A deal with the Devil, pact with the Devil, or Faustian bargain is a cultural motif, best exemplified by the legend of Faust and the figure of Mephistopheles, but elemental to many Christian folktales. In the Aarne-Thompson typological catalogue, it lies in category AT 756B – "The devil's contract". According to traditional Christian belief in witchcraft, the pact is between a person and Satan or a demon. The person offers his or her soul in exchange for diabolical favours. Those favours vary by the tale, but tend to include youth, knowledge, wealth, or power.
It was also believed that some persons made this type of pact just as a sign of recognizing the Devil as their master, in exchange for nothing. The bargain is considered a dangerous one, as the price of the Fiend's service is the wagerer's soul. The tale may have a moralizing end, with eternal damnation for the foolhardy venturer. Conversely, it may have a comic twist, in which a wily peasant outwits the Devil, characteristically on a technical point. Any apparently superhuman achievement might be credited to a pact with the Devil, from the numerous European Devil's Bridges to the violin virtuosity of Niccolò Paganini.
Read more about Deal With The Devil: Overview, Theophilus of Adana, Servant of Two Masters, Metaphorical Use of The Term
Famous quotes containing the words deal and/or devil:
“I have said many times, and it is literally true, that there is absolutely nothing that could keep me in business, if my job were simply business to me. The human problems which I deal with every day—concerning employees as well as customers—are the problems that fascinate me, that seem important to me.”
—Hortense Odlum (1892–?)
“The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike,
The devil will come, and Faustus must be damned.
O I’ll leap up to my God: who pulls me down?
See, see, where Christ’s blood streams in the firmament.
One drop would save my soul, half a drop, ah my Christ.”
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)