Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables

Book LLXVI: E Patrinœ Mortę

A poor man had twelve children and was forced to work night andday to give them even bread. When therefore the thirteenthcame into the world, he knew not what to do in his trouble,but ran out into the great highway, and resolved to ask thefirst person whom he met to be godfather. The first to meethim was the good God who already knew what filled his heart,and said to him, poor man, I pity you. I will hold your childat its christening, and will take charge of it and make ithappy on earth. The man said, who are you. I am God. ThenI do not desire to have you for a godfather, said the man, you giveto the rich, and leave the poor to hunger. Thus spoke the man,for he did not know how wisely God apportions riches andpoverty. He turned therefore away from the Lord, and wentfarther. Then the devil came to him and said, what do you seek.If you will take me as a godfather for your child, I will give himgold in plenty and all the joys of the world as well. The manasked, who are you. I am the devil. Then I do not desire to haveyou for godfather, said the man, you deceive men and lead themastray. He went onwards, and then came death striding up tohim with withered legs, and said, take me as godfather. Theman asked, who are you. I am death, and I make all equal. Thensaid the man,you are the right one, you take the rich as well as the poor,without distinction, you shall be godfather. Death answered,I will make your child rich and famous, for he who has me for afriend can lack nothing. The man said, next sunday is thechristening, be there at the right time. Death appeared as hehad promised, and stood godfather quite in the usual way.When the boy had grown up, his godfather one day appearedand bade him go with him. He led him forth into a forest, andshowed him a herb which grew there, and said, now you shallreceive your godfather's present. I make you a celebratedphysician. When you are called to a patient, I will always appearto you. If I stand by the head of the sick man, you may say withconfidence that you will make him well again, and if you givehim of this herb he will recover, but if I stand by the patient'sfeet, he is mine, and you must say that all remedies are invain, and that no physician in the world could save him. Butbeware of using the herb against my will, or it might fareill with you.It was not long before the youth was the most famous physicianin the whole world. He had only to look at the patient and heknew his condition at once, whether he would recover, or mustneeds die. So they said of him, and from far and wide peoplecame to him, sent for him when they had anyone ill, and gave himso much money that he soon became a rich man. Now it so befellthat the king became ill, and the physician was summoned, andwas to say if recovery were possible. But when he came to the bed,death was standing by the feet of the sick man, and the herbdid not grow which could save him. If I could but cheat death foronce, thought the physician, he is sure to take it ill if I dobut, as I am his godson, he will shut one eye, I will risk it. Hetherefore took up the sick man, and laid him the other way, sothat now death was standing by his head. Then he gave the kingsome of the herbs, and he recovered and grew healthy again.But death came to the physician, looking very black andangry, threatened him with his finger, and said, you have betrayedme, this time I will pardonit, as you are my godson, but if you venture it again, itwill cost you your neck, for I will take you yourself awaywith me.Soon afterwards the king's daughter fell into a severe illness.She was his only child, and he wept day and night, so that hebegan to lose the sight of his eyes, and he caused it to bemade known that whosoever rescued her from death should be herhusband and inherit the crown. When the physician came to thesick girl's bed, he saw death by her feet. He ought to haveremembered the warning given by his godfather, but he was soinfatuated by the great beauty of the king's daughter, and thehappiness of becoming her husband, that he flung all thought tothe winds. He did not see that death was casting angry glanceson him, that he was raising his hand in the air, and threateninghim with his withered fist. He raised up the sick girl,and placed her head where her feet had lain. Then he gaveher some of the herb, and instantly her cheeks flushed red,and life stirred afresh in her.When death saw that for a second time his own property had beenmisused, he walked up to the physician with long strides, andsaid, all is over with you, and now the lot falls on you, andseized him so firmly with his ice-cold hand, that he could notresist, and led him into a cave below the earth. There hesaw how thousands and thousands of candles were burning incountless rows, some large, some medium-sized, others small.Every instant some were extinguished, and others again burnt up,so that the flames seemed to leap hither and thither inperpetual change. See, said death, these are the lights ofmen's lives. The large ones belong to children, the medium-sizedones to married people in their prime, the little ones belongto old people, but children and young folks likewise haveoften only a tiny candle. Show me the light of my life, saidthe physician, and he thought that it would be still verytall. Death pointed to a little end which was just threateningto go out, and said, behold, it is there. Ah, dear godfather,said the horrified physician, light a new one for me, do it forlove of me, that I may enjoy my life, be king, and the husband ofthe king's beautiful daughter. I cannot, answered death,one must go outbefore a new one is lighted. Then place the old one on a newone, that will go on burning at once when the old one has cometo an end, pleaded the physician. Death behaved as if he weregoing to fulfill his wish, and took hold of a tall new candle,but as he desired to revenge himself, he purposely made a mistakein fixing it, and the little piece fell down and was extinguished.Immediately the physician fell on the ground, and now he himselfwas in the hands of death.