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
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