When the boy had grown up, his godfather one day appeared and bade himgo with him. He led him forth into a forest, and showed him a herb whichgrew there, and said, "Now shalt thou receive thy godfather's present. Imake thee a celebrated physician. When thou art called to a patient,I will always appear to thee. If I stand by the head of the sick man,thou mayst say with confidence that thou wilt make him well again, andif thou givest him of this herb he will recover; but if I stand by thepatient's feet, he is mine, and thou must say that all remedies are invain, and that no physician in the world could save him. But beware ofusing the herb against my will, or it might fare ill with thee."
It was not long before the youth was the most famous physician inthe whole world. "He had only to look at the patient and he knew hiscondition at once, and if he would recover, or must needs die." Sothey said of him, and from far and wide people came to him, sent forhim when they had any one ill, and gave him so much money that he soonbecame a rich man. Now it so befell that the King became ill, and thephysician was summoned, and was to say if recovery were possible. Butwhen he came to the bed, Death was standing by the feet of the sick man,and the herb did not grow which could save him. "If I could but cheatDeath for once," thought the physician, "he is sure to take it ill if Ido, but, 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, so that nowDeath was standing by his head. Then he gave the King some of the herb,and he recovered and grew healthy again. But Death came to the physician,looking very black and angry, threatened him with his finger, and said,"Thou hast overreached me; this time I will pardon it, as thou art mygodson; but if thou venturest it again, it will cost thee thy neck,for I will take thee thyself away with me."
Soon afterwards the King's daughter fell into a severe illness. Shewas his only child, and he wept day and night, so that he began tolose the sight of his eyes, and he caused it to be made known thatwhosoever rescued her from death should be her husband and inherit thecrown. When the physician came to the sick girl's bed, he saw Death byher feet. He ought to have remembered the warning given by his godfather,but he was so infatuated by the great beauty of the King's daughter,and the happiness of becoming her husband, that he flung all thought tothe winds. He did not see that Death was casting angry glances on him,that he was raising his hand in the air, and threatening him with hiswithered fist. He raised up the sick girl, and placed her head whereher feet had lain. Then he gave her some of the herb, and instantly hercheeks flushed red, and life stirred afresh in her.
When Death saw that for a second time he was defrauded of his ownproperty, he walked up to the physician with long strides, and said,"All is over with thee, and now the lot falls on thee," and seized himso firmly with his ice-cold hand, that he could not resist, and led himinto a cave below the earth. There he saw how thousands and thousands ofcandles were burning in countless rows, some large, others half-sized,others small. Every instant some were extinguished, and others again burntup, so that the flames seemed to leap hither and thither in perpetualchange. "See," said Death, "these are the lights of men's lives. The largeones belong to children, the half-sized ones to married people in theirprime, the little ones belong to old people; but children and young folkslikewise have often only a tiny candle." "Show me the light of my life,"said the physician, and he thought that it would be still very tall. Deathpointed to a little end which was just threatening to go out, and said,"Behold, it is there." "Ah, dear godfather," said the horrified physician,"light a new one for me, do it for love of me, that I may enjoy my life,be King, and the husband of the King's beautiful daughter." "I cannot,"answered Death, "one must go out before a new one is lighted." "Then placethe old one on a new one, that will go on burning at once when the old onehas come to 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 hedesired to revenge himself, he purposely made a mistake in fixing it, andthe little piece fell down and was extinguished. Immediately the physicianfell on the ground, and now he himself was in the hands of Death.
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