The Devil as Lender

A peasant had a misfortune, and misfortune calls for money. Meanwhile there is no money; where is he to get it? The peasant decided to go to the devil and ask to borrow money. He comes to him and says: — Lend me money, devil. — What do you need it for? — For the misfortune. — How much? — A thousand. — When will you pay it back? — Tomorrow. — Very well, — said the devil, and counted out a thousand to him. The next day he went to the peasant for the debt. The peasant says to him: — Come tomorrow. On the third day he came. The peasant again told him to come tomorrow. So he went like this for several days in a row. Once the peasant says to him: — Rather than you coming to me so often, I will hang a board on my gate and write on it when you should come for the debt. — All right, — answered the devil, and left. The peasant wrote on the board: "Come tomorrow" — and hung it on the gate. The devil came once, came twice — on the gate all the same inscription. — Well, — he says to himself, — I won't go to the peasant tomorrow! And he didn't go. On the third day he goes to him and sees on the gate another inscription: "Come yesterday." — What bad luck! — said the devil. — I couldn't come yesterday... It seems my money is gone!