Suddenly a stranger in hunter's green came in. He sat down at a table near Katcha and ordered drink. When the serving maid brought the beer, he reached over to Katcha and asked her to drink with him. At first she was much taken back at this attention, then she pursed her lips coyly and pretended to refuse, but finally she accepted.
When they had finished drinking, he pulled a ducat from his pocket, tossed it to the piper, and called out:
"Clear the floor, boys! This is for Katcha and me alone!"
The boys snickered and the girls giggled, hiding behind each other and stuffing their aprons into their mouths so that Katcha wouldn't hear them laughing. But Katcha wasn't noticing them at all. Katcha was dancing with a fine young man! If the whole world had been laughing at her, Katcha wouldn't have cared.
The stranger danced with Katcha all afternoon and all evening. Not once did he dance with any one else. He bought her marzipan and sweet drinks and, when the hour came to go home, he escorted her through the village.
"Ah," sighed Katcha when they reached her cottage and it was time to part, "I wish I could dance with you forever!"
"Very well," said the stranger. "Come with me."
"Where do you live?"
"Put your arm around my neck and I'll tell you."
Katcha put both arms about his neck and instantly the man changed into a devil and flew straight down to hell.