Hello, my Lord is jousting tomorrow.

So everything's got to be just right.

It's gonna take me forever shame because I heard a really good story last night.

Dow, I'll tell you anyway, this is a story about what happened when the devil went on holiday.

The devil was bored in hell and he decided that he was going to have a holiday go up to the surface and see what mischief he could make.

So he started walking as he was walking along, he caught sight of his reflection in a puddle.

Now the devil strikes quite a distinctive figure, what with his horns, his Redskin, his black hair and of course his goat legs ending in a couple of little cloven hooves and his tail.

I think I might be recognized, said the devil, I'm gonna need some sort of disguise as he got close to a town.

He glanced ahead and he saw a pair of scissors hanging up outside the house.

He knew that that meant that that was the taylors.

So he went along and he knocked on the door.

Mm hmm.

Sure enough, the taylor came to the door.

Can I help you?

He said Yes to the devil.

I'd like a cloak.

I want a cloak that reaches all the way down to the ground and then a hood that goes right over my head.

Hang on a second, said the tailor Holmes, Red skin, Black shaggy hair, goats legs, cloven hooves and a tail.

I know you you're the devil am I helping you?

The devil reached behind his back produced a great big leather bag.

He opened the bag so the tailor could see inside the glint and gleam of hundreds of gold coins, if you make me a close as I've asked you said the Devil, I will give you this bag, huh?

Well, the tailor thought about it with all that gold.

He could buy a lot of cloth, he could make his fortune.

All right, said the tailor to the devil, coming before anyone sees you.

And with that the devil walked into the tailor's shop.

Mm hmm.

Mhm, mm hmm.

The devil did the bag of gold up and set it down on the taylors counter.

The tailor went and got his measuring stick, his scissors, his needle and thread, and a very fine bolt of black cloth that didn't take the taylor long before he had fashioned a very, very fine cloak for the devil.

Then we tried it on, wrapped it around himself.

This will do very nicely, said the Devil, thank you very much, Master tailor.

And without the devil went to the door.

See you soon, said the devil.

And he went, potato wasn't even listening.

The tailor.

He'd gone to the counter and he was opening up the bag of gold when he opened it and looked inside.

What did he find?

Dust, dirt, cobwebs.

He had tried to make a bargain with the devil, and you cannot bargain with the devil.

Mhm, definitely.

In the meantime had tricked his way into a fine new cloak.

So he was very happy with things.

He continued to walk along.

But by now he'd been walking for quite a while and he was feeling hungry and thirsty.

So when he looked ahead and saw the sign for an end, he thought to himself, I'll pop in there and get myself a bite to eat.

There's something to wet my whistle.

So he did.

He went to the door of the end and he knocked.

The innkeeper came to the door and greeted him.

Come in strange!

He said, I've not seen you around these parts before, no, said the Devil, I'm just passing through, mm hmm.

Vin keeper said to the devil.

Come in, sir, sit yourself down by the fire.

I'll go and get you a drink before I do.

Let me take your cloak from you.

And with that the devil handed over his cloak.

Of course, as soon as he did, you can't keep a looked at him.

Hang on, said the innkeeper.

I know you who owns black hair.

Mhm.

Red skin, goat legs ending in a couple of cloven hooves, mm hmm.

And a tail.

You're the devil.

I'm not serving you.

Ah!

Said the devil.

And he reached behind his back and produced a great leather bag which he opened, so that the innkeeper could see the glint in the gleam of hundreds of gold coins.

What if I was to offer you this?

Would that change your mind.

All right?

Said the innkeeper, go and sit down over there by the fire and keep yourself quiet, The devil put the bag down on the counter.

The innkeeper went behind and found a pie and then poured a cup of ale which he gave to the devil.

Mm hmm.

The devil through both the pie and the ale down his throat.

In an instant he stood up, took up his cloak, wrapped himself.

Thank you very much, Master Innkeeper, he said I should be on my way.

And with that he went to the door.

See you soon, said the devil when he was on his way.

Mm hmm.

Of course the innkeeper wasn't even listening.

He'd already gone to the counter to open the bag of gold, but when he opened the bag, what did he find?

Dust, dirt, cobwebs!

For?

The innkeeper had tried to make the devil's bargain, and you cannot bargain with the devil!

So!

Now, with a fine cloak and feeling refreshed, the devil was up for more mischief, but it had been quite a long walk from hell!

So the devil thought to himself.

What I need is I need a pair of shoes, a pair of dainty little horseshoes for my little cloven hooves!

And so the devil listened out.

Now what he was listening for.

It was the sound of a hammer being struck against an anvil, because that would let him know where the blacksmith was.

