t person he met to be godfather to the boy.

There came stalking up to him Death, who said--

"Take me for a godfather."

"Who are you?" asked the father.

"I am Death, who makes all equal," replied the stranger.

Then said the man--

"You are one of the right sort: you seize on rich and poor without
distinction; you shall be the child's godfather."

Death answered--

"I will make the boy rich and renowned throughout the world, for he
who has me for a friend can want nothing."

Said the man--

"Next Sunday will he be christened, mind and come at the right time."

Death accordingly appeared as he had promised, and stood godfather to
the child.

When the boy grew up his godfather came to him one day, and took him
into a wood, and said--

"Now shall you have your godfather's present. I will make a most
famous physician of you. Whenever you are called to a sick person, I
will take care and show myself to you. If I stand at the foot of the
bed, say boldly, 'I will soon restore you to health,' and give the
patient a little herb that I will point out to you, and he will soon
be well. If, however, I stand at the head of the sick person, he is
mine; then say, 'All help is useless; he must soon die.'"

Then Death showed him the little herb, and said--

"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 mus