| he flies through the air with the help of strange animals; food and wine are left out for him as a bribe to secure his favours. The Devil's nickname (!) ''Old Nick'' derives directly from Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was often associated with fertility cults, hence with fruit, nuts, and fruitcake, his characteristic gifts. This odd connection indicates how freely associative folklore becomes and how tangential to the essential point. The permutations of the folklore Devil are almost limitless;
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