Death and the Doctor

Once upon a time there was a lad who had worked for a long time as a servant for a man from the North Country. That man was a master at brewing ale; it was so exceptionally good that its like could not be found. So when the lad was about to leave his place and the man was to pay him the wages he had earned, he would take no other payment than a keg of Christmas ale. He got it and set off with it, and he carried it both far and long, but the longer he carried the keg, the heavier it became, and so he began to look around to see if anyone were coming with whom he might have a drink, so that the ale might lessen and the keg lighten. After a long, long time, he met an old man with a big beard.

"Good day," said the man.

"Good day to you," said the lad.

"Where are you going?" asked the man.

"Oh, I'm looking for someone to drink with so I can get my keg lightened," said the lad.

"Can't you drink with me as well as with anyone else?" said the man. "I have traveled both far and wide, and I am both tired and thirsty."

"Well, why shouldn't I?" said the lad. "But tell me, where do you come from, and what sort of man are you?"

"I am Our Lord, and I come from Heaven," said the man.

"I will not drink with you," said the lad. "For you make such distinctions between people here in the world, and share out rights so unevenly that some get so rich and some so poor. No, with you I will not drink." And as he said this, he trotted off with his keg again.

So when he had gone a bit farther, the keg grew too heavy again. He thought he could never carry it any longer unless someone came with whom he might drink and so lessen the ale in the keg. Yes, he met an ugly, scrawny man who came along fast and furious.

"Good day," said the man.

"Good day to you," said the lad.

"Where are you going?" asked the man.

"Oh, I'm looking for someone to drink with so I can get my keg lightened," said the lad.

"Can't you drink with me as well as with anyone else?" said the man. "I have traveled both far and wide, and I am tired and thirsty."

"Well, why not?" said the lad. "But who are you, and where do you come from?"

"Who am I? I am the Devil, and I come from Hell. That's where I come from," said the man.

"No," said the lad. "You only torment and plague poor folk, and if there is any unhappiness stirring, they always say it is your fault. I will not drink with you."

So he went far, and farther than far again, with his ale-keg on his back, until he thought it grew so heavy that there was no carrying it any farther. He began to look around again if anyone were coming with whom he could drink and lighten his keg. After a long, long time, another man came. He was so dry and lean it was a wonder his bones hung together.

"Good day," said the man.

"Good day to you," said the lad.

"Where are you going?" asked the man.

"Oh, I was only looking around to see if I could find someone to drink with, so that my keg might be lightened a little. It is so heavy to carry."

"Can't you drink with me as well as with anyone else?" said the man.

"Yes, why not?" said the lad. "But what sort of man are you?"

"They call me Death," said the man.

"You are just the man for my money," said the lad. "I am glad to drink with you." And as he said this, he put down his keg and began to tap the ale into a bowl. "You are an honest, trustworthy man, for you treat everyone alike, both rich and poor."

So he drank to Death's health, and Death drank to his. Death said he had never tasted such drink. Since the lad liked him, they drank bowl after bowl until the ale was lessened and the keg grew light.

At last, Death said, "I have never known drink that tasted better or did me so much good as this ale you have given me, and I hardly know what to give you in return." After thinking a while, he said the keg should never become empty, no matter how much they drank out of it, and the ale that was in it should become a healing drink. By this drink, the lad could make the sick whole again better than any doctor. He also said that when the lad came into a sick person's room, Death would always be there and show himself to him. It would be a sure sign: if the lad saw Death at the foot of the bed, he could cure the sick with a drink from the keg; but if Death sat by the pillow, there was no healing or medicine, for then the sick belonged to Death.

The lad soon became famous and was called in from far and near. He helped many to health again who had been given up for lost. When he came in and saw how Death sat by the sick person's bed, he predicted either life or death, and his prediction was never wrong. He became both rich and powerful, and at last he was called in to a king's daughter far, far away in the world. She was so dangerously ill that no doctor thought he could do her any good, and so they promised him anything he cared to ask or have if he would only save her life.

Now, when he came into the princess's room, Death sat at her pillow. But as he sat, he dozed and nodded. While he did so, she felt herself better.

"Now, life or death is at stake," said the doctor. "And from what I see, I fear there is no hope."

But they said he must save her, even if it cost land and realm. So he looked at Death. While Death sat there and dozed again, the doctor made a sign to the servants to turn the bed around so quickly that Death was left sitting at the foot. At the very moment they turned the bed, the doctor gave her the drink, and her life was saved.

"Now you have cheated me," said Death, "and we are even."

"I was forced to do it," said the doctor, "unless I wanted to lose land and realm."

"That won't help you much," said Death. "Your time is up, for now you belong to me."

"Well," said the lad, "what must be, must be. But will you let me have time to read the Lord's Prayer first?"

Yes, he could have leave to do that. But he took very good care not to read the Lord's Prayer. Everything else he read, but the Lord's Prayer never crossed his lips, and at last he thought he had cheated Death for good and all. But when Death thought he had really waited too long, he went to the lad's house one night and hung up a great tablet with the Lord's Prayer painted on it opposite his bed. So when the lad woke in the morning, he began to read the tablet, and did not quite realize what he was doing until he came to "Amen." But then it was just too late, and Death had him.