Why Do You Suppose It Is Called 'The Devil's Walking Stick'?

From In the Garden

Aralia spinosa, aka Devil's Walking Stick, is an understory tree of disturbed areas in forested regions and is quite common in my area, including Land Between the Lakes. It is also quite common in my neighbor's yard; which has been severely disturbed when the previous neighbor's made a dirt bike trail. (No more dirt bikes-now sweet and quiet horses-with the new neighbor's-a good thing!)

From In the Garden

I find the berries are most attractive and quite prolific. They look good enough to eat but no thanks since they are reputed to be mildly toxic when picked fresh. Interesting enough though the berries and other parts of this American native have medicinal properties when properly prepared.

What I'd really like to know is why do you suppose it is called the Devil's Walking Stick? Could it be because of all those spines along the straight and smooth trunk? Do spikey things fit the devil and does he suffer discomfort? If so, the Devil using this stick to walk must have mighty tough hands to handle those spikes; which fits! Could there be another reason for the common name of Devil's Walking Stick? Anyone know?

in the garden....