The Devil and the Tax Collector

Originally a term from the Danish-Norwegian union, a "fut" or "fogd" was basically a tax collector or a bailiff, mostly coming from Denmark. In the Norwegian folktradition, the fut is an enemy of the people, a brutal and relentless tax collector and enforcer of the authority that was given him by the King in Copenhagen. In fairy tales, he is often compared with the wolf. Hence, this office was also the most riskiest a Dane could have in Norway; the heavy tax burdens were often the cause of a wide range of local rebellions. In the early stages of the union, several bailiffs were were in fact killed by offended and furious farmers.

Without spoiling the ending, you can be rest assured that it doesn't end quite so badly in the following folktale. However, even nowadays, the story of the Devil and the Tax Collector still manage to spark off laughter - and perhaps a even hint of satisfaction. 

Once upon a time, there was a tax collector, one of the worst kind. One day the Devil came and wanted to take him for his own.

"All I hear," he said, "is people saying "to hell with that lecher! So now I bid you to follow me; for wicked you are, and non hope there are for the likes of you", said the Devil.

"If you wish to listen to every tittle-tattle around, then you'll bite off more than you can chew," said the tax collector, "but if you're so kind a man that you're doing every mans bidding, then you would also do mine."

Oh yes, the bailiff spoke well for himself, and the devil was somewhat good-natured, so at last they agreed that they would accompany each other, and the first person they met that asked someone to go to hell, the Devil would collect for his own, and the bailiff would be off the hook. "But whole-heartily it must be", said the devil.

First they came to a hut, where there was an old woman churning butter. When she saw strangers passing by, she couldn't resist sneaking a peek. Meanwhile, her little pig came in, sniffing around in every corner, eventually digging his pig snout into the bucketful of butter.

"Is there any worse pestilence for than such a pig?" screamed the old woman. "To hell with with you!"

"Then take the pig!" said the bailiff.

"Do you think she truly wishes to treat me with her bacon? said the Devil. "Than what would she have for supper during the winter? No, that was not whole-heartily at all!

Then they went till they came to another little hut. Here the child had done some mischief.

"I'm sick of you!" said his mother. "All I do is to wipe and bathe and care for the damn boy. To hell with you", she said.

"Then take the kid!" said the tax collector.

"Oh, it's not whole-heartidly that a mother curses her child," said the Devil.

A bit further on their way, they met two farmers.

"There you see our bailiff," said one of them.

"May he burn in hell, that lecher!" said the other.

"It was from the heart," said the Devil, "Now I take you for my own."

Then no use it did, neither praying or smooth-talking.

 

Sources:

• The Norwegian Folklore Archives: AT1186 - Fanden og futen. Year: 1876. Place: Oslo. Informant: Fru M. Ullmann. Collector: V. Ullmann
• Illustration by Theodor Kittelsen  from Asbjørnsen og Moe: "Illustrerede eventyr, udvalgte folkeeventyr" (1907)