OLD MAN AND THE DEVIL

An old man was sowing beans in the forest. The devil came along and said:

-Grandfather, Grandfather, what are you sowing?

-I am sowing beans.

-Well, how are we going to share these beans? asked the devil.

The old man answered:

-You can have anything from below the soil while I have what is growing above.

When the beans had grown, the old man cut the top half and took it home. But the devil was left with the roots and stems. He came along and tried to take his share of the harvest, but could not dig it up.

The next year the old man came back to grow turnips. Yet again the devil came. He sidled up to the old man and said:

-Now, this time I get the top and you get the bottom half of the harvest.

-Alright said the old man.

In the autumn the devil came and cut off his half of the harvest, the tops of the turnips. The old man dug up the turnips and went home. Yet again, luck was not the devil's friend.

The third spring approaches. This time the old man returns to the forest to grow peas. The devil returns as well and asks:

-Grandfather, what are you sowing?

-Peas.

-And how are we going to share them? asked the devil.

-When the frost comes, then we will divide the harvest. I will throw them and you catch.

Winter began and the old man threshed the peas. The devil came to get his share. The old man flung the peas onto the ice, while the devil chased them. He chased, and chased the peas but could not catch them.

The devil gave up trying to catch the peas that the old man had strewn on the ice. Just then, the forest moaned, just as the devil was running away from the old man. That was then that the old man swept the peas up into a little pile, poured them into a sack and went home. The was how the old man tricked the devil.

It is hard to describe how a forest voices its displeasure--a moan, growl, sigh or howl.

	Shortcuts: Table of Contents Send me comments
Unless otherwise indicated, all pages and images copyright ©2000 Marija Kuncaitis.