Story time - The Judge and the Devil

In lieu of something for All Saints day today, I thought a story with the devil in it would be appropriate considering last night. This one has a flavour of the Charlie Daniels Band's 'The Devil went down to Georgia", although in this case the devil goes down to thirteenth century Germany:

"In a certain town there was once a man whose sins were such that I am neither able to nor known how to nor ought to them all. He was so utterly given up to all kinds of sings that people considered it fortunate that the earth did not swallow him up. Two things made him well-known; he had no equal either in sinfulness or in wealth. He was a judge in that town, and his way of life was known far and wide.

One market-day he declared he was going to ride out and have a look at his favourite vineyard. That selfsame morning, very early, the devil began to look out for him. He approached him on the road as he was riding away from the vineyard. The devil was wearing magnificent, very well-cut clothes. The judge came riding along, and as he supposed him to be an ordinary man, he greeted him and asked where he came from and who he was, saying: ‘That is something to which I should very much like to know the right answer.’

‘It will be just as well to keep that from you,’ replied the devil.

‘I must have an answer,’ retorted the judge angrily, ‘or you will suffer for it. I have so much power in this district that whatever injury I wish to inflict on you, no one will prevent me.’ 

He began to swear angrily that if he did not inform him where he came from and who he was, he would take his life and confiscate his possessions. ‘Before you do me such great damage, I will tell you my proper name and lineage,’ said the accursed one straight away. ‘I am the devil.’

The judge then enquired what his job was. ‘I will tell you. I am going into the town. Today is the time that I take away everything that is in all seriousness given to me.’ The judge replied: ‘Now be so kind as to allow me to see whatever you get to take for as long as the market goes on.’

‘No, I won’t do that’ he said. The judge declared: ‘Then I command you not to leave my presence and to allow me to see everything that you do here today. I command you by God to do this, and by the same command by which you were laid low I command you by the power of God and by God’s wrath, however many commands it may be necessary to make, which you cannot withstand, neither you nor your fellows. Therefore, be commanded. I command you on pain of God’s judgement that you take everything that anyone may give you today in my sight.’

‘Alas that I should be alive!’ exclaimed the devil. ‘You have caught and bound me with such strong bonds that I have never experienced such torment in many an hour. However much I think about it, I know no trick anywhere against which you could do anything. As it will bring you no profit, release me from these things.’ The judge said: ‘No, I won’t do that. Whatever happens to me as a result, let it happen. I want to see you take whatever comes your way today.’ 

The devil said: ‘All right then. The fact that you will spare me nothing causes me great sorrow. If you had any understanding, you would stop forcing this on me. Both your fellows and mine hate each other greatly and will never cease from doing so. You ought to let me go if you want to maintain your position.’

The judge then replied: ‘Don’t be so upset about the fact that I want to go with you. Whether it is much or little, whatever is given you willingly, without constraint, today, I want to see you take it, even if it goes against me. I won’t spare you from it. If you have anything to object, you might as well stop doing so.’

Now, stop being so angry,’ said the accursed spirit. ‘Before the day is out you’ll learn a bit about what you know next to nothing of.’ At this the judge became merry and cheerful. He was pleased that he was about to see marvellous things. 

Thereupon they went into the town. The market was in full swing there, and there were plenty of people around. Lots of people offered the judge a drink. No one knew who his companion was. The judge offered him a drink, but the devil refused. Then it happened that a woman got into some trouble with a pig, which she quickly drove out of her door. ‘Be off to the devil!’ shouted the angry woman. ‘I hope he kills you today.’

The judge said: ‘My friend, take the pig quickly now! I can hear he saying it’s yours.’

‘No, that isn’t so, unfortunately,’ the devil answered him. ‘I’d gladly take it, if she were genuinely giving it to me. But if I were to take it, she would be sorry.’

Then they went further into the market. I don’t know what happened to make another woman say to an ox: ‘To the devil with you, may he kill you today!’ Then the judge said: ‘Now, do you hear, someone has given you the ox.’ 

 

But the devil again said: ‘That’s a mean trick misleading you. She would be upset for a whole year if she thought I would take it from her. I don’t care what she actually said; she didn’t mean it seriously. I haven’t any claim to the ox!’

Then a woman shouted at her child: ‘You won’t do anything for me, the wicked devil take you!’

‘Now take the child!’ said the judge.

‘I have no right to is,’ answered the devil straight away. ‘She wouldn’t take two thousand pounds to allow me to get hold of it. I’d gladly take it, if I could.’

Then they proceeded into the middle of the market. It was so busy as a result of everybody being there who wanted to go that day. They were standing there quietly when a widow came up to them. She was both old and ill and suffered from all kinds of disabilities, as a result of which she was in great pain. She could scarcely walk, even with a stick. 

When she saw the judge, she burst into tears and said: ‘How did it come about, judge, that you should be so rich and I so poor and that you thought you could not survive without depriving me, without justification of God’s favour, or my little cow, which was my only means of livelihood in my poverty? I haven’t been given the strength to be important enough to try any way of getting it back out of Christian charity. You have gained nothing from this but scorn. Now I beg God, for the sake of His death and the grim torment that He suffered in the flesh for all us poor people, to grant me, poor woman that I am, that the devil take you off, body and soul!’

At this the devil said to him: ‘Listen to that, she’s serious!’ He seized the judge firmly by the hair and began to rise into the air so that everyone who was at the market could see him. The going must have given him much trouble. It was more awkward for him that it would have been for a hen with an eagle. The devil rushed away with everybody looking after him. I don’t know what happened afterwards as he was seen from afar. That is where the story ends. 

Thus with his victory the judge was vanquished. He imagined that he would get something, and he lost. It is an unwise business to have anything to do with the devil. Whoever enjoys going around with him will be given a sorry reward. He knows so many grim tricks that it is best to fear him."

 

Notes

Images: 

Johann von Schwarzenberg (1463 - 1528) "Bambergische"

Geoffrey de Latour Landry's Ritter vom Turn, printed by Michael Furter, Basle, 1493

Thirteenth century, “The Judge and the Devil” by the Stricker, translated by David Blamires (from Der Stricker. Verserzählungen, II edited by Hanns Fischer (Tübingen: Niemeyer, 1967), pp. 31-42