This is Chase032.
Types ATU0330 Smith outwits the devil.
Motifs A2817 origin of the will-o-the-wisp / jack-o-lantern
D1413.5 bench to which person sticks
M0211 man sells soul to devil
Q0565 man admitted to neither heaven nor hell; he has tricked the devil
K0526 substituting bag??? (Baer does not specify)
K0527 substituting bag??? (Baer does not specify)
Notes
Baer notes that both Harris and Crane dismiss the story as too European. but also: "The incident of the smith's escape by substituting bags (K0526 and K0527) is not in the Thompson summary of the tale type, but is extremely popular in African talls and calls to mind Piersen's above-mentioned comment on syncretism (Chase031).
about motif-mixing: "The Negro tale teller, in including the substituted sacks episode as part of the story is availing himself of a tradition more noted among African than among European tale-tellers, the tradition of using what might be called free-floating motifs. Int he episodic animal tales of Africa, certain motifs, such as holding up the rock or tree, blinding the guard, tar-baby, substituted sack, can be incorporated into tales in varying order and with varying emphases. It is not surprising to find the tradition maintained when retelling a European tale."
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