The Devil's Scythe

In ancient times, the people of Gede had never seen a scythe, and they cut hay with ordinary tailor's scissors, so their work was very slow and inefficient.

From time to time, the devil would visit these parts to collect large stones—he needed them to build Mount Saint Michael. He had a tool that could mow an entire meadow in an instant, but the devil only worked at night and never let anyone use it.

Once, he promised to mow a meadow for a reckless man with whom he was friends. Saint Michael found out about this and, sneaking onto the man's meadow, stuck the ground with the teeth of a harrow—and as everyone knows, harrow teeth are made of iron. Then he hid in the hollow of an old oak tree and waited for nightfall. He fit almost entirely inside the hollow, with only his head sticking out among the leaves.

The devil appeared, approached the fence, tapped the scythe blade with a hammer, then attached it to a long pole, sharpened it, and finally began to mow the grass with even swings, which fell all around him.

When the scythe hit the iron for the first time, it got a nick. The devil cursed as only devils can, but he kept working. When it hit the second tooth, the scythe broke. The devil muttered aloud:

"Well, my scythe is ruined, I'll have to take it to the blacksmith!" And, continuing to curse, he headed to the village of Dinge.

The next day, Saint Michael went to Dinge to the blacksmith and asked if anyone had brought in a tool for repair.

"Yes," the blacksmith replied. "It's a strange thing, I've never seen anything like it."

"Here's what, blacksmith, make me one just like it, and then I'll explain what it's for."

"Alright."

Saint Michael didn't hide his scythe like the devil did. He gave it to everyone and taught them how to use it.

And so, all the people began to use the scythe.

Seeing the peasants with scythes in their hands, Satan realized that his secret had been discovered and immediately guessed that Saint Michael had tracked him down. Furious, he went to the saint and challenged him to a duel.

"Agreed," replied the archangel. "But on the condition that we fight in a furnace."

"Wherever you want, it makes no difference to me."

And both of them went to the nearest village.

On the way, Saint Michael found a wooden mallet with a short handle, which women use to soften hemp and flax before beating them. He tucked it under his arm and continued on.

They arrived at the furnace. The devil grabbed a poker and climbed inside. Saint Michael followed him. The poker was so long that it wouldn't fit in the furnace, and while the devil was pulling it toward himself, Saint Michael mercilessly beat his opponent on the head with the mallet.

"Have mercy!" the devil howled. "You'll kill me like this!"

"I'll spare you only on the condition that you leave our lands and never return."

More fairy tales

• The Tale of the Boy with the Boot
• Curtillon Curtillet
• The Wolf, the Snail, and the Wasps
• Barbaik Lokho and the Brownie
• The Little Men