ある日、金持ちの農夫は中庭に立って、畑と庭を見ていました。麦は力強く大きくのび、果樹は果物で重くたれていました。一年前の穀物はまだ床にぎっしり山になって、たるきが重さに耐えられないくらいでした。それから、家畜小屋に入ると、栄養たっぷりの雄牛、太った雌牛、鏡のように光っている馬がたくさんいました。しまいに居間に戻り、金を入れてある鉄の箱をちらりとみました。
こうして財産を調べ立っているうちに、突然すぐ近くで戸をたたく大きな音がしました。それは部屋の戸をたたく音ではなく、自分の心の戸をたたく音でした。その戸が開き、自分に言ってる声を聞きました。「お前はその金で家族にいいことをしてやったか？お前は貧しい人たちが苦しんでいることを考えたことがあるか？腹がへっている人たちにパンを分け与えたことがあるか？お前は自分の持っているものに満足してきたか？それとももっと欲しいと思ったか？」心はすぐ返事を出しました。「私は心が冷たく、人に憐みをかけることがなかった。自分の家族にやさしさをみせたことは一度もなかった。物乞いが来れば、私はそっぽを向いた。神様のことで悩むことなく、自分の財産を増やすことばかり考えていた。空の下にあるもの全部が自分のものになっても、やはりこれで十分だと思わなかっただろう。」この返事に気づくと、農夫はひどく不安になって膝ががくがくし出し、座るしかありませんでした。
すると、また戸をたたく音がしました。しかしそれは部屋の戸をたたく音でした。それは隣に住んでいる貧しい男でした。たくさんこどもがいて、もう満足に食べ物をやれなくなったのです。男は、（隣は金持ちだが、金があると同時に冷たい心の人だとおれは知っている。だが子どもたちはパンが欲しくて泣いているのだ。だからやってみよう。）と考えました。
男は金持ちに言いました。「あなたは自分のものを簡単には人にあげません。だけど、私は頭の上まで水が上がってきているように感じてここに来ているのです。私の子供たちは食べるものがなくて死にそうなんです。私に麦を４袋貸していただけませんか。」金持ちはしばらく男をみつめていました。それから憐みの心がきざしてきて、欲深さの氷が少し解けました。「４袋は貸さないことにするよ。」と金持ちは答えました。「だが、８袋あげよう。但し、一つ条件がある。」「何をすればいいんですか？」と貧しい男は言いました。「私が死んだら、三晩、私の墓の見張りをしてもらいたいのだ。」貧しいお百姓はこの頼みに心がかきみだされましたが、今の困っている状況では何でも承知するしかなく、その条件をのんで、麦を家に持ち帰りました。
金持ちはこれから起こることを前もって知っていたように思われました。というのはそれから三日経って突然ばったり倒れて死んでしまったのです。どうしてそうなったのか誰もはっきりとわかりませんでしたが、誰も悲しみませんでした。金持ちが埋められたとき、貧しい男は約束のことを思い出しました。男はその約束をできれば喜んで反故にしたでしょうが、「何と言っても、おれにやさしくしてくれたんだよな。腹のへった子供たちにあの人の麦を食べさせたんだ。それにそうでなくても、約束したんだから守らなくちゃいけない。」と思いました。夜になると、男は墓地へ入り、墓塚に座りました。辺りはシーンとして、月だけが墓の上にでていました。ときどきふくろうが飛んで過ぎてゆき、もの悲しい鳴き声をあげました。陽が昇ると貧しい男は無事に家に帰り、同じように二晩目も静かに過ぎました。
三日目の夜に奇妙な不安にとらわれました。何か起こりそうな気がしたのです。貧しい男がでかけると墓地の塀のそばに前に見たことがない男が見えました。その男はもう若くなく、顔にいくつも傷跡があり、目で鋭く熱心にあたりを見回していました。身をすっぽり古いマントで包んでいて、大きな乗馬靴しか見えませんでした。
「ここで何を探しているんです？」と農夫は尋ねました。「寂しい墓地がこわくないのですか？」「何も探してないよ。」と男は答えました。「それに何もこわくないよ。おれはぞっとすることを習いに行ってわざわざ苦労した若者と似たようなものさ。だけどあいつは王様の娘を妻にし大きな財産も手に入れたが、おれの方は貧しいままだ。おれはお払い箱の兵士さ。他に泊る所がないからここで夜を過ごそうとしてるんだ。」「もし怖くないのなら、私と一緒にいて、そこの墓の見張りを手伝ってくれませんか？」と農夫は言いました。「見張りをするのが、兵士の仕事さ。」と男は答えました。「ここで何が起こっても、それがよかろうと悪かろうと、二人で一緒に分けよう。」農夫はこれに賛成し、二人は墓の上に一緒に座りました。
真夜中まで辺りは静かでした。すると突然かん高い笛の音が空中に聞こえ、二人の見張り人に悪魔が形になって目の前に立っているのがわかりました。「そこをのけ、この野郎！」と悪魔は二人に怒鳴りました。「その墓の男はおれのものだ。おれが連れて行くんだ。退かなければ首をへし折るぞ。」「赤い羽根のおっさんよ。」と兵士は言いました。「お前はおれの隊長じゃない。お前に従う必要はないんだぜ。それにおれはこわがることをまだ知らないんでね。あっちへ行けよ。おれたちはここにずっと座っているよ。」悪魔は（この二人のごろつきをつかむには金が一番）と心で考え、もっとやさしい態度をとり、とてもやさしく、一袋の金をもらって家に帰りたくないかね？と尋ねました。「それは聴いてみるべきだな」と兵士は答えました。「だが一袋の金じゃ役に立たん。おれの長靴の片方に入るだけくれるんなら、ここを立ち退いて出ていくよ。」「今手持ちはそんなにたくさんない。」と悪魔は言いました。「だがとってくる。隣町に両替商がいておれと仲がいいから、すぐに手配してくれるさ。」
悪魔が消えると兵士は左の長靴を脱いで、「じきにあの炭焼きの鼻をあかしてやろう。おい、ちょっとあんたのナイフを貸してくれ。」と言いました。それで、長靴の底を切りとり、墓の近くの穴のふちの半分生い茂っている高い草の中におきました。「これでよし。」と兵士は言いました。「そろそろ煙突掃除屋が来るだろう。」
