A young man in Perugia once promised the devil that if he would help him to commit a sinful act which he desired to do, he would give the devil his soul. To prove his conviction, the man wrote down the wicked commitment and signed it with his blood. He then gave it to the devil and the agreement was made.

Eager to receive what was promised him, the devil did his part - and the young man committed the evil deed.

Wasting no time, the devil took the wicked fool to a well and placed him near the edge. He then ordered him to throw himself in to his death - otherwise the devil would drag him soul and body into hell.

The wretched youth, thinking that it was impossible now to escape from who he now realized to be his enemy, climbed the well-side in order to cast himself into it. But as he stood there, at the brink of his death - he became terrified. Frozen with this fear, the young man told the devil that he had not the courage to throw himself in.

"If you wish to see me dead," said the foolish sinner. "You yourself must thrust me in."

The devil stepped near, but then cowered back. His hateful eyes peered at the youth’s back.

"Take off that scapular," the demon snarled, "and I will cast you in."

The young man looked down. He had forgotten the scapular of the Sorrowful Mother, that he had kept around his neck. Realizing now and seeing the protection which the Mother of God still gave him through that scapular, he refused to take it off. An argument of course ensued, but in the end, it was the devil who, filled with bitter rage, hurried away from his defeat.

Shocked beyond words, the sinner, needless-to-say, repented of his wicked deed. Immensely grateful for the extraordinary mercy showed to him, when he had so richly deserved the fires of hell - the young man begged forgiveness from his Sorrowful Mother. To prove his gratitude, he went to the new church of Santa Maria in Perugia and there he presented at her altar, as a testimony to Our Lady's mercy and protection - a picture of what had taken place.