Devil Stories Part 32

Devil-Death has inherited this wind instrument from the goat-footed Pan.

"The Devil is more busy in the convents," we are told by J. K.

Huysmans in his novel _En route_ (1895), "than in the cities, as he has a harder job on hand."

BELPHAGOR

BY NICCOL MACHIAVELLI

This story of the devil Belphagor, who was sent by his infernal chief Pluto up to earth, where he married an earthly wife, but finally left her in disgust to go back to h.e.l.l, is also of mediaeval origin. It was first printed by Giovanni Brevio in 1545, and appeared for the second time with the name of Machiavelli in 1549, twenty-two years after the death of the diabolical statesman. The two authors did not borrow from each other, but had a common source in a mediaeval Latin ma.n.u.script, which seems to have first fallen into the hands of Italians, but was later brought to France where it has been lost. The tale of the marriage of the devil appeared in several other Italian versions during the sixteenth century. Among the Italian novelists, who retold it for the benefit of their married friends, may be mentioned Giovan-Francesco Straparola, Francesco Sansovino, and Gabriel Chappuys. In England this story was no less popular. Barnabe Riche inserted it in his collection of narratives in 1581, and we meet it again later in the following plays: _Grim, the Collier of Croydon_, ascribed to Ulpian Fulwell (1599); _The Devil and his Dame_ by P. M.

Houghton (1600); _Machiavel and the Devil_ by Daborne and Henslowe (1613); _The Devil is an a.s.s_ by Ben Jonson (1616); and _Belphagor, or the Marriage of the Devil_ (1690). In France the story was treated in verse by La Fontaine (1694), and in Germany it served the Nuremberg poet Hans Sachs as the subject for a farce (1557).

The _Encyclopaedia Britannica_ is authority for the statement that Machiavelli's own married life had nothing to do with the plot of his story.

"The notion of this story is ingenious, and might have been made productive of entertaining incident, had Belphagor been led by his connubial connections from one crime to another. But Belphagor is only unfortunate, and in no respect guilty; nor did anything occur during his abode on earth that testified to the power of woman in leading us to final condemnation. The story of the peasant and the possession of the princesses bears no reference to the original idea with which the tale commences, and has no connection with the object of the infernal deputy's terrestrial sojourn" (J. C. Dunlop, _History of Fiction_). To this criticism Mr. Thomas Roscoe replies that "part of the humour of the story seems to consist in Belphagor's earthly career being cut short before he had served the full term of his apprentices.h.i.+p. But from the follies and extravagances into which he had already plunged, we are now authorized to believe that, even if he had been able longer to support the asperities of the lady's temper, he must, from the course he was pursuing, have been led from crime to crime, or at least from folly to folly, to such a degree that he would infallibly have been condemned" (T. Roscoe, _Italian Novelists_).

The demon of Machiavelli offers no features of a deep psychology, but he distinguishes himself from the other demons of his period by his elegant manners. Like creator, like creature.

Belphagor, the G.o.d of the Moabites, like all other pagan G.o.ds, joined the infernal forces of Satan when driven off the earth by the Church Triumphant.

The parliament of devils, which we find in this story, was taken from the mystery-plays where the ruler of h.e.l.l is represented as holding occasional receptions when he listens to the reports of their recent achievements on his behalf, and consults their opinion on matters of state. Satan, who has always wished to rival G.o.d, has inst.i.tuted the infernal council in imitation of the celestial council described in the Book of Job. The source for the parliament of devils is the apocryphal book _Evangelium Nicodemi_. An early metrical tract under the t.i.tle of the _Parlement of Devils_ was printed two or three times in London about 1520. A "Pandemonium" is also found in Ta.s.so, Milton, and Chateaubriand. The _Parlement of Foules_ (14th century) is but a modification of the _Parlement of Devils_, for the devil and the fool were originally identical in person and may be traced back to the demonic clown of the ancient heathen cult (cf. the present writer's book, _The Origin of the German Carnival Comedy_, p. 37). A far echo is Thomas Chatterton's poem _The Parliament of Sprites_.

This story recalls to us the saying that the heart of a beautiful woman is the most beloved hiding-place of at least seven devils.

THE DEVIL AND TOM WALKER

BY WAs.h.i.+NGTON IRVING

By his interest in popular legends the first of the great American writers shows his sympathy with the Romantic movement, which prevailed in his time in all the countries of Europe. His devil, however, has not been imported from the lands across the Atlantic, but is a part of the superst.i.tions of the New World. The author himself did not believe in "Old Scratch." The real devils for him were the slave-traders and the witch-hunters of Salem fame. It is interesting now to read a contemporary critic of Was.h.i.+ngton Irving's devil-story: "If Mr. Irving believes in the existence of Tom Walker's master, we can scarcely conceive how he can so earnestly jest about him; at all events, we would counsel him to beware lest his own spells should prove fatal to him" (_Eclectic Review_, 1825). Few people in those days had the courage to take Old Nick good-naturedly. "Even the clever Madame de Stael," said Goethe, "was greatly scandalized that I kept the devil in such good-humour."

