The Devil at the Card Game on Gotland

Sweden · Site of legend

A stranger asked to play cards with the farmers — but when a card fell they saw horns at his knees, and a priest forced him out as an eel.

On Gotland a tale was told of farmers who often played cards on Saturday evenings. Once a strange man joined them, but when a card fell to the floor and a player bent down, he saw horns at the stranger's knees. Then all understood it was the Evil One himself, and in terror they begged him to leave. At another place, at Körkjaues in Vänge, a priest was called in when a stranger played with the men. The Evil One tried to disarm the priest by revealing old petty thefts, but the priest had repented and atoned for them, and at last forced the Evil One to turn into an eel and slip out through a hole in the leaded window.

More haunted places nearby

• Ghost Hotel Gasten (Liseberg) Västra Götaland · Amusement park
• The Dog That Leapt into the Grave, Locknevi Småland · Cemetery
• The Evil One in the Smithy, Malmbäck Småland · Haunted site
• The Strange Herdsman with Hooves, Knäred Halland · Site of legend
• The Protective Circle at Gammelstad Church Norrbotten · Church
• Sven the Fiddler and the Promised Girl, Mulseryd Småland · Site of legend
• The Evil One as a Servant, Västra Tunhem Västergötland · Site of legend
• The Money and the Bones in Halvard's Cottage at Dalby Värmland · Site of legend

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.