Orange County Blacksmith Guild
Story of St Dunstan
There are many versions of the story of St Dunstan, a blacksmith in England around 950AD. Of course, our version must be the best..
The Devil was moving about the wooded area just out of town creating his usual evil issues, when he heard the hammering noise of a blacksmith. He found Dunstan busy working in his shop, shoeing a horse, something he had never seen before.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Putting shoes on this horse, it will help protect the hoof” he replied.
Devil thought, I want my hoofs protected.
The devil approached Dunstan and demanded that he put shoes on him.
Dunstan looked at the devil’s cleft or split hoof and refused.
“I’ll not assist the devil.”
The devil became insistent and would not let up.
He threatened to make Dunstan’s life miserable.
Finally Dunstan agreed to shoe the devil.
“Do you want the shoe put on hot, or cold?” he asked.
“What is the difference” asked the devil.
“Cold will work well, but hot fit is more comfortable.”
“I want a better fit of course.”
Dunstan proceeded to make the shoes and nail them onto the devil’s split hoof, hot.
The devil at first thought they felt good. He danced off into the woods. But, as the heat from the shoe came thru his hoof, his feet began to burn. In pain he jumped into the nearby stream to cool his feet.
Any blacksmith knows that if you quickly cool metal, it shrinks.
The devil’s new shoes shrunk, putting him in terrible pain.
He hobbled back to Dunstan for help.
“You have to remove them” he demanded.
“I’ll not do so; I met your demands.”
“Take them off “ the devil insisted.
“Why should I assist the devil?”
“I’m in great pain, you must remove them.”
They quarreled back and forth for a long time.
“There may be a way to come to terms on this” Dunstan finally said.
“If you agree to never enter a home in which my horseshoe hangs, I will remove the shoes.”
“Agreed, remove these shoes now” the devil replied.
As a result, the devil can never enter a home where a blacksmith’s horseshoe hangs.
Shoes should hang open side down, to protect the home and fill the it with love.
