Quite a lot of Icelandic folklore revolves around Sæmundur the wise and how he numerous tricks against the devil. He studied in the Black School (a magical school) in France at around 1150. The last student out of the school gets his soul taken by the devil. He was the last one out but the devil accidentally took his shadow which Sæmundur argued was the last one out but he never got his shadow again.
One story revolves around the devil making a bet that he can turn into any creature Sæmundur wants him to and if Sæmundur loses he would have to give him his soul (the devil never gave up on getting it after the school fiasko). Sæmundur asks him if he could turn into something so small it could fit in his keyhole and without missing a beat the devil turns into a fly and flies into it. Then Sæmundur immediately takes up a cork and jams it into the keyhole, trapping the devil in there. Then he threatens to keep the devil locked in there if he doesn't promise to stop bothering him. The devil promises that, gets let out and breaks his promise shortly thereafter.
A few hundred years later the devil approached him in heaven. He was having some trouble with a dept in Las Vegas and needed a lawyer. The only one he knew good enough with loopholes and smart enough with wordplay was Sæmundur who had actually started to miss the fellow and agreed to become his advocate and here I am.
He is actually a pretty nice dude (despite being a tad soft in the head) and we often play rock band together in his immaculately crafted garage. He wouldn't have a chance in this world but I help him as best I can because that's what friends do (although his insurance plan certainly doesn't hurt). And yes, he does love your columns Bucholz, it was nice talking to you and finding a solution to the problem.
