WHERE THE DEVIL CAN'T DO THE WORK, HE SENDS A WOMAN

THERE WAS A HAPPY, RELIGIOUS FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN.
EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE LIVING IN POVERTY, THEY WERE A
LOVING FAMILY. THE DEVIL COULDN'T SEE WHY THEY HAD
SO MUCH HAPPINESS AND WANTED TO DESTROY IT.
HE SENT HIS HELPER TO THIS FAMILY AS A SERVANT TO
OBSERVE THEM TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO ANYTHING WRONG.
HE WAS TO LET THE DEVIL KNOW ABOUT IT, AS HE WAS
WAITING. HIS HELPER HAD A SOFT HEART. HE WAS HELPING
THE MANY BY PLOWING THE FIELDS, CUTTING THE WOOD, AND
WATCHING THE CHILDREN WHO LOVED HIM VERY MUCH. HE WAS
WORKING FOR THEM ABOUT A YEAR AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING
TO SAY AGAINST THEM, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS LIVED A VERY
PEACEFUL LIFE.
NOT SO FAR FROM THEM THERE WAS A MEAN WOMAN. SHE WAS
UNABLE TO GET ALONG WITH HER NEIGHBORS. THE MAIN
DEVIL, LUCIFER, WENT THERE AND PROMISED HER NEW SHOES
IF SHE COULD MAKE SOME MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE PEACEFUL
FAMILY WHERE HIS HELPER WAS LIVING. SHE AGREED.
WHEN SHE CAME TO THE FAMILY, THE WIFE WAS BY HERSELF
AT HOME. SHE HAD A SMALL CONVERSATION WITH HER AND
CONVINCED HER THAT HER HUSBAND WOULD DIE SOON. THERE
WAS ONLY ONE WAY TO PREVENT IT. WHEN HER HUSBAND CAME
HOME IN THE EVENING, SHE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A LONG
KNIFE AND WHEN HE WOULD FALL ASLEEP, SHE WOULD HAVE TO
CUT ONE GREY HAIR SO HE WOULD LIVE LONG.
AFTER TALKING TO THE WIFE THE WICKED WOMAN WENT TO
THE FIELD WHERE THE MAN WAS PLOWING THE FIELD. SHE
TOLD HIM THAT HIS WIFE WAS CHEATING ON HIM AND HAD A
LOVER AND THAT SHE WOULD VISIT HIM OFTEN. THE HUSBAND
COULDN'T BELIEVE IT AND CHASED HER AWAY. SHE TOLD HIM:
"WAIT, SHE WILL KILL YOU TODAY!"
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE THIS, BUT DOUBT CAME TO HIS
HEART. AFTER SUPPER HE WENT TO BED AND PRETENDED TO BE
SLEEPING. WHEN HIS WIFE CAME TOWARDS HIM WITH A LONG
KNIFE HE WOKE UP AND JUMPED OUT OF BED AND STARTED A
BIG QUARREL.
WHEN LUCIFER CAME TO THE MEAN WOMAN TO DELIVER THE
BOOTS, HE HANDED THEM TO HER ON A LONG STICK BECAUSE
HE HIMSELF WAS AFRAID OF HER. FROM THAT TIME, THERE WAS
A SAYING IN THE POLISH LANGUAGE--"WHERE DEVIL CAN'T
MAKE IT, HE SENDS A WOMAN AND SHE WILL DO IT." "GDZIE
DIABEL NIE MOZE TAM BABE POSALE."

Submitter comment: POLISH, HANDWRITTEN TEXT IS ATTACHED TO TYPEWRITTEN
ENGLISH TEXT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK ; POLAND ; LEZAJSK

Date learned: 00-00-1955