GODFATHER DEATH

A poor man has great difficulty providing for his twelve children. When he has another son, he goes out to find a godfather who can look after his thirteenth child. He intends to ask the first person he meets on the highway to be the boy's godfather. The first person he meets turns out to be God. Although God is happy to be the child's godfather, the poor man decides that he does not wish it. The man says that God favors the rich and leaves the poor to starve. The next person that he meets is the Devil. Although the Devil promises to make the man's son rich, the man does not want the deceiver and tempter of mankind to be his son's godfather. The third person that the man meets is Death. The man is pleased to have Death as his son's godfather because Death does not discriminate but takes rich and poor alike. Death also promises to make the boy rich.

When the boy grows up, Death appears to him, takes him to a forest and shows him a herb. Death tells his godson that, thanks to the herb, he can become a famous and respected doctor and become rich as a result. All people who are given the herb, no matter how sick they are, recover. When Death appears at a patient's head, his godson can say that the patient will recover and administer the herb. If Death is standing at the patient's feet, his godson must say that nothing can be done and allow Death to take that person. Death strongly warns his godson never to save the life of someone he has decided must die.

The young man becomes the most famous doctor in the world. One day, he is asked to treat the king. The doctor sees Death standing at the king's feet. He decides to risk making Death angry one time, certain that his grandfather will forgive him. He turns the king around so that Death is standing at his head. He gives the king the herb. The king makes a full recovery.

Death is very angry with the doctor. Since he is his godson, however, he lets him off with a warning not to cheat him again.

Soon afterwards, the king's daughter becomes gravely ill. The king says that anyone who cures the princess can marry her and inherit his kingdom. Death's godson goes to see the princess. He sees Death standing at her feet. He turns her around so that Death is standing at her head and gives her the herb.

This time, Death is very angry. He takes the doctor to a cave full of candles. Each candle represents someone's life. Some candles, those of people who have many years left to live, are tall. Some candles, those of people who will die soon, are very short. The doctor asks Death to show him his candle. The doctor is horrified to see how short his candle is. He asks Death to move its flame to an unlit tall candle. Death pretends to do as his godson asks. He purposefully drops the doctor's candle, however, and makes its flame go out. The doctor dies instantly and Death has taken his revenge.