A very poor man had a brand new baby, but he already had so many children he didn't know what to do! "Oh dear," he sighed, "I need to find a godfather for this little one, but who will it be?"

So, he walked out onto the big road. The first person he met was a kind-looking old man. "Will you be godfather to my child?" asked the poor man.
"Yes," said the old man. "I will give your child riches and all the happiness in the world."
"Who are you?" asked the poor man.
"I am God," he replied.
"Then I don't want you," said the poor man. "You give to the rich and let the poor go hungry." And he walked on.

Soon, he met another person. This one had a sly look. "Will you be godfather to my child?" asked the poor man.
"Oh, yes!" said the figure. "I will give your child all the gold and pleasures of the world."
"Who are you?" asked the poor man.
"I am the Devil," he chuckled.
"Then I don't want you," said the poor man. "You trick people and lead them astray." And he walked on.

Finally, he met a tall, thin figure, all bones and shadows. "Will you be godfather to my child?" asked the poor man.
"Yes," said the figure in a quiet voice.
"Who are you?" asked the poor man.
"I am Death," he replied. "And I make everyone equal. I take the rich and the poor, the king and the beggar, without favorites."
"You are the right one!" said the poor man. "You treat everyone the same. You shall be my child's godfather."

So Death became the godfather. When the boy grew up, Death came to him one day and said, "My godson, I want to make you rich and famous. I will make you a doctor. Whenever you are called to a sick person, I will appear. If I stand at the person's head, you can give them a special herb I will show you, and they will get well. But if I stand at their feet, they belong to me, and nothing can save them."

Death showed him the herb, and the young man became a famous doctor. He could tell at a glance whether a sick person would live or die. People came from all over, and he became very rich.

One day, the King fell ill. The doctor was called. When he entered the King's room, he saw Death standing at the King's feet. "Oh no," thought the doctor. "There's no hope."
But then he had an idea. "What if I trick Death?" He quickly had the servants turn the King's bed around, so Death was now standing at the King's head! The doctor gave the King the herb, and the King got better.

Death was not pleased. He came to the doctor, looking stern. "You tricked me!" he said. "I will let it go this once, because I am your godfather. But if you ever do it again, it will be your turn."

Not long after, the King's beautiful daughter, the Princess, became very sick. The King promised that whoever cured her could marry her and become the next king. The doctor went to see the Princess. Alas, Death was standing at her feet.
The doctor remembered Death's warning, but the Princess was so lovely, and the idea of being king was so tempting. "I must save her!" he thought.
So, he quickly had the servants turn the Princess's bed around. Death was now at her head. The doctor gave her the herb, and she recovered.

Death was furious. He grabbed the doctor by the arm. "You have tricked me twice!" he boomed. "Now your time is up. Come with me!"
Death led the doctor down, down, down into a huge, dark cave. Inside, thousands and thousands of candles were burning. Some were big and bright, some were medium, and some were tiny, flickering as if they were about to go out.
"What are these?" whispered the doctor.
"These are the life-lights of people," said Death. "The big ones have a long time left. The small ones are near their end."
"Show me my life-light, Godfather," begged the doctor.
Death pointed to a tiny little candle stub, flickering weakly, about to go out.
"Oh, Godfather Death!" cried the doctor. "Please, light a new one for me! Let me live to marry the Princess and be king!"
"I cannot," said Death. "A light that goes out, stays out."
"Then please," begged the doctor, "take this little stub and put it on top of a new, big candle, so it can keep burning!"
Death pretended he would do it. He picked up the tiny candle stub, as if to place it on a fresh one. But then, he "accidentally" let it drop, and the little flame went out.
And just like that, the doctor fell down, and his own life was over.

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