The Godfather

A poor man had so many children that he had already asked everyone in the world to be godfather. When another child was born, there was no one left to invite. He did not know what to do. In his worry, he lay down and fell asleep.

Then he dreamed that he should go outside the gate and ask the first person he met to be godfather. When he woke up, he decided to do as his dream told him. He went outside the gate and asked the first person who came along to be godfather.

The stranger gave him a little glass of water and said, "This is wonderful water. With it you can heal the sick. But you must see where Death is standing. If Death stands by the patient's head, give the patient some water and he will be healed.

But if Death stands by the patient's feet, all effort is in vain, for the sick man must die." From then on, the man could always tell whether a patient could be saved. He became famous for his skill and earned a lot of money.

Once, he was called to the king's child. When he entered, he saw Death standing by the child's head. He cured the child with the water. He did the same a second time. But the third time, Death stood by the child's feet. Then he knew the child had to die.

Once the man thought he would visit the godfather and tell him how well he had done with the water. But when he entered the house, it was very strange! On the first flight of stairs, the broom and shovel were arguing and hitting each other hard.

He asked them, "Where does the godfather live?" The broom answered, "One flight higher." When he came to the second flight, he saw a pile of dead fingers. He asked, "Where does the godfather live?" One of the fingers replied, "One flight higher." On the third flight lay a pile of dead heads, which again directed him to the next flight.

On the fourth flight, he saw fish in pans, sizzling and cooking themselves. They also said, "One flight higher." When he had climbed the fifth, he came to a door and peeped through the keyhole. There he saw the godfather, who had a pair of long horns.

When he opened the door and went in, the godfather quickly got into bed and covered himself. Then the man said, "Sir godfather, what a strange household you have! When I came to your first flight, the shovel and broom were quarreling and beating each other."

"How stupid you are!" said the godfather. "That was the boy and the maid talking to each other." "But on the second flight I saw dead fingers lying." "Oh, how silly you are! Those were some roots of scorzonera." "On the third flight lay a pile of dead men's heads." "Foolish man, those were cabbages." "On the fourth flight, I saw fish in a pan, hissing and baking themselves." When he said that, the fish came and served themselves up.

"And when I got to the fifth flight, I peeped through the keyhole of a door, and there, godfather, I saw you, and you had long, long horns." "Oh, that is a lie!" The man became scared and ran out.

If he had not, who knows what the godfather would have done to him.