A boy was walking to buy bread when the mayor of the city crossed the street.
‘The reason he is so powerful, is because, he’s made pact with the devil,’ – a very devout woman in the street told the boy, and he was intrigued.
While traveling to another town, the boy saw a beautiful corn field. He asked who was he owner as soon as he arrived at his destination
‘All this land belongs to the same man. I’d say the Devil had a hand in that.’ – answered one of the villagers.
Later the same day, a beautiful woman walked past the boy. A priest also saw her and said aloud:
‘That woman was sent by Satan!’
From then on, the boy decide to seek the Devil out. One day he managed to see him face to face.
‘They say you can make people powerful, rich, and beautiful.’
‘To be totally honest, this is not true’ replied the Devil. ‘You have just been listening to the views of those who are trying to promote me.’
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There is a little more than year, I opened a blog, in poetic aim, deprived of any restrictive yoke, because established by a cameo artistic, offering to my own writes this magnificent and total freedom to go alongside to what I call “ my knocks of heart”, they are pictorial or in prose.
I have just discovered only very recently, Mister Coelho, your own site and since, in fan of your works, I feast, as a child almost not wise person, to enchant myself with your papers. I allow affixing some on my blog, because I do not want to go without such a delight.
This “Promotion of the Devil” is the third which I put on-line, with a small spread smile. Because very often the raw material of my thoughts links in your, as an invisible son, and you offer to my considerations, the most beautiful verb which is, the one that I do not possess, but fortunately you are there to offer it.
I like the innocence of the child, that you use, because, the eye of a child in reflection of its soul, has the faculty to be more opened than that of the adult often polluted by the years which we returned amnesic of what h it was before.
Your text opens with so much acuteness on the madness of the men, which can transform, a fact, or a being, totally harmless in a pure demonic representation, what can result in the witch-hunt of modern times, and all its drift. Then, if your text, by its false simplicity, but it is a great part of your art, that to write magnificent metaphors in a transparency of style, can bring these promoters of the Devil to a wiser reflection in them statements, the world will have maybe some black angels less.
Thank you for existing, thank you for making us share these moments of pure happiness.
Indeed to you
Brigitte
Ps: I try, by translating your texts of English into French, to respect as good as possible your own thought.
We carry a devil within ourselves…
The devil in us likes to hear others’ opinions about us and never ever trusts us…
And to break the pact.. well, its a struggle worth winning for all the good things it gives…
Kudos for making us feel better…
We sometimes misled ourselves by deliberately listening to other’s opinion without listening to our hearts. Opinions can help but they are not necessarily right at all times. :))
That’s so true
For the final temptation, the devil takes Jesus to a high place,and showed him ALL THE KINGDOMS in the WORLD and their GLORY(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Jesus replies:
“GET AWAY, SATAN! (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and HIM ALONE shall you serve!” (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Are YOU promoting the Satan, Paulo?
The Satan can make people powerful, rich, and GLORIOS!
The TRUE BEAUTY is ONLY in the hands of Jesus!
great post. It just reflects what happened to me a month ago. somehow i was that boy, listened to others’ opinions and forgot to judge by myself. It was a mistake and not able to recover it. It is so difficult to judge based on what you have seen or feel, not on others’ opinions. But i guess this is what real life brings to everyone. The difference would be wisdom person knows how to deal with it while normal ppl like me suffers from what has been done wrong and learns from that.
El dia de hoy leyendo su libro Ser como el río que fluye “La caja de Pandora” donde menciona lo doloroso de la violencia en su país y la desesperanza que llena los corazones de miles de personas que trabajan en silencio, me senti tan identificada soy mexicana y mi pais esta enfermo de violencia y muerte y siento la misma tristeza y las ganas de irme a buscar otros horizontes, pero al leer la frase El hombre que no honra a su tierra no se honra a si mismo cambió mi perspectiva quiero un Mexico diferente y solo se logrará esa diferencia si permanecemos en la lucha y aportamos al cambio, gracias Señor Coelho porque a travez de sus lienas pudo volver a mi la “esperanza” palabra tan desgastada por todos como lo menciona pero tan importante es mi País, como dijo Soula Saad Gracias¡¡¡
THE MOST POWERFUL EVIL’S WEAPON, IN MY OPINION, IS: HEY, HOW COME YOU’RE NOT SMILING – ARE YOU SAD? … AT MOMENTS WHEN WE ARE SERIOUSLY FOCUSED ON A SERIOUS DEED.
