The Devil and the Smith
(From a smith who lived in a village along the Weser river.)
There once was a smith living in a village near the Weser river. His business did not prosper as it should have, and he became poor and poorer. One day, he walked away from his house in a dejected mood. On the way, he encountered a stranger who offered him the time of the day and then talked about this and that. Finally, the wanderer asked the master why he was so monosyllabic and downcast. The smith told him about his circumstances. In reply, the stranger claimed that he was a smith’s journeyman and requested to work for him.
But the master replied: “I cannot hire you, for I have long run out of iron.” But the journeyman promised him that not only would he work strenuously, but also obtain iron in sufficient quantities. “But,” he added, “you must promise me one thing. If you no longer have any work for me, you must belong to me — along with everything you own!” The master thought that there would be work enough, and shook his hand on it.
The next morning, several wagon loads of iron bars were standing before the smithy. The strange journeyman unloaded them and then asked the master to show him whatever tasks had not been done yet. In the evening, he was finished with everything. On the next day, he received the order to put the iron fittings on a large farm wagon. The journeyman was once more finished by closing time. The following morning, the master demanded of him that he should fashion eight harrows. This, too, was only the work of a single day.
Now the master no longer had any labors within the workshop for the quick-working man. Instead, he ordered him to cut down two stretches of forest, cut down the wood, and store it properly. In the evening, this too was done. Now the master demanded for the fifth day that he should fill a depression with earth. The journeyman also accomplished this, even though he had to transport 600 wagon loads of soil there.
This was beginning to overwhelm the master. Since he was unable to find any work at all for the sixth day, he helplessly ran out of the house. Then he encountered an old woman, who asked him why he looked so surly. He opened up to her regarding his troubles.
The woman laughed slyly, and shouted: “The stupid Devil! We shall give him something to do that will cause him to leave in humiliation!” Then she murmured to the master: “Make your wife give you three curly hairs. You understand what I mean, Master Hammerer! Give those to your journeyman and order him to hammer them straight. Then you shall see how he can run!”
As it was said, so it was done. When the master held the three above-mentioned curly hairs beneath the nose of the journeyman, the latter went away in a fit of rage.