What the Normandy Peasants Say About Saint Michael

French legend from a collection by Nora Stein

translated from Spanish by Ruth Salles

A long time ago, Saint Michael and the Devil were almost neighbors, and one winter night, as they were both sitting side by side, they got annoyed with each other. Satan boasted that his power was unlimited, and St. Michael in turn replied that God alone was Almighty.

– Well then, may God help you build a castle – said the Devil – for I too will build one; We'll see which of the two is the more beautiful.

St. Michael agreed; and the Devil soon sent a group of imps to search everywhere for great blocks of granite. This done, they set to work, and very soon they built a formidable castle on an island exposed to the waves of the sea and lashed by storms. The imps dragged huge amounts of blocks, so that soon a whole mountain massif of granite rose above the sea. The Devil felt very proud of his work. São Micael, on the other hand, did not work so hard: out of crystalline ice, he built transparent walls on the beach, with bold towers adorned with graceful columns. This castle, radiant with light, emitted a diamond glow from a great distance, and its radiance left the arid masses of granite in shadow. The proud Devil had to admit that he had given up and withdrew his head down; envy, however, would not let him sleep. When he could no longer bear his defeat, he asked Saint Michael if they couldn't change castles, and he agreed.

However, when summer arrived, the Devil's Palace melted under the hot rays of the sun, while the castle of Saint Michael still exists today and is called Mont Saint-Michel.

The Devil had no choice but to live in a simple hut by the sea; it had, however, fertile fields, well-watered pastures, some hills covered with tall trees and green valleys. São Micael, on the other hand, had only a few sand dunes and, if it weren't for his daily prayers, he would have died of hunger. After a few years of great need, Saint Michael got tired of this situation, looked for the Devil and said to him:

– I want to make you an offer; give me all your fields, and I will work them to the best of my ability.

Then we will share the harvest!

The Devil thought the idea was good, and Saint Michael even said:

– I don't want you to complain about me afterwards; choose for yourself what you prefer: what grows on top of the earth or what grows below.

The Devil, without much thought, exclaimed:

– What grows on top!

- Accordingly! – said Saint Michael.

Six months later, in the immense territory of the Devil there were only crops of beets, carrots and onions. Satan reaped nothing; he complained bitterly and wanted to revoke the contract. As for Saint Michael, he had become fond of agriculture and did not accept the repeal. Satan then said:

“Fine, as long as this year I can take everything that matures underground.

Michael agreed, and the Devil, overjoyed, could hardly wait for the bountiful harvests.

Spring came, when all the fields were sown with wheat, oats, and barley. The Devil, realizing that he had lost again, turned as red as a crab with rage. Just as he was about to grab Saint Michael, he gave him such a tremendous blow on the shoulder that, like a bullet, he was thrown into the distant spaces of the earth. He arose and looked at the fateful mound: there was One stronger than he, to whom he afterwards gave up his fields, pastures and groves, seeking his kingdom elsewhere.

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