DON’T LISTEN TO THEM.
SMILE AND HAVE FUN WHEN IT’S TIME DO SMILE AN HAVE FUN.
BUT KEEP FOCUSED WHEN IT’S TIME TO BE FOCUSED.
HUGS,
DEN ROD
that’s a good suggestion. thanks.:)
Great story Paulo: I for one was surprised by the title and had doubts in reading further…but I am glad I did. There is no room for evil, unless we ourselves promote it and make way for it. Good story to reflect on the importance of not prejudging based on other’s opinion. “Search (knowledge)and you shall find!”
Uma história deliciosa!
The churches I was raised in spent far more time talking about the power of the Devil than they did the power of Christ…now it makes me wonder whose side they were on! :)
Excellent observation. We carry the devil inside us. Read Cavafy’s poems on this subject.
«They say you can make people powerful, rich, and beautiful.»
“The promoters are using clichés…I’m in the binding business” the devil replied to the boy. “Information overload, images served up like bottled sparkling water from Lethe’s cold spring wipe out their memory of my existence…many thirsty souls out there my boy! Virtual reality is the new game — my new domain.” the devil said smiling ever so …( I leave that up to your imagination)
“You sharpen the human appetite to the point where it can split atoms with its desire; you build egos the size of cathedrals; fiber-optically connect the world to every eager impulse; grease even the dullest dreams with these dollar-green, gold-plated fantasies, until every human becomes an aspiring emperor, becomes his own God… and where can you go from there?” John Milton – The Devil’s Advocate
Maybe John Milton is overstating the method???
Satora
P.S.
“If I became a monster today, and decided to kill them, one by one, they would become aware only after most of the flock had been slaughtered, thought the boy. They trust me, and they’ve forgotten how to rely on their own instincts, because I lead them to nourishment.
The boy was surprised at his thoughts. Maybe the church, with the sycamore growing from within, had been haunted.” P.C. – The Alchemist
This is true!!!!I like that.
The Devil has no more power than what we give it.
devil can make things worse, gud cannot be done by devil, darkness cannot overshadow light!
so it is nvr ever powerful then gud thought , kind words n love!
Dear Sir,
I read the above article in your book ” Like the Flowing River”( Pg 73 under the title ‘These Are My Friends’.) I liked the article better in your blog compared, to the one in book.
I have recently started reading your books and truly love the way you write.
it is so easy to listen to the voice of envy or jealousy and so on.. always seek your highest potential. the evil is that ego thingie that brings nothing good. insecurity also makes you prejudice.. concentrate on your own potentials. whe all are equal important and have our own skils. see this and embraze. your own and your fellow man.
I like this short story very much,and main reason is my connection with devil for a long time.I believe i have been tempted by him,but to answer :why i was chosen?i am not able to give.Since i won old age during my process of self improvement/he was present as well/i should accept such words as a compliment!Say me free that i have a pact with Devil,I’ll be proud of myself.
ps;Devil was right by giving his answer to the boy!
Quanti errori commessi,quanti se ne commettono, vedendo il diavolo dove hanno voluto farlo vedere o apparire come tale.E’ vera questa storia,come dici tu, come racconti, come scrivi,non vi e’ cosa piu’ bella che liberarsi dai fantasmi o da cio’ che e’ stato descritto come tale…se coltiviamo il nostro giardino piuttosto che osservare quello del vicino,sgombri di invidia, riusciremo a vedere meno cose cattive…*suerte Paulo*Bello sono come il fiume che scorre*******
So true,Devil does’nt exist till the instant we promote it,so refrain from itnpromote good things ;peace, happiness,love and we will have heaven in this world where there be no place for the DEVIL
Agreed.Well phrased. :D <3 Take care and shine, svaha.
Exquisite, as always…
It’d be great if the world were filled with people with your vision of life and love, best wishes from Mexico.
The immortal enemy has been always there for all times, and we must have a stronger consciousness to fight its worldly temptations, which will enable us to safely guard our soul as we go along this ferocious journey in life.
Paolo Coelho has pure transparent wisdom. Some may not understand the passage that was mentioned and in my opinion it is because people unbreakable thoughts of some words and information told to them.
and I also think because people hear only what they want to hear – what they are capable to hear at the time -.
