Thomas Keightley (1789–1872) was an Irish writer best known for his works on mythology and folklore. Fairy Mythology published in 1928 gained the world popularity and was reprinted as The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves, and Other Little People. Regarded as a pioneer in the study of Folklore by modern scholars in the field, he was one of the early collectors of folklore.

This fairy-tale was collected and retold by Thomas Keightley and it tells us about the Cyriac's Mead — a magical place in Germany. As the legend has it, if an ill child gets to that place and drinks out of the Cyriac's Well get will either die or recover during the period of nine days.

A servant of one of the spiritual lords of Germany got his child terribly ill with some strange symptoms. So his wife decides to try the magical power of the Cyriac's Mead. But on the way she meets a woman who tells her that her child is a born devil...