THE Lord God had created all animals, and had chosen out the wolfto be his dog, but he had forgotten the goat. Then the Devil madeready and began to create also, and created goats with fine longtails. Now when they went to pasture, they generally remainedcaught in the hedges by their tails, then the Devil had to go thereand disentangle them, with a great deal of trouble. This enragedhim at last, and he went and bit off the tail of every goat, as maybe seen to this day by the stump¹. Then he let them go to pasture alone,but it came to pass that the Lord God perceived how at one time theygnawed away at a fruitful tree, at another injured the noble vines, ordestroyed other tender plants. This distressed² him, so that in his goodnessand mercy he summoned his wolves, who soon tore in pieces the goatsthat went there. When the devil observed this, he went before the Lordand said, "Thy creatures have destroyed mine." The Lord answered, "Whydidst thou create things to do harm?" The Devil said, "I was compelledto do it: inasmuch as my thoughts run on evil, what I create can have noother nature, and thou must pay me heavy damages." "I will pay thee assoon as the oak leaves fall; come then, thy money will then be ready countedout." When the oak-leaves had fallen, the Devil came and demanded whatwas due to him. But the Lord said, "In the church of Constantinople standsa tall oak-tree which still has all its leaves." With raging and curses, the Devildeparted, and went to seek the oak, wandered in the wilderness³ for six monthsbefore he found it, and when he returned, all the oaks had in the meantimecovered themselves again with green leaves. Then he had to forfeit⁴ hisindemnity, and in his rage he put out the eyes of all the remaining goats, andput his own in instead.

文章来源：http://read.qsbdc.com/