Then the devil made the mill, but he could not start it, so God did. Then he made a house, but put no light into it, so God had to make the windows. Then the devil made a fire, but did not know how to kindle it.
He was now working away at moulding the wolf from clay. He worked so hard that the perspiration ran down his face. Scratching his head, he pulled out three hairs, but would not throw anything away—they were much too precious—so he stuck them in the head of the wolf between the eyes.
When he thought he had finished, he turned to God and said, “See what I have done.”
“Yes,” replied God, “I see, but what is it?”
“Thou shalt know more about it soon,” replied the devil; and, turning to the wolf, which lay there lifeless, he said, “Up, wolf, and go for him.” But the wolf never stirred.
Then God turned to St. Peter and said, “Just wait and see how I will pay him out,” and, waving his hand over the wolf, he said, “Up, wolf, and go for the devil.”
The devil can run fast, but never ran faster than on that day when the wolf jumped up and ran after him. In running he jumped into the lake. He dipped under the waters and saved himself from the fangs of the wolf. And ever since that time, the wolf has power over the devil: when he catches him, he eats him up. All the year round the devils are hiding in pools and bogs, but, from the night of St. Basil (1st January) until the Feast of Epiphany, the waters are holy, being sanctified through the Baptism. The devil can no longer stay in the water, and he must get on to the land, where the wolf lies in wait for him, and woe unto the devils who get too near the wolf.
When God and St. Peter saw the flight of the devil, they laughed until the tears ran down their cheeks. Then God turned to St. Peter and said to him, “I give these wolves now into thy care.” Poor St. Peter trembled from head to foot when he heard the charge that was given to him, but God reassured him and said, “Never fear, Peter, they will not harm thee; on the contrary, they will follow thee and listen to thy command, as if they were friendly dogs.” And so it has remained. Once every year, on the day of the Feast of St. Peter, in the winter-time, all the wolves come together to an appointed place to meet St. Peter. Thither he comes with a huge book in his hand, in which are written the names of all the persons who had given themselves over to the devil, and he tells the wolves whom they are to eat.
The three hairs which the devil had put on the wolf are of a green colour, and make the wolf look ferocious, for they are the devil’s hairs, and it is from them that the devil’s fire got into the wolves’ eyes, which are lit up by it.