IV

THE LAD AND THE DEIL


Once on a time there was a lad who was walking along a road cracking
nuts, so he found one that was worm-eaten, and just at that very moment
he met the Deil.

"Is it true, now," said the lad, "what they say, that the Deil can make
himself as small as he chooses, and thrust himself on through a
pinhole?"

"Yes, it is," said the Deil.

"Oh! it is, is it? then let me see you do it, and just creep into this
nut," said the lad.

So the Deil did it.

Now, when he had crept well into it through the worm's hole, the lad
stopped it up with a pin.

"Now, I've got you safe," he said, and put the nut into his pocket.

So when he had walked on a bit, he came to a smithy, and he turned in
and asked the smith if he'd be good enough to crack that nut for him.