Section 1
The soldier, who had nothing to live on and didn't know how to survive, went into the forest. After walking for a short time, he encountered a little man who was actually the devil. The devil asked him, "What's wrong? You appear to be very sad." The soldier replied, "I am hungry but I don't have any money." The devil offered, "If you work for me as my servant, you will have enough to live on for the rest of your life." The soldier was offered a deal by a little man, which stated that he would have to serve him for a period of seven years, after which he would be released. However, the little man gave him a warning that he must not engage in personal grooming activities such as washing, combing, trimming hair or nails, or wiping water from his eyes.The soldier agreed to the little man's conditions and said, "Very well, if there's no other choice," and then departed with the little man, who immediately took him down to hell. The little man then explained to the soldier his duties, which included tending to the fire under the kettles where the hell-broth was being stewed, keeping the house clean, and sweeping all the dirt behind the doors. He warned the soldier not to peek into the kettles, as it would lead to dire consequences. The soldier agreed to the terms, saying "Alright, I'll be careful." The little man then left to wander, and the soldier began his new duties, tending to the fire and diligently sweeping the dirt behind the doors as he had been instructed.
When the old devil returned, he inspected the soldier's work and seemed pleased with what he saw. He then went out again for a second time. The soldier, curious about his surroundings, looked around and noticed that the kettles were positioned all around hell, with a massive fire burning underneath them, causing the contents to boil and sizzle. Although he was strongly warned by the devil not to look inside the kettles, the soldier was tempted to do so nonetheless.
Eventually, the soldier's curiosity got the best of him, and he lifted the lid of the first kettle just a bit and saw his former corporal sitting inside. He exclaimed, "Aha! I've found you here, old bird. You once had me in your power, but now I have you." He then quickly closed the lid, tended to the fire, and added a fresh log. He repeated the same action with the second kettle, where he found his former ensign sitting inside. Once again, he exclaimed, "Aha! I've found you here, old bird. You once had me in your power, but now I have you," before closing the lid and adding another log to the fire. He then approached the third kettle and lifted its lid, only to find his former general inside. "Aha! I've found you here, old bird. Once you had me in your power, but now I have you," he said as he used the bellows to make the hell-fire blaze hotter under the general's kettle.
The soldier worked diligently in hell for seven years, strictly following the devil's orders not to wash, comb, trim himself, cut his hair or nails, or even wipe the water from his eyes. Surprisingly, the seven years passed by so quickly that he felt as if it were only half a year. When the time was up, the devil returned and asked, "Well, Hans, what have you done?" To which the soldier replied, "I tended to the fire under the kettles, and I have swept all the dirt well behind the doors."
The devil said to the soldier, "You looked into the kettles, but fortunately for you, you added fresh logs, otherwise you would have forfeited your life. Now that your time is up, do you want to go home?" The soldier replied, "Yes, I would like to see what my father is doing at home." The devil instructed him, "To receive the wages you have earned, fill your knapsack with the sweepings and take it with you. You must also go home without washing or combing, with long hair and beard, uncut nails, and dim eyes. When people ask where you come from, you must say you come from hell, and when asked who you are, you must say you are the devil's sooty brother, and also my king."
