Billy Duffy's Deal with the Devil

Billy Duffy was the town drunkard. He was also a blacksmith, but only when he had spent the last bit of his coin at the local tavern. If Billy could find a way to make some easy money that didn't involve sweating out the last of his liquor over a forge, then he would do it in a heartbeat.

One day, Billy was walking home. He was out of money and dreading his return to the hammer and anvil. Loathing the thought of returning to sobriety, he exclaimed to himself, "By God! I'd gladly sell myself to the devil for some more drink."

Just then, a tall gentleman dressed in black with most of his face hidden stepped up and asked, "What did you say?"

"I said I'd sell myself to the devil if it meant money for more drink."

"I see. I think we could settle on a deal. How much would you like for seven years, and the devil to get you then?"

"Well, I don't rightly know at this moment."

"Return home, and in your smithy you'll find a bag of gold filled to the brim. With it, you should never have to suffer through a sober second again. Do we have a deal?"

Billy, realizing he'd never have to return to his forge, readily agreed to the deal.

"Seven years, and the devil will get you then, Billy."

When Billy got home the gold was right where the man had said it would be. There was so much he believed no man could lift the bag on his own. He immediately locked up his smithy and began to squander his money.

Word got around town that Billy had come into a fortune, and so many homeless would beg for a bit of it when they saw Billy walking by. Billy, not knowing what else to do with his wealth, began bringing enough for all of these people while still having money for his drink. 

One of Billy's regular charities was a particularly deformed old man. The old man would show up at his house randomly and ask that Billy give him a meal and a bath. Billy always readily obliged. The man would then rest through the night and leave without a trace for months on end. This went on for several years.

In the sixth year of Billy's deal, the old man returned and said to Billy, "Well, you have been good to me through the years. I will grant you three wishes, and whatever you wish will be sure to come true."

"I must think hard on this," replied Billy.

"I have all the time in the world." said the hermit, "Just you mind they are good wishes."

Next morning Billy told the hermit he was ready.

"I've got a big sledgehammer in the smithy. I wish that whoever picks up that hammer must continue striking the anvil until I tell him to stop."

"Oh, that's a bad wish, Billy." the old man warned.

Billy went on, "Next, I'd like a bag so that no one else can ever take out what I put into it. Finally, I have a chair in the upstairs room of my house that I wish no one could rise from unless I let them."

"Well well, these are very bad wishes, Billy." 

Billy heard the old hermit, but he already had a plan forming in his mind. 

After all seven years had passed, the devil found Billy in his smithy working. "Billy, the time has come for you to fulfill your side of the bargain and join me."

"Oh, of course! But if you wouldn't mind striking this a few times just to finish up my work while I go and say my goodbyes."

The devil obliged and picked up the hammer. He soon realized that he could not stop.

"Billy, what is the meaning of this?" asked the devil in a rage. "You must stop this at once!"

Billy only laughed and replied, "I am not much longer for this world anyway, but I wish that you would continue to supply these people with enough money that they never want for food or shelter."

"That was never part of the deal now put an end to this!" 

"Alright, alright, just turn into a sovereign and the spell will be broken."

The devil  did as he was told and the hammer dropped to the floor beside the coin. Billy picked up the coin and put it in his purse. Billy proceeded to carry around the purse for days to come as the devil cursed him. After a number of days, the devil grew quiet and Billy took the coin out and placed it in his armchair. 

"So, are we at an agreement yet?" asked Billy.

"Never." sneered the devil as he transformed back to normal, "I'm through making deals with you, and you're coming with me." he said as he tried to rise. He soon realized he could not though.

"If you will only make sure that the people I've been helping will live comfortably, this will all be over."

The devil finally relented. 

"Get out of my sight. I'll curse you to walk around sober and in poverty for the rest of your life to ensure you're as miserable as you made me." 

With that, the devil left in a cloud of smoke. From then on, Billy lived his life in sobriety, and with the support of the people he had helped over the years, he was able to overcome his addiction. The people also helped him out and housed and fed him when he needed it. 

Source

Author's note: Billy Duffy and the Devil was a story that caught my eye a few weeks ago. I wanted to follow the story pretty closely, but instead of the same old thing going on for Billy, I wanted to show some change. In the original story Billy was not selfish, as he kept an open house for the most part. He did squander most of his money though. My story is pretty true to the original until about the point that the Devil comes to him. In the original, Billy uses each of the three objects every seven years to gain more time and money to spend on drinking.  As I was reading the original story, I kept thinking that there would be so many ways to spend that money that would be better than just keeping the tavern's doors open.  In my version I thought that it would be pretty fitting to end poverty and suffering at the Devil's expense. I also chose to show the change in Billy by showing how the devil's "punishment" was actually a blessing for him. The people he had helped over the years were able to return the favor, and instead of living a life of addiction Billy was able to lead a somewhat more normal life. 

Inspired by Billy Duffy and the Devil from Welsh Fairy-Tales and Other Stories by Peter Emerson. Link to story