The devil tricks a man into trading his daughter for wealth. Each time the devil comes to collect, the girl is soaked with tears so he decides to come back another time. Thus, the man cuts off the girl's hands so that she's constantly crying and therefore, unwanted by the devil. The girl ends up marrying a king, but when he goes off to war, the devil returns and tricks her into thinking that the king has ordered her execution, driving her back to her father. She's, of course, grateful to return home until Grimm reminds her of the soon-to-be-famous phrase "an arm for and arm."