Page:The shoemaker's apron (1920).djvu/256

 The devil waited for the shoemaker outside the town gate.

“You see,” he said when the shoemaker had shown him the money, “I’m not an ungrateful devil.”

They turned the same trick in several other cities until the shoemaker had a heavy bag of gold.

“Now you’re a rich man,” the devil said, “and we can part company. My seven years are up and I am going soon to return to hell. But before I go I’m going to take possession of one more princess. I served Gentle Dora so long that it’s a pleasant change to rule some one. This time don’t you try to exorcise me. You’re famous now and the princess’s father will probably hunt you out and beg you to cure his daughter, but you must excuse yourself. This is all I ask of you. If you allow yourself to be persuaded, I’ll punish you by taking possession of your body. Don’t forget!”

They bade each other good-bye and parted, the shoemaker going west and the devil east.

Soon word began to pass up and down the land that there was a great king toward the east who needed the services of the famous exorcist to restore his daughter. Emissaries of the king found the shoemaker and against his will dragged him to court. He