"Take heed that you never use it in opposition to my will."
It was not long before the young fellow was the most celebrated
physician in the whole world.
"The moment he sees a person," said every one, "he knows whether or
not he'll recover."
Accordingly he was soon in great request. People came from far and
near to consult him, and they gave him whatever he required, so that
he made an immense fortune. Now, it so happened that the king was
taken ill, and the physician was called upon to say whether he must
die. As he went up to the bed he saw Death standing at the sick man's
head, so that there was no chance of his recovery. The physician
thought, however, that if he outwitted Death, he would not, perhaps,
be much offended, seeing that he was his godfather, so he caught hold
of the king and turned him round, so that by that means Death was
standing at his feet. Then he gave him some of the herb, and the king
recovered, and was once more well. Death came up to the physician with
a very angry and gloomy countenance, and said--
"I will forgive you this time what you have done, because I am your
godfather, but if you ever venture to betray me again, you must take
the consequences."
Soon after this the king's daughter fell sick, and nobody could cure
her. The old king wept night and day, until his eyes were blinded, and
at last he proclaimed that whosoever rescued her from Death should be
rewarded by marrying her and inheriting his throne. The physician
came, but Death was standing at the head of the princess. When the
physician saw the beauty of the king's daughter, and thought of the
promises that the king had made, he forgot all the warnings he had
received, and, although Death frowned heavily all the while, he turned
the patient so that Death stood at her feet, and gave her some of the
herb, so that he once more put life into her veins.
When Death saw that he was a second time cheated out of his property,
he stepped up to the physician, and said--
"Now, follow me."
He laid hold of him with his icy cold hand, and led him into a
subterranean cave, in which there were thousands and thousands of
burning candles, ranged in innumerable rows. Some were whole, some
half burnt out, some nearly consumed. Every instant some went out, and
fresh ones were lighted, so that the little flames seemed perpetually
hopping about.
"Behold," said Death, "the life-candles of mankind. The large ones
belong to children, those half consumed to middle-aged people, the
little ones to the aged. Yet children and young people have oftentimes
but a little candle, and when that is burnt out, their life is at an
end, and they are mine."