Curling with the Devil (Mitchell, The Black Bonspiel of Willie McCrimmon)

 W. O. Mitchell. The Black Bonspiel of Willie MacCrimmon. (1993) Mitchell’s version of a folk-tale trope: the defeat of the Devil. “Mr Cloutie”, on one of his regular visits to Shelby, Alberta, needs his curling boots repaired. Willie MacCrimmon obliges, one thing leads to another, and he’s pledged his soul if he loses a match against Mr Cloutie and his hellish rink, but gets a guaranteed slot at the Brier if he wins. Mrs Brown, wife of one of MacCrimmon’s rink, opposes curling on Sunday, and has guilted Mr Pringle, the United Church minister, into announcing the prohibition from his pulpit. That and several other obstacles must be overcome, but of course MacCrimmon’s rink wins, and they advance to the Brier. All’s well that ends well, as in any well-made fable it should.

Mitchell’s ability to puncture hypocrisy, show up the confusion of respectability with morality, and other sins makes this more than a mere entertainment. It also affirms, rightly, that curling is the true Canadian game. This edition has nicely apposite illustrations by Wesley W. Bates.

Recommended, if you can find a copy (I’m keeping mine). ****