“W-wh-what!” the Devil cried, and he was about to fly into an awful rage when Erkki restrained him by saying:
“There now, master, you’re not going to lose your temper over a little thing like a wife, are you? Remember our bargain!”
So the Devil was forced again to swallow his anger.
“No, I’m not going to lose my temper,” he said, “but I tell you frankly, Erkki, I don’t think that was a nice trick for you to play on me!”
Well, the Devil felt lonely not having a wife about the house, so in a few days he decided to go off wooing for a new one.
“And, Erkki,” he said, “I expect you to keep busy while I’m gone. Here’s a keg of red paint. Now get to work and have the house all blazing red by the time I get back.”
“All blazing red,” Erkki repeated. “Very well, master, trust me to have it all blazing red by the time you get back!”
As soon as the Devil was gone, Erkki set the house a-fire and in a short time the whole sky was lighted up with the red glow of the flames. In great fright the Devil hurried back and got there in time to see the house one mass of fire.
“You see, master,” Erkki said, “I’ve done as you told me. It looks very pretty, doesn’t it? all blazing red!”
The Devil almost choked with rage.