Yesterday I want to our local book bazaar and found a big shelf of Coelho books.i was really happy and excited but the price was so high that I was not able to buy.Now I am in a very bad mood .one thing that makes me feel better is that i can read some pieces here in the blog.
Hello there,
Did you know that there are book stores with second had books! They can be even 3 times less the price. I found the “Tenth Insight” by James Redfield today for A$9 when the same book costs 30 if you buy it brand new. Also I consider sometimes its good to read a book that has been read by someone else before before you can feel the energy and the work that was done with the book..
I am pretty sure also that there should be local libraries and also bookfriends groups and societies and meetings where you can engage and found material cheaper or for free.. so yeah dont deprive yourself of the knowledge and remember one thing that Coelho says as well is that following your intuition will give you clues,ideas and open up paths for you towards your personal legend..
Good luck locating books!
Peace,
Dimitrios
Its basically jealousy which had the men speaking of the devil. If its devil who can create beauty and riches then would we ever require God? Men through ages have tried to gain sympathy and pity by terming ugliness as the creation of God.. to see who cares to look within. They also plead to live a humble life with bare neccessities and anyone who defies this rule is an agent of devil.
But if no one went against this,then could we have had the progress we have achieved?!! It is these men whom people call devil out of fear who are the real agents of God.
A very nice and reflecting story :)
interesting thought Rituparna,
even in Indian mythology, what u see -
the asuras ( devils, sort of ) are always shown to be industrious, hard working chaps, who can go to such a extenet that the big devas ( greater gods, hindusism has about miliions of them, there is a reason, nothing to scoff about ) are forced to grant them boons with which these asuras always give a tough time to the non hard working, pleassure loving devas.
and in case u may not have heard, “An idle mind is a devils’s workshop” was coined and advertised by initially be devil himself, for men at ease with themselves are no politicians, will not go after this or that and for devil this is unacceptable; it wants people to work, work work, preferabely without thinking, as is the case mostly.
what we call development and riches can also be seen as screwing up this earth. other than extending the miserable years of their life, what have we really achived, as a race. remember that comment to neo in Matrix, “Humans and virus are alike, they grow at teh cost of their hosts ( the excat statement was much more ‘chilling’, but i forget the words ).
But u were right in way, most of the people who accuse devil’s hand in others progress, may be doing it for jealousy !
aksh
Чужие сны стеречь-своими пренебречь.
ahhaaaaaha)funny
Has somebody ever seen “totally honest” Devil? Hi hi …
To catch the soul is only what he needs. He has millions ways in his practice of thousands years to do it.
And he chooses his way depends of the person. One way for mayor, other for beautiful woman, third for the boy…
oh yes, that is very true :)
one should always see the good in people as it is and not otherwise
the only thing wrong with this story is the devil would have agreed with the boy, as there is nothing good or nor honest bout him. he is a liar and the father of lies
what i learnt today?
why anyone will promote devil or what do this whole story is trying to say?
“Never hold your head up so proudly that it’s higher than your heart.”
I thought about this today and now after reading this parable, it seems fitting.
If the devout woman, the villager, and the priest had used their hearts they would have realized:
– that the mayor had had polio as a boy and had been beaten up almost everyday on his way to school by bullies, had fought with all of his might to walk without a limp, had worked three jobs to put himself through the university and had married a woman who had an illegitimate child to give her and her child a home.
– that the land owner had sold his company, had given a great sum of money to a relief fund to rebuild Haiti, and had purchased a great amount of the land around the village so that he could employ the villages and sell the produce at an extremely low price to the local markets so that the villagers could survive in the current economy.
– that the beautiful woman had once weighed 310 lbs, had read Paulo Coelho’s book “The Alcemist” which helped her to see, had realized her dream and was able to lose 180 lbs.,had finally been able to feel good about herself as a being, and that day had, for the first time, worn her new, small size dress out in public.
Listen to your heart (your inner voice) … your heart is not a judge…it can and will help you to realize another being’s potential if you will just keep your mind focused more to it than the wants and pride of society.
Love this Elaine-listen to your heart,as well as be selfless.
Love*Light.
Looking with your heart allows you to see what is hidden from your eyes. How wonderful to see someone take the time to write such a response as you have. I would like to join you in your positive approach and add the following as my reaction to talk about the Devil.
