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During the Middle Ages, Europeans believed the Devil was an ever-present force in their lives. Weekly sermons warned them that hell could be their eternal fate, and the Devil would stop at nothing to drag their souls into the abyss.
Stories about the Devil's cunning ways circulated widely, helping people recognize and resist his temptations. Below are 10 of the most chilling satanic tales from medieval Europe.
10. The Devil and the Leaping Boys
In the village of Marston Moretaine, England, there stands an enigmatic stone known as the Devil’s stone. While its origins remain shrouded in mystery, local folklore offers a story explaining how it earned its ominous name.
The village church features an unusual layout, with its bell tower situated some distance from the main building. This odd arrangement is said to have resulted from the Devil’s attempt to steal the tower for reasons unknown.
Unable to bear its weight, he dropped the tower where it now stands. Frustrated by his failed mischief, he sought new amusement and spotted three boys playing leapfrog on the Sabbath, a day when such games were forbidden. Determined to claim his due, the Devil turned his attention to them.
The boys were leaping over a standing stone, the very one later called the Devil’s stone. The Devil challenged them to jump over him as he stood atop the stone. Eager to prove their skill, the boys foolishly accepted, each taking their turn without hesitation.
On the opposite side of the Devil and the stone lay a pit that descended directly into hell. The boys had fallen into this abyss. Historical maps reveal that nearby structures were named “The Three Jumps” to commemorate the tragic fate of the three boys.
9. St. Anthony’s Battle Against the Devil
St. Anthony, born into affluence, chose to renounce his wealth and retreat into the desert for a life of spiritual devotion. However, the Devil was determined to prevent him from escaping worldly temptations.
The Devil tormented the aspiring saint with laziness, boredom, and visions of temptation. St. Anthony countered these assaults with fervent prayer. Frustrated by Anthony’s resilience, the Devil resorted to physical attacks, sending a horde of demons to beat him until he collapsed.
St. Anthony was saved by a friend and nursed back to health before retreating into solitude once more. Realizing physical threats were ineffective, the Devil unleashed hordes of ghouls disguised as ferocious beasts, threatening to rip the saint apart, hoping fear would force Anthony back into society.
St. Anthony simply laughed at the Devil and his army of terrifying ghosts. “If any of you had power over me, a single one would suffice to challenge me,” St. Anthony boldly proclaimed.
8. Jack O’Kent
While fiction often warns against making deals with the Devil, not all folktales follow this theme. Jack O’Kent is a rare figure who consistently outsmarted Beelzebub in their encounters.
Legend has it that the traveling magician Jack O’Kent struck multiple deals with the Devil. In one tale, he offered the Devil a portion of a pig herd. To divide the animals, they used their tails as the deciding factor. Jack claimed the pigs with curly tails, while the Devil took those with straight tails.
Pleased with the arrangement, the Devil awaited his share, only to discover Jack had led the pigs through a stream, where the cold water curled all their tails. In another account, the Devil demanded half of Jack’s wheat harvest. Jack fulfilled the bargain by giving the Devil the lower half, keeping the grain for himself. Furious, the Devil insisted on the top half the following year, so Jack cleverly planted turnips instead.
After years of being outwitted, the Devil vowed to drag Jack to hell, declaring he would take him “whether buried inside or outside the church.” Jack had the final laugh by being entombed within the church wall, ensuring he was neither inside nor outside.
7. The Tale of Gerard
The knight Gerard was deeply devoted to St. Thomas, refusing no request made in the saint’s name. Despite his piety, God allowed the Devil to test Gerard. While this may seem harsh, it echoes the biblical story of Job, where divine permission is given for such trials.
The Devil, disguised as a beggar, approached Gerard’s door and requested a cloak in St. Thomas’s name. Gerard handed over his own luxurious cloak, only for the Devil and the garment to vanish. Gerard’s wife berated him for foolishly giving away such a valuable item to a beggar.
Rather than losing faith in his patron saint, Gerard remained steadfast, assuring his wife, “Do not worry; St. Thomas will surely compensate for this loss.” His wife’s reaction, however, remains unrecorded.
6. St. Benedict and the Thorn Bush
St. Benedict, like others, abandoned a life of wealth for one of religious devotion. He retreated from Rome to a remote cave. Yet, as with others seeking solitude, the Devil was unwilling to let Benedict escape his influence.
The Devil’s initial, rather perplexing attempt involved transforming into a blackbird and fluttering irritatingly close to Benedict’s face. Benedict swiftly dismissed him with a blessing.
The Devil’s next strategy was more cunning. He appeared as a stunning lady whom Benedict had long desired. The vision was so captivating that Benedict almost abandoned his cave to pursue earthly pleasures.
