# The Smith and the Devil explained — Russian Folktales > Chapter companion for Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev. ## What happens A smith paints a devil in his smithy and greets it as a fellow countryman for ten years. After his death, his son disrespects the devil by striking it with a hammer and spitting on it. The devil, in revenge, disguises himself as an apprentice and uses his powers to trick a rich old woman into being burned and then rejuvenated. The smith is forced to attempt the same on her husband, but fails and burns him to death. The devil returns to save the smith on the condition that he stop his abuse, and the husband is restored to life. ## Themes in this chapter ### Good vs. Evil The conflict between the smith's son and the devil represents a struggle between disrespect and demonic retribution, with the devil ultimately enforcing a moral lesson. ### Trickery and Cunning The devil uses deception as an apprentice to trick the rich woman and later the smith, highlighting the theme of cunning over brute force. ## Character check-ins ### The Smith The smith who first befriends the devil, then his son disrespects the devil, leading to a series of deceptions and a near execution. ### The Devil The devil, painted in the smithy, endures abuse from the smith's son before taking revenge by posing as an apprentice and tricking a rich couple. ### The Old Woman A rich old lady who is tricked by the devil into being burned and then rejuvenated, becoming young and beautiful. ### The Master The rich husband who is burned to death by the smith in a failed attempt to rejuvenate him, later restored by the devil. ## Key lines > And he saw there was a devil painted there so terrible, so black, with horns and tail! “What a fine devil!” he thought. “I will go and paint such a devil for myself in the smithy.” The smith admired a terrifying painting of a devil in church and decided to have a similar one painted on his smithy doors. _This sets up the smith's initial friendly relationship with the devil._ > So the devil turned himself into a fine lad and came into the smithy. “How do you do, uncle?” he said. “Very well, thank you!” “Will you take me into the smithy as an apprentice? I will heat your coals and will blow the bellows.” The devil disguised himself as a young man and offered to work as an apprentice in the smithy. _The devil's cunning plan to get close to the smith and exact revenge._ > He then untied the ropes and set the smith free. And the youth thereafter never more spat on the devil and beat him with a hammer. But his workman vanished and was never seen again. The devil freed the smith from the gallows, and the smith promised to stop abusing the devil, after which the devil disappeared. _The resolution where the smith learns his lesson and the devil departs._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-smith-and-the-devil - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters