call a meeting of the townsfolk, to which
all, old and young, should come to deliver their opinion as to the best
course to be pursued, only those too old to walk, the sick, and the
foolish, being not called to the council.
Very many different courses were proposed, and while these were being
debated a man rushed into the hall where the council was held, and
informed them that their enemy was coming, for he had himself seen him
making his way to the town, bearing on his shoulder a stone almost big
enough to bury the place under it. He reported that the devil was yet a
long way off, for his load hampered him sadly and he could not travel
fast.
What to do the councillors did not know, when suddenly there came
amongst them a poor cobbler, whom they had forgot to call to the
meeting, for he was, indeed, looked upon as only half–witted.
“I will go and meet him,” said he, “and stop him coming here.”
“You stop him!” cried they all; “it’s mad you must be to think of it.”
“I’ll go all the same,” said the cobbler, and without saying a word
more he goes out and begins to make ready for his journey.
First of all he collected together as many old boots and shoes as he
could find, and when he had got them all in a bundle, he finds out the
man who had seen the devil coming on, and inquired of him the way
he should go to meet him. The man told him the road, and the cobbler
set out. He walked, and walked, and walked, till at last he came to
the devil, who was sitting by the roadside resting himself and trying
to get cool, for the day was warm, and he was nearly worn out with
carrying the big rock which lay beside him.
“Do you know such–and–such a place?” asks he of the man, naming the
town he would be at.
“I do, indeed,” says the man, “for I ought to, seeing I have lived in
its neighbourhood these many years, and have only left there to travel
here.”
“And how many days have you been getting here?” asked the devil
anxiously, for he had hoped he was near the end of his journey.
“Oh, days and days,” replies the man. “See here,” and he opens his
bundle of old boots that he had ready,—“see here,” says he, “these are
the boots I’ve worn out on the hard road in coming from the place here.”
“‘Have you, indeed!’ says the devil, looking at them amazed, little
thinking that the man was lying as he showed him pair after pair, all
in holes and shreds. “Well, indeed, it must be a long way off,” and he
looks around him, and then at the rock, and thinks what a terrible long
way he has had to bring it, and begins to doubt whether, after all,
since he’s still got so far to go, it’s worth all the trouble.
“If it had been near,” says he, “it would have been a different thing,
and I would have shown them what it is to treat me as they did, but as
it’s so far off it’s another matter, and I don’t think it’s worth the
trouble.”
So he just takes up the rock and flings it aside in a field, and goes
off back again. So the cobbler came home, and told all the townsfolk
what he had done, and how he had cheated the devil, and I can assure
you that they all admired his cleverness, and the joke of tricking
the devil as he had, nor did they allow him to lose in consequence of
missing his day’s work.