His piety, in an age when such qualities were rare, roused the ire of the Devil, who determined to bring about his fall, and as the old man’s love of wine was his only serious weakness, it was through this that the Fiend set himself to compass the nobleman’s destruction.

The Devil therefore disguised himself as a strolling musician and made the acquaintance of the old man.  The latter set before him some of the wine of the country, extolling meanwhile its rare qualities.  The guest seemed not at all impressed by the recital, but spoke of a wine which he had tasted in the South and which far surpassed any other vintage.  The nobleman was all curiosity.  The stranger talked of the wonderful wine with feigned reluctance, and at length his host promised to give him anything he should ask if only he would fetch him some of the wine.  Satan promised to plant a vineyard in Worms, asking in exchange the soul of his host, to be forfeited at the end of a fixed period.

To this the old man consented, and the strolling musician planted a vineyard which sprang up as though by magic.  When the first vintage was produced it was found to be delicious beyond the dreams of the old nobleman, who was indeed a connoisseur in wines.  In his delight he christened the wine Liebfrauenmilch, signifying ’Milk of our Blessed Lady.’  The Devil was furious at this reference to the Holy Virgin, but he consoled himself with the thought that in due course the man’s soul would be his.  But the Virgin herself was pleased with the christening of the vineyard, and rather sorry for the foolish old nobleman who had bartered his soul for the Devil’s wine.  When, therefore, the time arrived for the Evil One to claim his fee, she sent her angels to drive him away, and thus he was robbed of his prey.

The old man, having learned the danger of treating with the Devil, now built a chapel to the Virgin in his vineyard.  He lived for a long time to enjoy the luscious wine, under the protection of the saints, and never again did he make a compact with Satan.

Now, if anyone requires a proof of this marvellous story, is there not the Liebfrauenmilch, most delicious of wines to convince him of its truth?

The Maiden’s Caprice

In the town of Worms there stands an old manor, built in the style of the Renaissance and known as the Wampolder Hof.  At one time it belonged to the lord of Wampold, a wealthy noble of Mainz, who had appointed as castellan a kinsman of his, himself a nobleman, though landless and poor and no longer able to uphold his former dignities.  In his youth the keeper had lived a gay and careless life, but now he was old and infirm and cared no longer for worldly vanities.  His sole pride was his young daughter, a bewitching maiden who had more lovers than one could readily count, and who smiled upon them all impartially.  With so many lovelorn youths at her beck and call it is hardly surprising that she should grow exacting and capricious, but this, as usually happens, only made them love her the more.