English Original
There was once a far-sighted, crafty peasant whose tricks were much talked about. The best story is how he once got hold of the Devil and made a fool of him.
One day, as twilight set in, the peasant was preparing to go home from his field when he saw a heap of burning coals. To his astonishment, a little black devil was sitting on the live coals.
"You sit upon a treasure!" said the peasant.
"Yes," replied the Devil, "a treasure containing more gold and silver than you have ever seen!"
"The treasure lies in my field and belongs to me," said the peasant.
"It is yours," answered the Devil, "if for two years you give me half of everything your field produces. I have enough money, but I desire the fruits of the earth."
The peasant agreed. "To avoid dispute," he said, "everything above ground shall belong to you, and what is under the earth to me." The Devil was satisfied, but the cunning peasant had sown turnips.
At harvest time, the Devil appeared but found only yellow, withered leaves, while the peasant delightfully dug up his turnips.
"You've had the best of it this time," said the Devil, "but next time, what grows above ground shall be yours, and what is under it, mine."
"I am willing," replied the peasant. But when sowing time came, he sowed wheat instead.
When the grain ripened, the peasant cut the full stalks down to the ground. The Devil found nothing but stubble and went away in a fury down into a cleft in the rocks.
"That is the way to cheat the Devil," said the peasant, and he went and fetched the treasure.
中文翻译
从前，有一位有远见且狡猾的农夫，他的诡计广为人知。最精彩的故事莫过于他如何捉弄了魔鬼。
一天黄昏，农夫正准备从田里回家，看到田中央有一堆燃烧的煤块。令他惊讶的是，一个小黑魔鬼正坐在燃烧的煤块上。
"你可是坐在宝藏上啊！"农夫说。
"是的，"魔鬼回答，"这宝藏里的金银比你一辈子见过的都多！"
"宝藏在我的田里，属于我。"农夫说。
"它是你的，"魔鬼答道，"只要你连续两年把田里产出的一半给我。我有的是钱，但我想要地上的果实。"
农夫同意了。"为了避免分配时起争执，"他说，"长在地面上的都归你，长在地下的都归我。"魔鬼对此很满意，但狡猾的农夫种的是芜菁（萝卜）。
收获时节，魔鬼来了，却只看到枯黄的叶子，而农夫正高兴地挖着他的芜菁。
"这次你占了便宜，"魔鬼说，"但下次不行了。下次，长在地上的归你，长在地下的归我。"
"我愿意。"农夫回答。但到了播种的时候，他没有再种芜菁，而是种了小麦。
麦子成熟后，农夫把饱满的麦秆齐根割下。魔鬼来时，只看到麦茬，他勃然大怒，钻进了岩石裂缝里。
"这就是欺骗魔鬼的方法。"农夫说着，取走了宝藏。