The Devil Made Them Do It

The Captain was under the apparently mistaken impression that the French worshipped the devil. What else could explain their long lifespans despite eating nothing but triple-cream cheeses and buttery pastries, not to mention drinking 3 bottles of wine a day and non-stop chain-smoking from infancy. How else could they afford to retire at 60 (now 62, mon Dieu!), work 35 hours a week and take 6 months vacation a year? What other than worship of le diable could explain these things? Why on earth would French people fear their dark master Lucifer, who bestows upon them such wondrous earthly delights?

A baby died when a family of 12 leapt from their second floor balcony in Paris claiming they were fleeing the devil.

Eight more were injured, some seriously, in the tragedy when they jumped 20ft into a car park in Paris suburb of La Verriere.

The baffling incident occurred when a wife woke to see her husband moving about naked in the room, police said.

She began screaming 'it's the devil! it's the devil!', and the man ran into the other room where 11 others adults and children were watching television. One woman grabbed a knife and stabbed the man before others pushed him out through the front door.

When the man forced his way back in, they all began screamed in terror and leapt from the balcony screaming 'Jesus! Jesus!'

The naked man also leapt from the balcony, detectives said.

A four-month old baby died in his mother's arms, while a two-year-old was critically injured in yesterday’s incident.

[Belfast Telegraph]