of
a capable exorcist.

The shoemaker presented himself at the palace, made mysterious passes
over the princess's body, pretended to mumble magic incantations, and in
a short time had apparently succeeded in exorcising the devil.

In his gratitude for the princess's recovery, the prince paid the
shoemaker a hundred golden ducats.

The devil waited for the shoemaker outside the town gate.

"You see," he said when the shoemaker had shown him the money, "I'm not
an ungrateful devil."

They turned the same trick in several other cities until the shoemaker
had a heavy bag of gold.

"Now you're a rich man," the devil said, "and we can part company. My
seven years are up and I am going soon to return to hell. But before I
go I'm going to take possession of one more princess. I served Gentle
Dora so long that it's a pleasant change to rule some one. This time
don't you try to exorcise me. You're famous now and the princess's
father will probably hunt you out and beg you to cure his daughter, but
you must excuse yourself. This is all I ask of you. If you allow
yourself to be persuaded, I'll punish you by taking possession of your
body. Don't forget!"

They bade each other good-bye and parted, the shoemaker going west and
the devil east.

Soon word began to pass up and down the land that there was a great king
toward the east who needed the services of the famous exorcist to
restore his daughter. Emissaries of the king found the shoemaker and
against his will dragged him to court. He declared he was powerless to
help the princess but the king wouldn't listen to him and threatened him
with torture and death if he refused to make the effort.

"Well then," the shoemaker said, after much thought, "chain the princess
to her bed, order out all the attendants, and let me see her alone."

The king had these conditions fulfilled and the shoemaker went boldly
into the princess's chamber.

"Hist! Devil!" he called softly.

Instantly the devil jumped out of the princess's mouth and when he saw
the shoemaker he stamped his foot in anger.

"What!" he cried. "You've come after my warning! Don't you remember what
I told you?"

The shoemaker put his finger to his lips and winked.

"Softly, comrade," he whispered, "softly! I'm not come to exorcise you
but to warn you. You know that precious wife of yours, Gentle Dora?
Well, she's traced you here and she's down in the courtyard now waiting
for you."

The devil turned white wi