This German folktale story is collected from the German folktale story book, named- “Folk-lore and Legends: Germany”. This German folktale story book contains 30 German folktales, which was written by- Charles John Tibbitts. It was fast published by-W.W. Gibbings, London in 1892.
Gaffer Death
There was once a poor man who had twelve children, and he was obliged to hard work day and night that he might earn food for them. When at length, as it so happened, a thirteenth child came into the world. The poor man did not know how to help himself, so he ran out into the highway, determined to ask the first 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 sorts: you seize on rich and poor without difference; you shall be the child's godfather."
The Death answered, "I will make the boy rich and renowned throughout the world, for he who has me for a friend can want nothing."
The man said to the stranger, "Next Sunday will he be baptized, mind and come at the right time."
The 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 he 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 attention 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 will 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 a huge 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 the 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 the king’s feet. Then he gave him some of the herb, and the king recovered, and was once more well.
The Death came up to the physician with a very angry and depressing expression and said, "I will forgive you this time what you have done, because I am your godfather, but if you ever try to betray me again, you must take the results."
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 announced that who can save her from Death should be rewarded by marrying her and inheriting his throne. The physician came, but the Death was standing at the head of the princess. When the physician saw the beauty of the king's daughter and he thought of the promises that the king had made. The physician forgot all the warnings he had received from his godfather, the Death and although the Death frowned heavily all the while, he turned the patient so that the Death stood at the princess’s feet, and gave her some of the herb, so that he once more put life into her veins.
When the Death saw that he was a second time cheated out of his property, the Death stepped up to the physician, and said, "Now, follow me."
The Death laid hold of him with his icy cold hand, and led him into a underground cave, in which there were thousands and thousands of burning candles, ranged in countless 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 forever hopping about.
"Watch," said the 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."
The physician said to the Death, "Show me my candle."
Then the Death pointed out a very little candle-end, which was twinkling in the socket, and said, "Watch that candle!"
Then the physician said, "Oh, dearest godfather, light me up a new one, that I may first enjoy my life, be king, and husband of the beautiful princess."
"I cannot do so," said the Death; "one must burn out before I can light up another."
"Place the old one then upon a new one, that that may burn on when this is at an end," said the physician.
The Death pretended that he would fulfill with this wish, and reached a large candle, but to revenge himself, purposely failed in putting it up, and the little piece fell and was turn off. Then, the physician sank with it, so he himself fell into the hands of the Death.
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| Gaffer Death |
Gaffer Death
-A German Folktale Story
There was once a poor man who had twelve children, and he was obliged to hard work day and night that he might earn food for them. When at length, as it so happened, a thirteenth child came into the world. The poor man did not know how to help himself, so he ran out into the highway, determined to ask the first 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 sorts: you seize on rich and poor without difference; you shall be the child's godfather."
The Death answered, "I will make the boy rich and renowned throughout the world, for he who has me for a friend can want nothing."
The man said to the stranger, "Next Sunday will he be baptized, mind and come at the right time."
The 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 he 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 attention 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 will 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 a huge 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 the 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 the king’s feet. Then he gave him some of the herb, and the king recovered, and was once more well.
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| Gaffer Death |
The Death came up to the physician with a very angry and depressing expression and said, "I will forgive you this time what you have done, because I am your godfather, but if you ever try to betray me again, you must take the results."
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 announced that who can save her from Death should be rewarded by marrying her and inheriting his throne. The physician came, but the Death was standing at the head of the princess. When the physician saw the beauty of the king's daughter and he thought of the promises that the king had made. The physician forgot all the warnings he had received from his godfather, the Death and although the Death frowned heavily all the while, he turned the patient so that the Death stood at the princess’s feet, and gave her some of the herb, so that he once more put life into her veins.
When the Death saw that he was a second time cheated out of his property, the Death stepped up to the physician, and said, "Now, follow me."
The Death laid hold of him with his icy cold hand, and led him into a underground cave, in which there were thousands and thousands of burning candles, ranged in countless 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 forever hopping about.
"Watch," said the 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."
The physician said to the Death, "Show me my candle."
Then the Death pointed out a very little candle-end, which was twinkling in the socket, and said, "Watch that candle!"
Then the physician said, "Oh, dearest godfather, light me up a new one, that I may first enjoy my life, be king, and husband of the beautiful princess."
"I cannot do so," said the Death; "one must burn out before I can light up another."
"Place the old one then upon a new one, that that may burn on when this is at an end," said the physician.
The Death pretended that he would fulfill with this wish, and reached a large candle, but to revenge himself, purposely failed in putting it up, and the little piece fell and was turn off. Then, the physician sank with it, so he himself fell into the hands of the Death.
If you want to read more Folktales... Click Here
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