A
deal with the devil or
pact with the devil is a cultural motif, best exemplified by the legend of
Faust and the figure of
Mephistopheles, but elemental to many Christian
folktales. According to traditional
Christian belief in
witchcraft, the pact is between a person and
Satan or a lesser
demon. The person offers his or her
soul in exchange for diabolical favours. Those favours vary by the tale, but tend to include youth, knowledge, wealth, fame, or power.