There was once a young soldier who fought bravely. When peace came, he was dismissed. With no home or family to return to, he wandered into a vast heath and despaired of his future.
Suddenly, a strange man in a green coat appeared. He offered the soldier endless wealth in exchange for a seven-year pact: the soldier must not wash, comb his hair, cut his nails, or pray. He must wear a bearskin cloak and sleep on it. If he died within seven years, his soul would belong to the stranger; if he lived, he would be free and rich forever. The soldier, recognizing the stranger as the Devil, agreed.
The Devil gave him a magical green coat with pockets always full of money and the skin of a bear he had just slain. The soldier became known as Bearskin.
For years, Bearskin roamed the world, his appearance growing monstrous with matted hair, long nails, and filth. People fled from him, but his gold always secured him shelter, especially as he gave generously to the poor, asking for their prayers.
In the fourth year, at an inn, he heard an old man weeping. Moved by compassion, Bearskin paid the man's debts and gave him a purse of gold. In gratitude, the old man offered him one of his three beautiful daughters as a wife.
The two eldest daughters were horrified by Bearskin's appearance and rejected him. The youngest, however, honored her father's promise, saying, "He who helped you must be a good man." Overjoyed, Bearskin gave her half of a broken ring as a token and left to complete his seven years, asking her to pray for him.
The faithful bride waited in black, enduring her sisters' mockery. Bearskin continued his travels, doing good deeds.
When the seven years ended, Bearskin met the Devil on the heath. The Devil angrily demanded his green coat back, but Bearskin insisted on being cleaned first. Reluctantly, the Devil washed him, combed his hair, and cut his nails, restoring his handsome appearance.
Bearskin, now clean and rich, arrived at his bride's house in a grand carriage. No one recognized him. The father and the two eldest daughters fawned over the handsome stranger. Only the youngest bride sat silently in black.
When Bearskin asked for a bride, the two eldest rushed to beautify themselves. Alone with his true bride, he dropped his half of the ring into her wine glass. She found it, matched it with her half, and realized he was her betrothed. He revealed himself, and they embraced.
The two jealous sisters, enraged that the handsome man was Bearskin and had chosen their younger sister, met tragic ends: one drowned herself, the other hanged herself. That evening, the Devil returned and told Bearskin, "See, I have now got two souls in the place of your one!"