The devil appears in many colours, princ.i.p.ally, however, in black and red. It is a common belief in Scotland that the devil is a black man, as may also be seen in Robert Louis Stevenson's story "Thrawn Janet."

There is no warrant in the biblical tradition for a black devil.

Satan, however, appeared as an Ethiopian as far back as the days of the Church Fathers. The black colour presumably is intended to suggest his place of abode, whereas red denotes the scorching fires of h.e.l.l.

The devil was considered as a sort of eternal Salamander. In the New Testament he is described as a fiery fiend. Red was considered by Oriental nations as a diabolical colour. In Egypt red hair and red animals of all kinds were considered infernal. The Apis was also red-coloured. Satan's red beard recalls the Scandinavian G.o.d Donar or Thor, who is of Phoenician origin. Judas was always represented in mediaeval mystery-plays with a red beard; and down to the present day red hair is the mark of a suspicious character. The devil also appears as yellow, and even blue, but never as white or green. The yellow devil is but a shade less bright than his fiery brother. The blue devil is a sulphur-const.i.tutioned individual. He is the demon of melancholy, and fills us with "the blues." As the spirit of darkness and death, the devil cannot a.s.sume the colours of white or green, which are the symbols of light and life. The devil's dragon-tail is, according to Sir Walter Scott, of biblical tradition, coming from a literal interpretation of a figurative expression.

A few interesting remarks on the expression "The Devil and Tom Walker"

current in certain parts of this country as a caution to usurers will be found in Dr. Blondheim's article "The Devil and Doctor Foster" in _Modern Language Notes_ for 1918.

FROM THE MEMOIRS OF SATAN

BY WILHELM HAUFF

Wilhelm Hauff, the author of this book, ranks honourably among the members of the Romantic School in Germany. As the work of a man of only twenty-two years, just out of the university, the book is a credit to its author. It must be admitted, however, that it was not altogether original with him. The idea was taken from E. Th. A.

Hoffmann,--Devil-Hoffmann, as he was called by his contemporaries,--who in his short-story "Der Teufel in Berlin" also has the devil travel incognito in Germany; and the t.i.tle was borrowed from Jean Paul Richter, who also claimed to edit _Selections from the Devil's Papers_ (_Auswahl aus des Teufels Papieren, 1789_). There were others, too, who claimed to have been honoured by his Satanic Majesty to edit his "journal." J. R. Beard, a Unitarian minister, published in 1872 an _Autobiography of Satan_. Another autobiography of Satan is said to have been found among the posthumous works of Leonid Andreev, author of that original diabolical work _Anathema, a tragedy_ (Engl. tr.

1910). This book has just appeared in English under the t.i.tle _Satan's Diary_. Frederic Soulie's _Les Memoires du Diable_ (1837/8) consist of memoirs not of the devil himself, but of other people, which the Count de Luizzi, the human partner to the diabolical pact, is very anxious to know. Hauff's book consists of a series of papers, which are but loosely connected. In certain pa.s.sages we hear nothing of the autobiographer. The Suavian writer apparently could digest the Diabolical only in homeopathic doses. His Satan, moreover, is a very youthful and quite harmless devil. He is nothing but a personified echo of the author's student-days. The book by Hauff is perhaps the most popular personification of the devil in German literature.

The pa.s.sage presented here shows the phantastic element of the book at its best. The short introductory synopsis will give an idea of its satirical aspect. The humorous aspect has pretty nearly been lost in translation. Professor Brander Matthews has aptly said: "The German humour is like the simple Italian wines--it will not stand export."

Of all the peoples, the Germans seem to have had the most kindly feelings towards the devil. This is because they knew him better. To judge from the many bridges and cathedrals, which the demon, according to legends, has built in Germany, he must have been a frequent visitor to that country. In Frankfort, where with his own hands our author received the memoirs from the autobiographer, there is a gilded c.o.c.k above the bridge in memory of the bargain the bridge-builder once made with Satan to give him the first living thing that should cross the river. The day the bridge was finished, a c.o.c.k fluttered from a woman's market-basket and ran over the bridge. A claw-like hand reached down and claimed the prize.

