In a picturesque kingdom, where the hills were lush and green and countless streams rippled through the land, there lived Jacob. He was a poor but always cheerful young man. Although he owned no riches, his heart was full of joy and his smile could brighten even the gloomiest day. His only possession was an old bicycle that had belonged to his grandfather.
Jacob, however, had one great wish. Since childhood, he had dreamed that one day he would marry the beautiful princess from the royal court. But he knew that without great wealth he had no chance. The royal court was as unreachable for him as the stars in the sky.
One day, when the sun was hiding behind the clouds, Jacob decided to ride his bicycle along a forest path. He pedaled and sighed loudly: “Oh, if only I had great wealth! I could marry the princess and live happily ever after.”
At that very moment, a strange figure appeared in front of him. It was the devil, with little horns sticking out above his black curls dusted with ash, and a smile that promised anything but good. “Good day, young man,” the devil said in a sweet voice. “I heard your wish, and I think I can help you.”
Jacob looked at him in surprise, but he wasn’t afraid. With a spark in his eye he replied, “Well, look at that! Who would have thought I’d meet such a handsome fellow in this forest. Are you on your way to a costume ball?”
The devil laughed. “No, no, dear Jacob. I’m here to offer you a deal. I will give you great wealth, and in return, in one year, you will give me your soul.”
Jacob scratched his chin and smiled. “My soul, you say? And what are you going to do with it? Planning to start a soul collection or use it as decoration down in hell?”
“Leave that to me. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?” the devil kept insisting.
Jacob thought for a moment, then grinned broadly. “You know what, why not? But I have one condition.”
The devil rolled his eyes. “What condition?”
“I want my wealth to be so great that even the king can’t compete with me. And I want a new bicycle. This one has already seen its best days.”
The devil nodded. “Agreed. I’ll come back for your soul in a year.”
Jacob shook hands with the devil, and in that moment everything around him began to change. His old clothes turned into the finest silk garments, his pockets filled with gold, and beside him appeared a brand‑new, shiny bicycle.
“Now this is something!” Jacob exclaimed. “With this bicycle they’ll definitely welcome me at court.”
And indeed, when Jacob arrived at the royal court, everyone was amazed. His charm, wit, and wealth quickly won the hearts of the courtiers. The princess, a beautiful and wise young woman, fell in love with him at first sight. Jacob entertained her with his stories and jokes, and soon a grand wedding took place.
After the old king died, Jacob became the new ruler of the land. He ruled wisely and justly, always with a smile on his face and good humor. The kingdom flourished and the people loved him.
However, time passed and the year slowly drew to an end. One night, when the moon shone in the sky like a silver plate, the devil appeared in Jacob’s chamber.
“I’ve come to collect my reward,” he said in a dark voice.
Jacob turned around and smiled. “Well, look who it is, my old friend! How are you? Long time no see.”
The devil frowned. “No jokes, Jacob. I’ve come for your soul.”
Jacob nodded. “Of course, of course. A deal is a deal. Give me just a moment.”
He went into the next room and came back after a while with a small box. “Here is my soul,” he said, handing it to the devil.
The devil opened the box and found… a bicycle’s inner tube. “What is this?” he growled.
“That’s the soul—inner tube—of my old bicycle,” Jacob replied with a serious face. “I promised you my soul, and here you have it.”
“That is not a human soul!” the devil shouted angrily.
“Well, you never said it had to be a human one,” Jacob said with a smile. “We agreed on ‘my soul,’ and that bicycle was my only possession and my greatest treasure. It’s the soul that was dearest to me.”
The devil began to tremble with fury. “You’re tricking me!”
“Oh, not at all! I just made use of your foolishness. Next time, think more carefully about the conditions of your deals,” Jacob said, winking at him.
The devil raged, but he couldn’t do anything. A deal was a deal, and he had to respect it. “You’ll pay for this!” he shouted, and with a puff of black smoke he disappeared.
“Gladly, I like jumping around,” Jacob shouted after him and cheerfully blew into the smoke that remained where the devil had been.
From then on, Jacob lived happily with the princess, ruled wisely and fairly, and never forgot that humor and cleverness can overcome even the greatest obstacles.
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