# The Peasant and the Devil explained — Household Tales

> Chapter companion for Household Tales by Jacob Grimm.

## What happens

A cunning peasant outwits the Devil in a bargain over the harvest from his field. The peasant sows turnips first, giving the Devil the above-ground leaves, then sows wheat, giving the Devil only the stubble. The Devil, outraged, leaves the treasure behind, and the peasant claims it.

## Themes in this chapter

### Greed and Its Downfall

The Devil's greed for the fruits of the earth leads him to be outwitted by the peasant, who uses the Devil's own desire against him.

### Virtue Rewarded and Vice Punished

The peasant's cleverness and honesty (in keeping his word while exploiting loopholes) is rewarded with the treasure, while the Devil's deceitful nature is punished with loss.

## Character check-ins

### the Devil

The Devil appears sitting on a treasure in the peasant's field and makes a bargain for half the harvest, but is tricked twice by the peasant's clever sowing choices.

### the peasant

A farsighted, crafty peasant who outsmarts the Devil by sowing turnips and wheat to keep the valuable parts of the harvest for himself.

## Key lines

> Thou dost indeed sit upon a treasure!

You are sitting on a treasure, aren't you?

_The peasant recognizes the Devil's position over hidden wealth._

> That is the way to cheat the Devil

That's how you trick the Devil.

_The peasant's concluding remark, celebrating his successful deception._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters/the-peasant-and-the-devil
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters