Page:Christmas Fireside Stories.djvu/144

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THE SMITH AND THE DEVIL ONCE upon a time, in those days when the saints used to wander about on earth, two of them came to a smith. He had made a bargain with the devil that he should belong to him after seven years, if he during that time was to be the master over all masters in his profession. Both he and the devil had put their names to this contract. So the smith wrote with great letters over the smithy door : " Here lives the master over all masters." When the two saints saw this, they went in to the smith, and the elder asked him : " Who are you ? " — *' Read what there's written over the door," answered the smith ; " but perhaps you