However, he preserved his soul by throwing himself into a thorny bush and rolling in it to punish his flesh. This act proved more effective than a cold shower, and Benedict later became the founder of Western Monasticism.
5. St. Catherine of Siena
St. Catherine is honored by Catholics as one of the Doctors of the Church—saints pivotal in shaping the theology of the Catholic Church. To achieve this distinction, she first had to wed Christ and overcome the Devil’s challenges. Catherine entered this spiritual marriage to avoid the suitors her family had chosen for her.
The Devil refused to let Catherine’s path to sainthood be easy. He bombarded her with vile images and sensual hallucinations that persisted for days, cutting off her communication with God. Eventually, her prayers banished these tormenting visions.
Her visionary experiences inspired her to record dialogues with God during moments of ecstasy. In one such exchange, God explained why He permits the Devil to tempt humanity: “I have placed him in this life to test and trouble My creations, not for them to be defeated, but to conquer, proving their virtue, and earning from Me the glory of victory.”
This reasoning likely offers little solace to those eternally suffering in hell.
4. The Devil and the Painter Monk
Medieval churches were often adorned with elaborate paintings to help non-Latin speakers follow the services. A popular theme was the “Doom painting,” illustrating the Last Judgment and the torments of sinners in hell. One medieval tale reveals the Devil’s opinion of how he was typically portrayed.
A man who had worked as a sculptor and painter joined the abbey at Auxerre, France. A section of the wall remained bare because the abbey lacked monks skilled enough to decorate it.
The new monk quickly began painting images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, along with the splendors of paradise. He poured his talent into making these depictions as magnificent as possible.
When he turned to hell, he painted the Devil as hideously as his imagination allowed, intending it as a warning to the wicked. Offended by this unflattering portrayal, the Devil appeared to the monk, arguing that such ugliness ruined his earlier work. He suggested the monk paint him as a handsome young man instead.
The monk, however, was pleased with his grotesque depiction of the Devil. Enraged, the Devil revealed his true form and knocked the monk off his ladder. Only the Virgin’s intervention saved the monk from harm.
3. St. Dunstan
St. Dunstan, once an advisor to an Anglo-Saxon king, was accused of witchcraft and exiled from court. He embraced a hermit’s life, earning his keep by playing the harp and working as a blacksmith. Yet, as always, the Devil sought to disrupt his peaceful, devout existence.
One day, as Dunstan worked in his forge, the Devil appeared as a young woman, dancing seductively to lure him into sin. Dunstan ignored the distraction and focused on his work. The Devil’s dance grew more frenzied, his skirts rising to reveal the hooves hidden beneath.
Dunstan seized the Devil’s nose with red-hot tongs from his forge and expelled him. To ensure the Devil would never trouble him again, Dunstan hammered horseshoes onto the Devil’s hooves, forcing him to make the promise.
The red, sulfurous water of Tunbridge Wells’ spring is said to have been tainted when the Devil cooled his burned nose in it. [10] This incident also explains the tradition of hanging a horseshoe above doorways to protect against the Devil, witchcraft, and evil spirits.
2. Devil’s Bridge
Wolfgang’s clever adherence to the exact terms of a deal is a recurring theme in stories about pacts with the Devil. Another common motif involves the Devil constructing something. Across Europe, there are numerous bridges reputedly built by the Devil.
Many Devil bridges come with tales of animal trickery. The typical legend goes like this: locals need a bridge to cross a perilous river or gorge but lack the means to build it. They call upon the Devil for assistance.
The Devil agrees, demanding the soul of the first being to cross the bridge. The locals accept, and the Devil constructs the bridge. They then send an animal—be it a dog, goat, or chicken—across first, leaving the Devil empty-handed.
However, there are variations. In some stories, the Devil demands the architect’s soul. When tricked, he sabotages the bridge, leaving one block perpetually missing and stealing any replacement.
1. St. Wolfgang and the Devil’s Church
St. Wolfgang resolved to build a church. To choose its location, he climbed a mountain, hurled an axe, and observed where it landed. Town planning was far more adventurous in those days. Upon reaching the axe’s landing spot, he realized he needed assistance with the construction.
The Devil appeared and offered to help, demanding the soul of the first living being to enter the church as payment. Wolfgang agreed to the terms.
Though the church appeared stunning, locals could tell it was the Devil’s work due to its irregular and mismatched lines. The Devil insisted Wolfgang honor their agreement.
Wolfgang grew anxious about the price he had agreed to. Suddenly, a wolf pursued by hunters bolted toward the church. Wolfgang opened the door, and the wolf dashed inside. He pointed to the wolf, instructing the Devil to claim the soul of the first living creature to enter.
