Comments on: Comments on 21259

Post number 21259

languagehat — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:15:59 -0800

The Devil's Bridge. For Halloween, tales of bridges where the devil took a hand in the building: "If I help you, I'll have the soul of the first who crosses the bridge!" But the devil gets fooled... [more]

By: languagehat

languagehat — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:16:43 -0800

In the Balkans, on the other hand, the builder has to sacrifice his wife to make the bridge stand firm; the most famous is the Bridge of Arta in Greece, but there are similar stories all over. A rarity is the pont d'Avignon, whose story involves neither death nor devil, just a miracle to help the shepherd Bénezet. Of course, some of the old bridges most recently in the news are in the former Yugoslavia; there's the Bridge on the Drina at Visegrad, about which Ivo Andric wrote a great novel and where terrible things happened during the war; finally, there's the bridge at Mostar, which was destroyed in one of the many depressing episodes of the recent war but is now being rebuilt—by a very determined guy.

By: condour75

condour75 — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:31:52 -0800

Great post! Interesting how tropes like this are found everywhere; What is it about crossing water that brings out tales of hubris? Daedalus and Icharus were flying over water when Icharus flew too close to Mr. Sun. Then there's that James Cameron movie about that boat... what was it called? I've been to the bridge in Wales; it really wasn't too impressive as bridges go, but it was a fun day trip just the same. One wonders if someday the New World will have such a tale. I nominate Robert Moses and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

By: oissubke

oissubke — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:38:20 -0800

Awesome post, hat. Thanks!

By: quadog

quadog — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:55:27 -0800

I think the Devil needs to refine the terms of his contracts. I'm sure any lawyer would be willing to help him - for a fee.

By: fishfucker

fishfucker — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 14:43:29 -0800

[this is good]

By: dazed_one

dazed_one — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 16:04:49 -0800

And here was me thinking that the devil was cunning... It seems he fell for the same trick about 5 times... Good post.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 16:34:12 -0800

Devil went down to Lake Galenbeck He was looking for a soul to steal...

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Thu, 31 Oct 2002 23:22:13 -0800

The devil was apparently pretty involved in bridge building in Wales too, among other activities, many involving bargains and compacts. This thread reminded me of a Devil's Bridge I had seen in Aberystwyth - a Google turned up this wonderful page of deviltry in Wales, including a few bridge tales. Great post languagehat!

By: taratan

taratan — Fri, 01 Nov 2002 02:27:57 -0800

Fascinating tales - all of them (& what a discovery -The Brahmarâkshas and the Hair, Breaking Wind: Legendary Farts, etc.). Thanks, languagehat.