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Overview
Erkki finds the Devil’s cat under the logs after being ordered to chop wood with an axe that has lost its edge. The cat is described as evil-looking and grey-headed. Suspecting its connection with the failed tool, he kills it with the blunt axe; the edge immediately returns, enabling him to finish the task.
The Devil later explicitly claims the animal as his cat and angrily objects to its death. The sequence connects its presence with the axe’s disability, but supplies no spoken curse, human disguise or return to life. It is not identified as the Devil’s own transformed body, and no separate magical ancestry is given.
Origins & earliest records
Parker Fillmore, Mighty Mikko (1922), The Devil’s Hide, printed pp. 173–191; author’s note vii–xi.
Records & interpretation
Complete English retelling, including both wives’ deaths, ordinary evasions behind apparent invulnerability and final skin-forfeit payment. Cat connection is narrated through sequence rather than an explicit spell.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Mighty Mikko: The Devil’s Hide, pp. 173–191
Complete selected tale. Erkki’s survival uses substitutions, not established immunity; no Devil body features beyond removable skin stated.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary historical literary retelling of folkloreFillmore1922: The Devil’s HideResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
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