There was once a Finnish boy who got the best of the Devil. His name was Erkki. Erkki had two brothers who were, of course, older than he. They both tried their luck with the Devil and got the worst of it. Then Erkki tried his luck. They were sure Erkki, too, would be worsted, but he wasn’t. Here is the whole story:
One day the oldest brother said:
“It’s time for me to go out into the world and earn my living. Do you two younger ones wait here at home until you hear how I get on.”
The younger boys agreed to this and the oldest brother started out. He was unable to get employment until by chance he met the Devil. The Devil at once offered him a place but on very strange terms.
“Come work for me,” the Devil said, “and I promise that you’ll be comfortably housed and well fed. We’ll make this bargain: the first of us who loses his temper will forfeit to the other enough of his own hide to sole a pair of boots. If I lose my temper first, you may exact from me a big patch of my hide. If you lose your temper first, I’ll exact the same from you.”
The oldest brother agreed to this and the Devil at once took him home and set him to work.
“Take this ax,” he said, “and go out behind the house and chop me some firewood.”
The oldest brother took the ax and went out to the woodpile.
“Chopping wood is easy enough,” he thought to himself.