Short Fiction · Chapter
Tobacco and the Devil explained
The Devil arrives in Japan with tobacco seeds hidden in his ear, intending to tempt the Japanese.
What happens
The Devil arrives in Japan with tobacco seeds hidden in his ear, intending to tempt the Japanese. He borrows a field and cultivates the plants, but when a cattle dealer asks what they are, the Devil proposes a wager: if the dealer guesses the name, he gets the plants; if not, the Devil takes his body and soul. The cattle dealer, after three days of desperate thought, tricks the Devil by driving his cow into the field, causing the Devil to shout the name 'tobacco' in anger. The dealer guesses correctly and wins the plants, but the Devil succeeds in spreading tobacco throughout Japan, suggesting that even apparent victories over temptation may lead to unforeseen consequences.
Themes in this chapter
Illusion vs. Reality
The Devil's disguise as a holy Brother and the deceptive nature of the tobacco plant highlight the theme of appearances versus truth.
Moral Ambiguity
The cattle dealer's victory over the Devil is coupled with his fall, as the Devil's failure leads to the spread of tobacco, blurring the lines between success and defeat.
Characters to notice
- the Devil
Disguised as a southern barbarian Brother, he cultivates tobacco and wagers with the cattle dealer, ultimately spreading tobacco across Japan.
- St. Francis Xavier
Approves the Devil's planting, unaware of the true nature of the crop, and later drives the Devil off with the holy pentagram.
- the cattle dealer
A recent convert who wagers with the Devil, wins by trickery, but falls into the Devil's larger scheme of spreading tobacco.
Key passages
“The Devil immediately borrowed a spade and a hoe and began energetically to till a roadside field.”
The Devil quickly got tools and started working the field with great energy.
Shows the Devil's unusual diligence, motivated by his desire to avoid moral sleepiness.
“The cattle dealer guessed the name 'tobacco' successfully and got the best of the Devil.”
The cattle dealer correctly identified the plant as tobacco and outwitted the Devil.
The climax of the wager, but the narrator hints at a deeper meaning.