Unit 7 Revision-The Devil And The Soldier
The Devil heard a soldier say to another soldier,
'I'd rather work for the Devil than fight another war.' The Devil said,
'Then you shall. I can give you everything.
What do you want?' 'I want the same as all men gold and a beautiful wife.
But what must I do for you?'the soldier asked.
'You must not wash, shave,cut your hair,
blow your nose or change your clothes for fifteen years,' the Devil said.
The soldier agreed and the Devil gave him a bag of gold.
He soon became very rich and famous.
The king heard about the soldier,
and sent for him. 'I need money,' the king said.'Will you lend it to me?'
'You have three beautiful daughters,' the soldier said.
'Let me have one of them for a wife and I lend you some money.'
The king looked at the soldier.He was dirty.
His hair was long. His clothes were old and torn and he smelled very bad.
The king covered his nose with a handkerchief and said,
'My daughters must decide.'
His eldest daughter came into th room and looked at the soldier.
'I'd rather sell myself to the Devil than marry him,' she said.
His middle daughter came into the room and looked at the soldier.
'I'd also rather sell myself to the Devil than marry him,' she said.
Then the youngest daughter cam into the room.'I want to help you,father,'
she said,'I will marry this man.' While she was speaking,
the soldier's fifteen years of service to the Devil came to an end.
The Devil appeared. 'You are free.' he said.
He poured some water over the soldier's head.
He was suddenly clean and handsome and wearing fine clothes.
Then the Devil turned to the two older princesses.
'But you two must now work for me,'he said.