English Original
There were once three apprentices who agreed to always travel and work together. When their masters had no more work, they became destitute. Deciding to travel once more, they agreed to separate if they found no work, but to keep in touch through an innkeeper.
On the road, they met a richly dressed man who offered them wealth and lordship if they followed his instructions. One apprentice noticed the man had one horse's foot and one man's foot, revealing him as the Devil. The Devil assured them he sought not their souls, but another's. He gave them a rule: to answer any question only with specific phrases in turn—"All three of us," "For money," and "And quite right too!"—and to say nothing more. If they obeyed, their pockets would always be full; if not, their money would vanish. He gave them a large sum and directed them to a specific inn.
At the inn, they followed the rule perfectly, confusing the innkeeper and other lodgers, who thought them mad. A wealthy merchant, fearing the "crazy" apprentices, asked the innkeeper to safeguard his gold. That night, the innkeeper and his wife murdered the merchant for his gold and framed the three apprentices.
When questioned, the apprentices could only reply with their assigned phrases, which sounded like a full confession. They were arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. On the scaffold, a grand coach arrived. The Devil, disguised as a nobleman, granted a "pardon" and allowed the apprentices to speak. The eldest revealed the innkeeper as the true murderer and directed the authorities to the cellar, where evidence of his previous victims was found. The innkeeper was executed.
The Devil then explained he had obtained the soul he wanted (the innkeeper's) and left the three apprentices free and wealthy for life.
中文翻译
从前有三个学徒，他们约定要一起旅行，在同一个城镇工作。当他们的师傅没有活可派时，他们变得穷困潦倒。他们决定再次旅行，并约定如果找不到工作就分开，但通过一位旅店老板保持联系。
在路上，他们遇到一个衣着华丽的男人。他承诺，只要他们听从指示，就能获得财富，成为乘坐马车的大老爷。其中一个学徒发现这人长着一只马蹄和一只人脚，原来他是魔鬼。魔鬼向他们保证，他要的不是他们的灵魂，而是另一个人的。他定下一条规矩：回答任何问题时，必须按顺序只说特定的短语——“我们三个”、“为了钱”和“完全正确！”——除此之外一个字也不能多说。只要遵守，他们的口袋就会永远装满钱；否则，钱会立刻消失。他给了他们一大笔钱，并指引他们去一家特定的旅店。
在旅店里，他们严格遵守规则，这让旅店老板和其他住客困惑不已，认为他们是疯子。一位富商担心这些“疯”学徒，便请老板代为保管他的金子。当晚，老板和妻子谋财害命，杀死了商人，并嫁祸给三个学徒。
被审问时，学徒们只能说出指定的短语，听起来就像是完整的认罪。他们被捕、受审并被判处死刑。在断头台上，一辆华丽的马车突然驶来。魔鬼伪装成贵族，宣布“赦免”，并允许学徒们开口说话。最年长的学徒揭发了旅店老板才是真凶，并指引官差去地窖，那里藏着他之前杀害的受害者的证据。旅店老板被处决了。
魔鬼随后解释说，他已得到了想要的灵魂（旅店老板的），并让三个学徒重获自由，余生富足。