The Devil came to a farmer and told him that one of his geese had a magical pinion which, made into a quill, would make whatever it wrote become true. But if the farmer took the wrong feather, the Devil would take his soul. This farmer was clever and called all his geese to dinner. When the last one came, the farmer scooped it up. Indeed, the feather's magic had made it slow, and the farmer sharpened it into a quill.

He wrote that he was a lord, and bore those duties for a week. Then he wrote that he should be duke, commanding many lords. Once three days had passed, he wrote that he should be king, who rules dukes and lords alike. After one day as king, he wished to be archbishop, who crowns the king. A single night as archbishop, and he took his quill and wrote that he should be greater than God.

In that moment, the Devil appeared and took the man's form, and the farmer took the Devil's form, for only the Devil desires to surpass God. The new Devil tried to claim his predecessor's soul, but could not because the Devil had repented.