The distinguished personage, whose adventures form the subject of this book, does not figure in it under his own name, nor does he appear here in the gala attire of tail, horns and cloven foot with which he graces the revels on the Blocksberg. He borrows for the nonce a tall, gentlemanly figure, surmounted by delicate features, dresses well, is fastidious about his ring and linen, travels post and stops at the best hotels. He begins his earthly career by studying at the renowned university of ----. As he can boast of abundant means, a handsome wardrobe and the name of Herr von Barbe, it is no wonder that on the first evening he should be politely received, the next morning have a confidential friend, and the second evening embrace "brothers till death." He becomes much puzzled at the extraordinary manners of the students, and at their language, so different from that of every rational German. He remarks: "Over a gla.s.s of beer they often fell into singularly transcendental investigations, of which I understood little or nothing. However, I observed the princ.i.p.al words, and when drawn into a conversation, replied with a grave air--'Freedom, Fatherland, Nationality.'" He attends the lectures of a celebrated professor, whose profundity of thought and terseness of style are so astounding, that the German world set him down as possessed; the critical student, however, differs somewhat from that conclusion, observing--

"I have borne a great deal in the world. I have even entered into swine," ("The devil," said Luther, "knows Scripture well and he uses it in argument") "but into such a philosopher? No, indeed! I had rather be excused."

The episode here reprinted occurred in a hotel in Frankfort, where our incognito is known as Herr von Natas (which, it will be noticed, is his more familiar name read backwards). His brilliant powers of conversation, his adroit flattery, courteous gallantry, and elegant, though wayward flights of imagination, soon rendered him the delight of the whole _table d'hote_. All guests, including our author, were fascinated by the mysterious stranger. But we will let the author himself tell his story.

ST. JOHN'S EVE

BY NIKOLaI VASILeVICH GoGOL

This story, taken from _Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka_, a series of sketches of the life of the Ukrainian peasants, offers a good ill.u.s.tration of the author's art, which was a combination of the romantic and realistic elements. In these pages Gogol wished to record the myths and legends still current among the plain folk of his beloved Ukrainia. The devil naturally enough peeps out here and there through the pages of this book. Gogol's devil is a product of the Russian soil, "the spirit of mischief and cunning, whom Russian literature is always trying to outplay and overcome" (Mme. Jarintzow, _Russian Poets and Poems_).

According to European superst.i.tion St. John's Eve is the only evening in the year when his Satanic Majesty reveals himself in his proper shape to the eyes of men. If you wish to behold his Highness face to face, stand on St. John's Eve at midnight near a mustard-plant. It is suggested by Sir James Frazer in his _Golden Bough_ that, in the chilly air of the upper world, this prince from a warmer clime may be attracted by the warmth of the mustard.

It is believed in many parts of Europe that treasures can be found on St. John's Eve by means of the fern-seed. Even without the use of this plant treasures are sometimes said to bloom or burn in the earth, or to reveal their presence by a bluish flame on Midsummer Eve. As guardian of treasures the devil is the successor of the gnome.

THE DEVIL'S WAGER

BY WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY

_The Devil's Wager_ is Thackeray's earliest attempt at story-writing, was contributed to a weekly literary paper with the imposing t.i.tle _The National Standard, and Journal of Literature, Science, Music, Theatricals, and the Fine Arts_, of which he was proprietor and editor, and was reprinted in the _Paris Sketch Book_ (1840). The story first ended with the very Thackerayesque touch: "The moral of this story will be given in several successive numbers." In the _Paris Sketch Book_ the last three words are changed into "the second edition." This comical tale was ill.u.s.trated by an excellent wood-cut, representing the devil as sailing through the air, dragging after him the fat Sir Roger de Rollo by means of his tail, which is wound round Sir Roger's neck.

In the "Advertis.e.m.e.nt to the First Edition" of his _Paris Sketch Book_, Thackeray admits the French origin of this as well as of his other devil-story, _The Painter's Bargain_, to be found in the same volume. It was Thackeray's good fortune to live in Paris during the wildest and most brilliant years of Romanticism; and while his att.i.tude towards this movement and its leaders, as presented in the _Paris Sketch Book_, is not wholly sympathetic, he is indebted to it for his interest in supernatural subjects. The Romanticism of Thackeray has been denied with great obstinacy and almost pa.s.sion, for like Heinrich Heine, the chief of German Romantic ironists, he poked fun at this movement. But "to laugh at what you love," as Mr. George Saintsbury has pointed out in his _History of the French Novel_, "is not only permissible, but a sign of the love itself."

Mercurius makes a pun on the familiar quotation "rara avis" from Horace (_Sat._ 2, 2. 26), where it means a rare bird. This expression is commonly applied to a singular person. It is also found in the _Satires_ of Juvenal (VI, 165).

THE PAINTER'S BARGAIN