The Godfather Death

A certain poor man had twelve chilren, and was obliged to work day and ight to lind bread for them to eat ; ut when the thirteenth child was om lie ran out in liis üespair on tlie ' igh road to ask tlie flrst he should ' íeet to stand godf ather for it. Presently he met Death striding long on his withered legs, who said, lake me for godfather." The man ' sked who he was, and received 1 jv reply, "I am Death, who lake all things equal." -'Then," 1 wered the man, you are theright : on -you make no difference between ; he rich and poor ; you shall be god41iov .'.ii' rry luy." Death repliéa, "I wiü maKe ÍUUr cmiu ich and f amous ; he who has me for a riend can need nought. Then the ian told him the christening was fixed or the following Sunday, and invited im to come ; and at the right time he id appear and acted very becomingly n the occasion. When the boy arrived at the years f discretion, the godfather carne and ook him away with him, and leading f lim into a f orest showed him an herb diieh grew there. Now," said Death, ou shall receive your christening gift. make you a famous physician. Every ime you are called to a sick person 1 hall appear to you. If 1 stand at the tead of yonr patiënt, you may speak oniidently that you can restore him, md if you give him a morsel of that 'egetable he will speedily get well ; but f I stand at the feet of the sick he is nine, and you must say all medicine s in vain, for the best physician in the vorld could not cure him. Daré not, iQwever. to use the herb against my vill, for then it will go ill with you." ín a very short space of time the routh became the most renowned physcian in the world. "He only ust wants to see the sick person, and ie knows instantly whether he will ive or die," said everv one to his ïeishbor; and so it came to pass tliat 'rom f ar and near people came to him iringing the sick, and giving him so nuch money that he soon became a vevy rich man. Once it happened that ;he King feil sick and our Physician svas called in to say if recovery were possible. When he came to the bedside he saw that Death stood at the feet of the King. "Ah," thought he, 'if I might this once cheat Death he will certainly take offense; but then I a,m his god-child and perhaps he will shut his eyes to it- I will venture." So saying he took up the sick man and tnrned him round, so that Death stood at the head of the King ; then he gave the King some of the herb, and he instantly rose up quite refreshed. Soon afterwards Death, making an evi]..au4 kwsajface, came to the Physician and pressed him on the arm, saying, "You have put my light out, but this time I will excuse you, because you are my god-child ; however, do not dare to act so again, for it will cost you your life and I shall come and take you away." Soon after this event the daughter of the King feil into a serious illness, and, as she was his only child, he wepi, day and night until his eyes were almost blinded. He also caused it to be made known that whoever saved her life should receive her for a bride and inlient his crown. AVhen the physioian came to the bedside of the sick, he perceived Death at her feet, and he remembered the warning of his godfather; but the great beauty of the Princess and the fortune which her husband would receive so influenced him that he cast all other thoughts to the wind. He would not see that Death cast angry looks at him, and threatened him with his list; but he raised up his patiënt and laid her head where her feet had been. Then he gave her a portion of the wonderful herb, and soou hei cheeks regained their color and her blood circulated freely. When Death thus saw his kingdom a second time invaded and his power mecked, he strode up swiftly to the side of the Physician and said, "Now is your turn come ;" and hestruck him with his icy-cold hand so hard that the Physician was unable to resist, and was obliged to follow Death to his underground abode. There the Physician saw thousands upon thousands of lamps burning in immeasureab!e rows, some large, others small, and others yet smaller. Every moment some were extinguished, but others in the same instant blazed out, so that the fiames appeared to dance up here and there in continual variation. "Do yon see?" said Death, "These are the lamps oí ntsn's lives. The larger ones belong to ohildren, and the next to those in the ftower oí. their age, and the smallest to the aged and gray-headed. Yet some ot ttie cliildren and youth in the vvorld have but tlie smallest lamps." The Pliysician begged to be shown his own lamp, and Death pointedto the ime almost expinng, saylng, "There, that. s thine." "Ah, my dear godíather," exolaimed the l'Uysician, frightened, "kindle a new one forme; Lor your love oí me do it, that I may enjoy some years oí' Ufe, niaiiy the Princesa and come to the ci'own." "I oannot," answered Death; "one lamp must be extinguished before another can be lighted." "Thcn place he oíd tn a new lamp, that íts dyíng lire muy kiudle a tresh blaze," said the Phygician entreatingly. Death made as if he would perfora) his wish, and prepared a large and freshlamp; frutbedid it vevy slowly, i n order to revenge himself, and tlic little llame died before he finisheil. Tlien the Physician sank to the eartb, and feil forever into the hands of Death !