"The Devil and Tom Walker" is a short story by Washington Irving that first appeared in his 1824 collection Tales of a Traveller, in "The Money-Diggers" part of volume II. The story is very similar to the German legend of Faust. Stephen Vincent Benét drew much of his inspiration for "The Devil and Daniel Webster" from this tale. Summary The story first recounts the legend of the pirate William Kidd, who is rumored to have buried a large treasure in a forest in colonial Massachusetts. Kidd made a deal with the devil to protect his money. The devil's conditions are unknown. Kidd died never able to reclaim his money, but the devil has protected it ever since. The story continues around 1727. Tom Walker, a greedy, selfish miser of a man, cherishes money along with his shrewish and equally greedy wife. They lived in a tarnished-looking house that had stood alone and had an air of starvation. This is until he takes a walk in the swamp at an abandoned Wampanoag fortress (a relic of King Philip's War of 1675–1678), and starts up a conversation with the devil incarnate (referred to as "Old Scratch" and "the Black Man" in the story). Old Scratch appears as a lumberjack or a woodsman chopping trees, each with a prominent and wealthy colonialist's name branded on the trunk. One rotted and soon-to-fall tree has the name of a deacon who grew wealthy "trading" with the Indians. Another fallen trunk has that of a wealthy seaman rumored to be a pirate. Old Scratch strikes a deal with Tom Walker, offering the riches hidden in the swamp by Captain Kidd in exchange for a great price, which is often thought to be his soul. Tom agrees to think about it and returns home. While Tom is perfectly willing to sell himself to Old Scratch for the treasure, he does not do so at first, as it would mean having to share the treasure with his wife. After he tells her of his meeting, she meets with Old Scratch herself, but tells her husband that Old Scratch requires an offering. When Tom is away, she takes all their valuables in and goes to make a deal with Old Scratch. When Tom searches for his wife and property, all he finds is her apron holding her heart and liver, tied to a tree. Tom Walker agrees to Old