Devil and Káča

Devil and Káča (Czech: Čert a Káča) is a fairy tale by Czech writer Božena Němcová from her collection Národní báchorky a powěsti (Folk Stories and Legends).^[1] It was adapted from a Czech folk tale.^[2]

Plot

A devil dances with a village old maid Káča, takes her to the hell, and then cannot get rid of her. A young shepherd helps him out and the devil promised the shepherd a reward. Eventually the shepherd tricks the devil into a larger reward by scaring him by telling that Káča is coming.

Adaptations

A vision of Devil and Káča by Ladislav Šaloun

• 1899: opera by Antonín Dvořák, The Devil and Kate^[2]
• 1955: Devil and Káča [fr], 44min. animation directed by Václav Bedřich loosely based on the fairy tale by Božena Němcová. Lucifer asks his sidekick to bring the most evil princess from the Earth. By mistake a peasant girl Káča was brought and she raised a hell in hell and she is to be returned to the Earth as soon as possible.^[3]
• 1970: Devil and Káča [cs], Czech black and white comedy TV film^[4][5]