二人とも座って待っていると、まもなく悪魔が手に小さな金の袋をもって戻って来ました。「中に入れてみろ。」と兵士は、長靴を少し持ち上げて言いました。「だが、いっぱいじゃなさそうだ。」黒い悪魔は袋の中にあるものを振って全部空けましたが、金は底から抜け落ち、長靴は空っぽのままでした。「間抜けな悪魔め」と兵士はどなりました。「それじゃだめだ！一度そう言わなかったか？戻ってもっと持ってこい。」悪魔は頭を振って、行き、一時間するともっと大きな袋を腕のわきに抱えてきました。「さあ、入れてみろ。」と兵士は叫びました。「だが長靴はいっぱいにならないと思うな。」金は落ちながらチャリンチャリンと音がしましたが長靴は空っぽのままでした。悪魔は燃えるような目で自分でも中を覗き込みましたが、空っぽなことに納得しました。「お前はすごく太いふくらはぎをしてるんだな。」としかめ面をしながら悪魔は言いました。「おれがお前のようなひづめの足をしてるとでも思ったか？お前はいつからそんなけちになったんだ？もっと金を集めるようにしろ。さもないと取引は無しだ。」と兵士は答えました。悪魔はまた出かけて行きました。今度はもっと長く時間がかかり、ついに現れたときは、肩に背負っている袋の重さではあはあ喘いでいました。悪魔は長靴に袋の中身を空けましたが、前と同じようにいっぱいからは程遠いものでした。悪魔は憤然として長靴を兵士からひったくろうとしましたが、ちょうどそのとき、朝の太陽の光が空から差し込み、悪魔は大きな悲鳴をあげて逃げていきました。可哀そうな魂は救われました。農夫は金を分けようとしましたが、兵士は、「おれの分を貧しい人たちにやってくれ。おれはあんたの家へ行って、神様が許してくれる限り、残りで一緒に安楽に暮らそう。」と言いました。
A rich farmer was one day standing in his yard inspecting his fields and gardens. The corn was growing up vigorously and the fruit-trees were heavily laden with fruit. The grain of the year before still lay in such immense heaps on the floors that the rafters could hardly bear it. Then he went into the stable, where were well-fed oxen, fat cows, and horses bright as looking-glass. At length he went back into his sitting-room, and cast a glance at the iron chest in which his money lay.
Whilst he was thus standing surveying his riches, all at once there was a loud knock close by him. The knock was not at the door of his room, but at the door of his heart. It opened, and he heard a voice which said to him, "Hast thou done good to thy family with it? Hast thou considered the necessities of the poor? Hast thou shared thy bread with the hungry? Hast thou been contented with what thou hast, or didst thou always desire to have more?" The heart was not slow in answering, "I have been hard and pitiless, and have never shown any kindness to my own family. If a beggar came, I turned away my eyes from him. I have not troubled myself about God, but have thought only of increasing my wealth. If everything which the sky covers had been mine own, I should still not have had enough."
Whilst he was thus standing surveying his riches, all at once there was a loud knock close by him. The knock was not at the door of his room, but at the door of his heart. It opened, and he heard a voice which said to him, "Hast thou done good to thy family with it? Hast thou considered the necessities of the poor? Hast thou shared thy bread with the hungry? Hast thou been contented with what thou hast, or didst thou always desire to have more?" The heart was not slow in answering, "I have been hard and pitiless, and have never shown any kindness to my own family. If a beggar came, I turned away my eyes from him. I have not troubled myself about God, but have thought only of increasing my wealth. If everything which the sky covers had been mine own, I should still not have had enough."
When he was aware of this answer he was greatly alarmed, his knees began to tremble, and he was forced to sit down.
