Death's Messengers

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　In ancient times a giant was wandering along the highway when suddenly a stranger jumped toward him and shouted, "Stop! Not one step further!"

　　"What?" said the giant. "You, a creature that I could crush between my fingers, you want to block my way? Who are you that you dare to speak so boldly?"

　　"I am Death," answered the other one. "No one resists me, and you too must obey my orders."

　　But the giant refused, and began to wrestle with Death. It was a long, violent battle, and finally the giant got the upper hand, and knocked Death down with his fist, causing him to collapse by a stone. The giant went on his way, and Death lay there conquered, so weak that he could not get up again.

　　"What is to come of this?" he said. "If I stay lying here in a corner, no one will die in the world, and it will become so filled with people that they won't have room to stand beside one another."

　　Meanwhile a young man came down the road. Vigorous and healthy, he was singing a song and looking this way and that. Seeing the half-conscious individual, he approached him with compassion, raised him up, gave him a refreshing drink from his flask, and waited until he regained his strength.

　　"Do you know," asked the stranger, as he stood up, "who I am, and whom you have helped onto his legs again?"

　　"No," answered the youth, "I do not know you."

　　"I am Death," he said. "I spare no one, nor can make an exception with you. However, so you may see that I am grateful, I promise you that I will not attack you without warning, but instead will send my messengers to you before I come and take you away."

　　"Good," said the youth. "It is to my benefit that I shall know when you are coming, and that I will be safe from you until then."

　　then he went on his way, and was cheerful and carefree, and lived one day at a time. However, youth and good health did not last long. Soon came sickness and pain, which tormented him by day and deprived him of his rest by night.

　　"I shall not die," he said to himself, "for Death will first send his messengers, but I do wish that these wicked days of sickness were over."

　　Regaining his health, he began once more to live cheerfully. then one day someone tapped on his shoulder.

　　He looked around, and death was standing behind him, who said, "Follow me. the hour of your departure from this world has come."

　　"What?" replied the man. "Are you breaking your word? Did you not promise me that you would send your messengers to me before you yourself would come? I have not seen a one of them."

　　"Be still!" answered Death. "Have I not sent you one messenger after another? Did not fever come and strike you, and shake you, and throw you down? Has not dizziness numbed your head? Has not gout pinched your limbs? Did your ears not buzz? Did toothache not bite into your cheeks? Did your eyes not darken? And furthermore, has not my own brother Sleep reminded you every night of me? During the night did you not lie there as if you were already dead?"

　　the man did not know how to answer, so he surrendered to his fate and went away with Death.

古时后，有个巨人漫步在乡间的大道上，突然一个陌生人跳到他跟前说：“站住，不许再往前走一步！”“甚么？”巨人叫道，“你这小东西，我两根指头就能把你捏死，你敢挡我的路？你是甚么人，敢口吐狂言？”“我是死神，”他回答说，“没有人能反抗我，你也必须服从我的命令。”但巨人拒绝了，和死神打斗起来，这是一场持久而激烈的战斗，最后巨人佔了上风，一拳击倒了死神，使他瘫倒在一块石头旁。巨人凯旋而去，死神倒在那儿屈服了，他太虚弱了，竟爬不起来了。“现在我该怎么办呢？”他说，“如果就缩在这个角落里，世上就没人会死，那么必定会挤满人而无处容身了。”这时来了位年轻人，朝气蓬勃，一路高歌，并且在举目四顾。一看见这个半死半活的人，马上关切地走了上来，扶起他，从自己的瓶中倒了口水给他，看着他恢复了几分力气。那陌生人边爬起边说：“你可知道我是谁吗？你知道你帮了谁吗？”“不，”年轻人说，“我不认识你。”“我是死神，我从不放过任何人，你也不例外。但为了表示我的感激之情，我向你保证我绝不出其不意地降临於你，我会在来取你性命之前派我的报信使者通知你。”“好的，”年轻人说，“能知道自己的死期就足够了，至少在这以前我不用提心吊胆的。”然后他愉快地走了，无忧无虑地生活着。但青春和健康不会长久，很快病痛与悲哀都来了，它们开始一天天地折磨他。他自言自语道：“我不会死的，因为死神还没来，我真希望这病痛缠身的痛苦日子赶快结束。”后来他的病好了，他又过上了开心的日子。有一天，有人拍了拍他的肩膀，他扭头一看，发现死神就站在他身后。“跟我来，你和这个世界告别的时刻已经到了。”“甚么？”这人问道，“你怎能食言？你不是保证说你本人来之前会派信使来吗？”“别作声！”死神说，“我不是接二连三地差信使到这里了吗？寒热不是来打你、推你、摔倒你了吗？晕眩不是弄得你头昏脑胀吗？痛风病不是折磨你四肢吗？耳鸣有过吗？牙痛时不曾使面颊发肿吗？而且，我的兄弟'睡神'不是每晚向你提起我吗？夜里，你难道不是像死人那样地躺在那吗？”

　　这人无话可说，只得听天由命，跟着死神走了。