Word from the Desert - Meditations

…of the Theotokos hut of St. Anne’s Skete on Mt. Athos there lived a monk called Prokopios. One day when he was feeling sad and gloomy there appeared in front of him a white-bearded elder who asked him, “What is the matter? Why are you sad?”

“What is the matter? I would like to learn music and not one wants to teach me because I cannot sing in tune,” he answered.

“I will teach you. With me you will be the best chanter. But I would like you to do me a favor first,” said the stranger.
“What? Anything you want!” Prokopios replied.

“Instead of any payment, I would like for you to throw away that thing you have in your hand (his prayer rope) and stop saying the prayer.”

Then Prokopios realized the stranger was the devil, and he became very, very angry and said, “Get behind me, Satan!” And the Devil vanished immediately.

from An Athonite Gerontikon