And sure enough he heard the sound of a hammer being rhythmically brought down on a piece of metal was being hammered into shape on an anvil.

So the devil made his way to the forge.

When he got there he knocked on the door, the door opened.

White head.

Old man peered out.

Can I help you?

Yes, said the devil.

I would like some shoes, please.

Very well, said the white haired old man, Take your horse around to the back of the forge and I'll get started.

Oh, no!

Said the Devil.

I don't want shoes for a horse.

And he lifted up his cloak.

Hang on a second, said the old man, horns.

Mhm.

Red skin, black hair, goat's legs, cloven, who's a tail?

You're the devil!

Ah!

He said, the devil!

I am, indeed!

And reaching behind his back he produced a great leather bag, which he opened up, so that the blacksmith could see inside the glitter and gleam of many, many gold coins.

If I give you this bag, will you make me to shoes to fit my cloven hooves?

So the devil blacksmith thought to himself, I'll tell you what he said.

I don't want your gold, if you will agree to leave me and my forge without harm when I've done, then?

Yes, I'll make you a set of shoes and I put them on for you.

I've never looked at the old man.

You must be a simpleton!

He thought.

Very well, said the Devil.

I agree with that.

The blacksmith led him round to the back of the forge.

Inside the porch the blacksmith took the Devil over to where there was a great iron ring in the wall.

Now, said the blacksmith of I was shoeing a horse.

I would tie the horse by its bridal to this ring, so it didn't Phil panicked, kick me so I should do the same for you.

Very well, said the Devil, if that's what you do.

So the blacksmith took a cord and bound the devil by his hands to the iron ring.

Then the blacksmith went to the forge.

He took two pieces of iron, place them in the forge, and then he started a pump at the bellows.

He pumped and he pumped and he pumped until the two pieces of iron in the fire were red hot, and then he took the first one out with his tongs, he placed it on the anvil and then taking his hammer.

He started to beat it, beat it and beat it and beat it, beat it until it was the shape of a tiny horseshoe.

Then he took his punch and he punched four holes in it, and then he went over to where the devil was waiting.

Now if you know anything about blacksmithing, you'll know that any good blacksmith before they put a shoe on to a horse's hoof.

Well, first of all plunged into cold water to quench it.

The blacksmith didn't do that, he went over to the devil picked up one of his hooves, place the red hot shoe against it, and then started hammering nails into it.

The devil at first felt nothing, but there's a strange smell like burning rubbish.

But then suddenly the pain struck him and agony emanating up from his.

Who've he started to scream and shout, but the more he screamed and shout, the more the blacksmith hammered and hammered and hammered.

So the devil started to threaten him, telling him that he'd take him down and torture him in so many ways that the man's life would not be worth living.

Didn't stop the blacksmith, he just kept hammering and hammering and hammering and until awful nails were in place.

The devil was an absolute agony.

Now he started to cry and bawl like a baby.

He, he offered the blacksmith anything he wanted, jewels, gold, silver, he offered him a wife, the most beautiful wife in the world, or if the blacksmith was married to be rid of his wife, if he wanted Children, he could have as many as he liked, he could have a palace, he could rule over a kingdom As a king blacksmith just went back to the forge, picked up the other piece of iron, hammered it into shape and then came back and as the devil was hopping from hoof to hoof, he picked up the hoof.

It didn't have the shoe place the shoe against it, and started to hammer again, and he hammered on Until all four nails were in place.

Now the devil was hopping from foot to foot.

It is agony!

He was enraged.

Right?

He said, the blacksmith, for the agony that you have caused me.

I will inflict it back on you.

1000 fold.

I'm gonna take you with me back to my home as my honored guest, where you will spend the rest of eternity in agony and I will burn down your forge.

Hold on, said the blacksmith, We had a bargain, you agreed, but in return for me taking no payment for giving you two shoes, you would leave me and my forge in peace.

Well, I provided you with the two shoes.

Now, you must keep your side of the bargain.

Yeah.

The devil realized that he had been tricked.

He was furious.

The blacksmith came forward and took the cord from the devil's hand.

I will never ever again enter into a place where I see a horseshoe displayed, said the devil.

Remember that he hobbled off back to hell!

Now the blacksmith was no ordinary blacksmith.

He was, in fact ST Dunstan, who is the patron saint of all blacksmiths, and he knew the devil, and he knew the devil's bargain and he was not going to be fooled.

That is why, if you wish for luck, good fortune and a long life, you should find some way of hanging a horseshoe up on the front of your house.

Because that way, if the devil is passing by out for mischief, when he sees that horseshoe, he will leave you alone, right back to work.