If you look for the dark, the dark is what you will find. Look for the Light and Light you will be.
In everybody’s mind a devil reside. It is our consciousness to promote it or not.Our outlook to see good things in the world in positive matter and appreciating other better things than us.To blame other means to shield our negative points. This means how sour are grapes!
La gente suele imputarle los logros humanos a Dios o al Diablo, creo que el hombre tiene la capacidad de lograr todo lo que se proponga, y Dios o el diablo, son solo los caminos que elegimos para lograr esos objetivos… El poder está dentro de nosotros, independientemente de quién nos haya creado.
A long time ago, two light beings had a disagreement. One went on a journey away from her true love. He missed her terribly and followed her. She tried to hid from him by putting on many disguises. But secretly she always wished he would find her. His love was so deep for her that he never gave up. Finally they found each other again and couldn’t even remember why they were so angry. So they rejoiced, they realized that they were as different as night and day. Also they realized that it was the differences that really attracted them to each other. They vowed to each other to always love unconditionally and accept their differences. They had then an wild and amazing journey and lived on forever in eternity.
… because the devil lies in Fear, Greed and Vanity. So feed the right wolf :)
/Alexandra
Hello Paolo ! It’s the intrigue/curiosity that’s dangerous. I agree with Rosetta Savelli in the sense that one can acknowledge his existence but that doesn’t mean he merits attention and indeed it would be better to quietly ignore him.
Misconstrued people take our right to abundance as a sign of the devil. What rubbish
We are all entitled to abundanve xx
Paulo thank you so much for this. I once wrote, “God and the devil are out to lunch; who are you going to blame now? Somewhere in consciousness there’s a belief that God is a poor man and the devil a rich man. The amazing thing is that Jesus said, “The truth will set you free” but how many people seek the truth within themselves where everything in the universe resides? I know in my heart The Alchemist coming into my life is no coincidence. I am thankful and grateful!
it doesn´t matter, powerfull,fortuna, beautifull…. if your shell is not freedomm..
The speak of the devil always gets me. For the longest time I did not believe in the existence of the ‘devil’ to me it is a very strong force and energy, on the opposite spectrum of the highest good…
Have I changed my mind about it? I don’t know. I think what makes the difference, is how we use that energy.
Nevertheless, a great story!
love and kisses
xxoo
Interesting! The devil being a type of energy is a good way of looking at it. In any situation we always have a few thoughts come to mind…a thought is energy, what speaks volumes is the choice.
Ciao Paulo, mi chiedo se pur riconoscendolo non sarebbe meglio ignorarlo! Ciao Rosetta
If only anyone saw in others’ successes and riches and beauty what he can also have if he tries hard and is patient and has faith .. all the people in the story preferred to ‘shut up’ their envy (and restore their shaking ‘happiness’) by telling the boy (and themselves) that all this is Devil’s work and not God’s.. What a pity…
Love and Gratitude
Annie
O que significa o diabo? Será que o homen não dá muito valor as coisas que “teoricamente” não prestam?
Why don’t we think it is just a human free will that allows us to achieve what we want with our lifes?
God has given us that power, so let us not give the devil any part of it!!!
So true… Unfortunately almost everything is promoting devil… and fortunate are those people who have the ability to tell and the honesty to admit…
What is the point of this story?
People who are traying to teach others that devil is something bad are the ones who actually give him importance
Preciosa historia.
Santa Teresa decía “ese pobre que no conoce el amor”.
Yo creo que vive en el egoísmo y parasita en nuestros defectos.
Dear Paulo, unfortunately people are very envy, if you have money, if you are happy if you have a good work sure you have a pact with devil,say people. this is a shame! thanks God that a lot of people read your books and I think every one of us wants to be a better person! thanks for helping us! God bless you! love
ya another good one!short one but telling big thing.
we alway do this in our way of living life in settel way.
maybe it’s just jealousy talking
if someone has been gifted with something as coveted as beauty or being very rich it’s easier to believe they didn’t earn it than to understand that God gives to people different gifts for reasons we don’t necessarily understand!
Since when the devil is being honest!!
Since human was given free will and there is a lot of chances that we are going to choose according to our “good being”, necesity or just simply comfort… no matter if even evil is giving us that chance, evil knows our nature, don’t have to lie…. just extend temptation in our path…is our choice…
Peace.
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