then he let them go to pasture alone, but it came to pass that the lord god perceived how at one time they gnawed away at a fruitful tree, at another injured the noble vines, or destroyed other tender plants. this distressed him, so that in his goodness and mercy he summoned his wolves, who soon tore in pieces the goats that went there. when the devil observed this, he went before the lord and said, "thy creatures have destroyed mine." the lord answered, "why didst thou create things to do harm?" the devil said, "i was compelled to do it: inasmuch as my thoughts run on evil, what i create can have no other nature, and thou must pay me heavy damages." "i will pay thee as soon as the oak leaves fall; come then, thy money will then be ready counted out." when the oak-leaves had fallen, the devil came and demanded what was due to him.