Then there was another knock, but the knock was at the door of his room. It was his neighbour, a poor man who had a number of children whom he could no longer satisfy with food. "I know," thought the poor man, "that my neighbour is rich, but he is as hard as he is rich. I don't believe he will help me, but my children are crying for bread, so I will venture it." He said to the rich man, "You do not readily give away anything that is yours, but I stand here like one who feels the water rising above his head. My children are starving, lend me four measures* of corn." The rich man looked at him long, and then the first sunbeam of mercy began to melt away a drop of the ice of greediness. "I will not lend thee four measures," he answered, "but I will make thee a present of eight, but thou must fulfil one condition." - "What am I to do?" said the poor man. "When I am dead, thou shalt watch for three nights by my grave." The peasant was disturbed in his mind at this request, but in the need in which he was, he would have consented to anything; he accepted, therefore, and carried the corn home with him.
It seemed as if the rich man had foreseen what was about to happen, for when three days were gone by, he suddenly dropped down dead. No one knew exactly how it came to pass, but no one grieved for him. When he was buried, the poor man remembered his promise; he would willingly have been released from it, but he thought, "After all, he acted kindly by me. I have fed my hungry children with his corn, and even if that were not the case, where I have once given my promise I must keep it." At nightfall he went into the churchyard, and seated himself on the grave-mound. Everything was quiet, only the moon appeared above the grave, and frequently an owl flew past and uttered her melancholy cry. When the sun rose, the poor man betook himself in safety to his home, and in the same manner the second night passed quietly by. On the evening of the third day he felt a strange uneasiness, it seemed to him that something was about to happen. When he went out he saw, by the churchyard-wall, a man whom he had never seen before. He was no longer young, had scars on his face, and his eyes looked sharply and eagerly around. He was entirely covered with an old cloak, and nothing was visible but his great riding-boots. "What are you looking for here?" the peasant asked. "Are you not afraid of the lonely churchyard?"
"I am looking for nothing," he answered, "and I am afraid of nothing! I am like the youngster who went forth to learn how to shiver, and had his labour for his pains, but got the King's daughter to wife and great wealth with her, only I have remained poor. I am nothing but a paid-off soldier, and I mean to pass the night here, because I have no other shelter." - "If you are without fear," said the peasant, "stay with me, and help me to watch that grave there."
"To keep watch is a soldier's business," he replied, "whatever we fall in with here, whether it be good or bad, we will share it between us." The peasant agreed to this, and they seated themselves on the grave together.
All was quiet until midnight, when suddenly a shrill whistling was heard in the air, and the two watchers perceived the Evil One standing bodily before them. "Be off, you ragamuffins!" cried he to them, "the man who lies in that grave belongs to me; I want to take him, and if you don't go away I will wring your necks!" - "Sir with the red feather,"* said the soldier, "you are not my captain, I have no need to obey you, and I have not yet learned how to fear. Go away, we shall stay sitting here."
The Devil thought to himself, "Money is the best thing with which to get hold of these two vagabonds." So he began to play a softer tune, and asked quite kindly, if they would not accept a bag of money, and go home with it? "That is worth listening to," answered the soldier, "but one bag of gold won't serve us, if you will give as much as will go into one of my boots, we will quit the field for you and go away."
"I have not so much as that about me," said the Devil, "but I will fetch it. In the neighbouring town lives a money-changer who is a good friend of mine, and will readily advance it to me." When the Devil had vanished the soldier took his left boot off, and said, "We will soon pull the charcoal-burner's nose for him, just give me your knife, comrade." He cut the sole off the boot, and put it in the high grass near the grave on the edge of a hole that was half over-grown. "That will do," said he; "now the chimney-sweep may come.
They both sat down and waited, and it was not long before the Devil returned with a small bag of gold in his hand. "Just pour it in," said the soldier, raising up the boot a little, "but that won't be enough."
The Black One shook out all that was in the bag; the gold fell through, and the boot remained empty. "Stupid Devil," cried the soldier, "it won't do! Didn't I say so at once? Go back again, and bring more." The Devil shook his head, went, and in an hour's time came with a much larger bag under his arm. "Now pour it in," cried the soldier, "but I doubt the boot won't be full." The gold clinked as it fell, but the boot remained empty. The Devil looked in himself with his burning eyes, and convinced himself of the truth. "You have shamefully big calves to your legs!" cried he, and made a wry face. "Did you think," replied the soldier, "that I had a cloven foot like you? Since when have you been so stingy? See that you get more gold together, or our bargain will come to nothing!" The Wicked One went off again. This time he stayed away longer, and when at length he appeared he was panting under the weight of a sack which lay on his shoulders. He emptied it into the boot, which was just as far from being filled as before. He became furious, and was just going to tear the boot out of the soldier's hands, but at that moment the first ray of the rising sun broke forth from the sky, and the Evil Spirit fled away with loud shrieks. The poor soul was saved.
The peasant wished to divide the gold, but the soldier said, "Give what falls to my lot to the poor, I will come with thee to thy cottage, and together we will live in rest and peace on what remains, as long as God is pleased to permit."