The Sneeze
A Poor Peasant’s Struggle
Once upon a time, in Italy, there lived a poor man who had so many children that he did not know how to find enough food to feed them. He knew no trade and had to find work wherever he could as a hired labourer.
One day, when he had been unable to find any work, he trudged sadly home to where his wife and children waited, with no money and no food. “We must have food for the children,” he thought to himself, “and there is only one thing to do: I must become a burglar and steal enough money.”
The Devil’s Proposal
Nearby lived a rich farmer who had a horse that he was very fond of, as well as a fine carriage. “I will wait until he is in bed,” the poor peasant thought, “and then I shall go to his stable and steal his horse and carriage. I shall drive them away and sell them in the next town, ensuring we can buy food for a long time to come.”
On a very dark night, the poor peasant set out. Truth be told, he was quite scared, as he had never tried being a burglar before and knew little about it. To keep his spirits up, he whistled as he walked.
As he walked along, he met a man going the same way. “Who are you?” asked the peasant, for the stranger was wrapped in a large cloak with a hood over his head. “I am the Devil,” replied the mysterious figure. “And who are you?”
<p“I am a burglar,” replied the peasant. “I am going to the nearby farm to steal the farmer’s horse and carriage.” <p“Good,” the Devil said. “I, too, am going burgling. I am going to steal the farmer’s soul, so we will go along together.” <p“How will you do it?” asked the puzzled peasant. “It is hard enough to steal a horse and carriage, but a soul is quite a different matter.”
The Plan Unravels
<p“It’s very easy,” replied the Devil. “I shall enter the room where he sleeps and wake him up. He will immediately call for his servant and ask for water. The servant will bring the water, and once he leaves, the farmer will start to wash and then sneeze loudly. If no one is present to say, ‘Bless you,’ he will sneeze himself to death, and his soul will be mine. When you hear him sneeze, do not say a word, peasant. If I am successful, you can steal the horse and carriage without anyone noticing its absence amidst the confusion of finding their master dead.”
The poor peasant promised to remain silent, and when they reached the farm, the Devil went to the rich farmer’s bedroom. Curious to see what might happen, the peasant hid outside the bedroom window.
He saw the Devil wake the farmer and heard him call for his servant, who brought him some water. As the farmer began to wash, he started to sneeze violently.
A Change of Heart
When the burglar heard him sneezing so violently that he shook, he felt compassion for the farmer. Unable to stop himself, he cried out, “Bless you!”
The man stopped sneezing immediately. The Devil, furiously jumping down, shrieked as he rushed away, “You wretch, you promised to keep silent! I will see to it that you never succeed as a burglar.”
At that moment, the poor peasant felt quite sad. He had forgotten his errand while watching the farmer.
However, the farmer had seen him through the window and immediately called for his servant. “Quick, there is someone at the window!” he shouted.
The servant ran outside and caught the poor peasant just as he jumped down from the window, taking him to the farmer.
A Grateful Farmer
<p“Was it you who shouted ‘Bless you’ when I was sneezing just now?” the farmer asked. The peasant admitted that he had been watching through the window and explained how he had met the Devil on the road and how they had walked to his house together. He recounted his intention to rob the farmer and the Devil’s plan to steal his soul. <p“But when I saw you sneezing so unhappily and the Devil behind you, gloating, I could not help but call out ‘Bless you.’ As soon as I did, you stopped sneezing. The Devil was so angry that he rushed away in a fit of rage and will not return.”
The rich farmer scratched his head in confusion before saying, “Thank you, my friend. I believe you have saved me from one of the Devil’s tricks. I certainly did not want to get up and wash in the middle of the night, yet it seemed I was forced to do so. As a reward for your help, I will give you not only the horse and carriage, which you intended to steal but also a good piece of land where you can grow food for your large family, along with a few hundred silver coins to buy seeds and ensure your family is well-fed and clothed.”
A New Beginning
The poor peasant was delighted by the rich farmer’s gifts. He remembered the Devil’s parting words about how he would never make a successful burglar.
<p“I don’t think I would have been a very good burglar anyway,” he said to the farmer, “and I am glad I shall not have the chance to prove it. I am quite certain I will make a much better farmer.” With that, the peasant happily went home to tell his wife how the Devil had brought them good fortune.
And so, the story goes, that is why we say, “Bless you!” when someone sneezes.