The Devil and his Grandmother

There was a great war, and the King had many soldiers, but he gave them such small pay that they could hardly live on it. So three of them agreed to run away. One said, "If we are caught, we will be hanged on the gallows.

How shall we manage?" Another said, "Look at that big cornfield. If we hide there, no one can find us. The troops are not allowed to go in, and tomorrow they are to march away." So they crept into the corn.

But the troops did not march away; they stayed all around the field. The three soldiers hid in the corn for two days and two nights, and were so hungry that they nearly died. If they came out, they would surely be hanged.

They said, "What is the use of running away if we are going to die here?" Then a fiery dragon came flying through the air. It landed beside them and asked why they were hiding. They answered, "We are three soldiers who have run away because the pay was so bad.

Now we will either starve here or be hanged if we go out." The dragon said, "If you will serve me for seven years, I will carry you through the army so that no one can catch you." They replied, "We have no choice; we must accept." Then the dragon grabbed them with his claws and flew with them through the air, over the army, and set them down far away.

But the dragon was none other than the Devil. He gave them a small whip and said, "Crack this whip, and as much gold as you wish will appear. Then you can live like great lords, keep horses, and drive carriages.

But after seven years, you are mine." He made them sign a book. "However," he said, "I will give you a riddle. If you can solve it, you will be free." Then the Devil flew away.

The three soldiers went off with the whip, got plenty of gold, bought fine clothes, and traveled around the world. They lived in pleasure and luxury, riding horses and driving carriages, eating and drinking, but they did nothing bad. Time passed quickly.

When the seven years were nearly over, two of them became terribly anxious. But the third one said, "Brothers, don't worry. My head is sharp enough; I will solve the riddle." They went out into the open country and sat down. The two looked sad.

Then an old woman came up to them and asked why they were so sad. "Alas," they said, "how can that help you? You cannot help us." "Who knows?" she said. "Tell me your trouble." So they told her that they had been the Devil's servants for almost seven years, and he had given them gold like blackberries, but they had sold themselves to him.

If they could not solve a riddle at the end of the seven years, they would be his. The old woman said, "If you want to be saved, one of you must go into the forest. There you will find a fallen rock that looks like a little house.

Enter it, and you will get help." The two sad ones thought, "That will not save us," and stayed where they were. But the third, the cheerful one, got up and walked into the forest until he found the rock house. Inside sat a very old woman, who was the Devil's grandmother.

She asked where he came from and what he wanted. He told her everything. She liked him and took pity on him, and said she would help him. She lifted a big stone that covered a cellar and said, "Hide in there. You can hear everything that is said here.

Sit still and do not move. When the Devil comes, I will ask him about the riddle. He tells me everything, so listen carefully to his answer." At midnight, the Devil came flying in and asked for his dinner. The grandmother set the table and served food and drink.

They ate and drank together. She asked him how his day had gone and how many souls he had caught. "Not so well today," he answered, "but I have caught three soldiers; I have them safe." "Really, three soldiers?

That's something, but they might still escape." The Devil said mockingly, "They are mine! I will give them a riddle that they will never solve!" "What riddle?" she asked. "I will tell you. In the great North Sea lies a dead dogfish; that shall be your roast meat.

The rib of a whale shall be your silver spoon. And a hollow old horse's hoof shall be your wine glass." After the Devil went to bed, the grandmother lifted the stone and let the soldier out. "Did you pay attention?" she asked. "Yes," he said, "I know enough.

I will save myself." Then he had to go back another way, through the window, secretly and quickly, to his companions. He told them how the grandmother had tricked the Devil and how he had learned the answer to the riddle. Then they were all joyful.

They took the whip and whipped up so much gold that it ran all over the ground. When the seven years were fully up, the Devil came with the book, showed their signatures, and said, "I will take you to hell. You will have a meal there.

If you can guess what roast meat you will eat, you shall be free and may keep the whip." The first soldier said, "In the great North Sea lies a dead dogfish; that is the roast meat." The Devil was angry and muttered, "Hm! Hm!

Hm!" Then he asked the second, "And what will your spoon be?" "The rib of a whale," said the second. The Devil made a wry face and growled, "Hm! Hm! Hm!" Then he said to the third, "And do you know what your wine glass will be?" "An old horse's hoof," said the third.

Then the Devil flew away with a loud cry and had no more power over them. The three kept the whip, whipped as much money as they wanted, and lived happily ever after.