Deal with the Devil

Rare card · No. 21796

A deal with the Devil or Faustian bargain is a cultural trope exemplified most famously by the legend of Faust, who was signed a contract with the demon Mephistopheles in exchange for knowledge and pleasure. Similar stories are also elemental to many Christian traditions. The pact between a person and the Devil or another demon generally involves trading one's soul for diabolical favours, which vary by the tale, but tend to include youth, knowledge, wealth, fame and power. It was also believed that some people made this type of pact just as a sign of recognising the minion as their master, in exchange for nothing. The bargain is a dangerous one, as the price of the fiend's service is the wagerer's soul. For most religions, the tale may have a bad end, with eternal damnation for the foolhardy venturer. Conversely, it may have a comic twist, in which a wily peasant outwits the devil, characteristically on a technical point. The person making the pact sometimes tries to outwit the devil, but...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Adolf Gnauth / After Julius Nisle, Public domain