English Original
Long ago, three soldiers, starving after two days in hiding, were trapped in a wheat field surrounded by enemies. A fiery dragon descended before them, offering salvation in exchange for their souls. With no other choice, they agreed.
The dragon, revealed to be a devil, transported them to safety and gave them a magical whip. "Whip this," it said, "and money will appear. Live like kings for seven years, but then your souls are mine." The devil made them sign a contract and posed a riddle: "If you solve this riddle in seven years, you shall be free."
Using the whip, the soldiers lived in luxury. As the seventh year neared, two grew anxious, but the third boasted he could solve the riddle. A witch overheard him and advised seeking a stone house in the forest.
Only the boastful soldier heeded her advice. He found the house, where the devil's grandmother lived. She hid him in a cellar. At midnight, when the devil returned, she tricked it into revealing the riddle's answer, which the soldier overheard.
When the devil returned to claim their souls, the brave soldier gave the correct answer: "The dead, long-tailed monkey in the North Sea is spiced meat; the whale's rib is a silver spoon; the horse's leg is a wineglass." Defeated, the devil vanished. The soldiers kept the magic whip and lived in wealth and freedom ever after.
中文翻译
很久以前，三名士兵躲在一片麦田里，饿了两天两夜，濒临死亡。他们被敌人包围，无法脱身。这时，一条火龙降落在他们面前，提出以灵魂为代价拯救他们。走投无路之下，士兵们同意了。
这条火龙实为魔鬼。它将士兵们带到一个遥远的地方，并给了他们一根神奇的小鞭子。魔鬼说：“只要挥动这根鞭子，金钱就会出现在你们面前。你们可以像显贵一样生活七年，但七年之后，你们的灵魂就归我所有。”魔鬼让他们签下契约，并出了一个谜语：“如果你们在七年内猜出谜底，就能重获自由。”
凭借魔鞭，士兵们过上了奢华的生活。第七年将至，其中两人开始忧心忡忡，但第三位士兵却漫不经心地说他能猜出谜底。他的话被一个女巫偶然听到。女巫询问了他们的困境后，指点道：“去森林里找一座石屋，就能得救。”
只有那位夸口的士兵相信了女巫的话。他进入森林，找到了石屋，里面住着的正是魔鬼的祖母。老巫婆将他藏在地窖里。午夜时分，魔鬼归来，祖母哄骗它说出了谜语的答案，被地窖里的士兵听得一清二楚。
期限一到，魔鬼前来索要灵魂。那位勇敢的士兵说出了正确答案：“北海里死去的长尾猴是酱肉；鲸鱼的肋骨是银勺；马腿是酒杯。”魔鬼闻言大哭，随即消失。三名士兵重获自由，并保留了那根魔鞭，从此过着富足快乐的生活。