A disbanded soldier, with nothing to live on, went into the forest. There he met a little man who was the Devil.
The Devil asked, "What ails you? You seem sorrowful."
"I am hungry, but have no money," replied the soldier.
The Devil said, "Hire yourself to me as my serving-man for seven years, and you shall have enough for life. But you must not wash, comb, trim yourself, cut your hair or nails, or wipe your eyes."
"All right, if there is no help for it," said the soldier, and followed the Devil down into hell. His duties were to poke the fire under the stewing kettles, keep the house clean, and sweep all dirt behind the doors. He was forbidden to look inside the kettles.
The soldier agreed. When the Devil left, the soldier saw kettles boiling all around. Overcome by curiosity, he peeked into the first kettle and saw his former corporal. "Aha! You once had me in your power, now I have you!" He dropped the lid, poked the fire, and added a fresh log.
He peeked into the second kettle and found his former ensign. "Aha! Now I have you!" He closed the lid and added another log. In the third kettle was his former general. "Aha! Now I have you!" He used bellows to make the fire blaze hotter.
Thus, he worked for seven years, following the Devil's rules about his appearance. The time felt like only half a year. When the Devil returned, he said, "Well, Hans, what have you done?"
"I poked the fire and swept the dirt behind the doors."
"But you peeked into the kettles. It's lucky you added logs, or your life would be forfeited. Your time is up. Will you go home?"
"Yes, I'd like to see my father," said Hans.
The Devil said, "For your wages, fill your knapsack with sweepings. Go home unwashed, with long hair and beard, uncut nails, and dim eyes. When asked, say you come 'From hell' and are 'The Devil's sooty brother, and my King as well.'"
Hans did so but was dissatisfied with his wages. Back in the forest, he opened his knapsack and found the sweepings had turned to pure gold. Pleased, he entered a town.
The innkeeper, terrified by Hans's horrible appearance, asked, "Whence comest thou?"
"From hell."
"Who art thou?"
"The Devil's sooty brother, and my King as well."
The innkeeper refused him entry until Hans showed the gold. Then Hans got the best room, ate and drank his fill, but did not wash or comb as instructed, and went to sleep. The innkeeper, coveting the gold, stole the knapsack that night.
Next morning, Hans discovered the theft. He composed himself, returned to hell, and told the Devil.
The Devil cleaned Hans up, gave him a knapsack full of sweepings again, and said, "Tell the innkeeper to return your money, or I will fetch him to poke the fire in your place."
Hans did so, threatening the innkeeper. The innkeeper returned the money with extra, begging for secrecy. Hans became a rich man.
He went home, bought a shabby smock, and strolled about playing music, a skill he learned in hell. An old King, delighted by his playing, promised him his eldest daughter in marriage. She refused, saying, "Rather than that, I would go into the deepest water." So the King gave him his youngest daughter, who agreed to please her father. Thus, the Devil's sooty brother married the King's daughter and inherited the whole kingdom when the aged King died.