It was not long before the youth was the most famous physician in the
whole world. “He had only to look at the patient and he knew his
condition at once, and if he would recover, or must needs die.” So they
said of him, and from far and wide people came to him, sent for him
when they had any one ill, and gave him so much money that he soon
became a rich man. Now it so befell that the King became ill, and the
physician was summoned, and was to say if recovery were possible. But
when he came to the bed, Death was standing by the feet of the sick
man, and the herb did not grow which could save him. “If I could but
cheat Death for once,” thought the physician, “he is sure to take it
ill if I do, but, as I am his godson, he will shut one eye; I will risk
it.” He therefore took up the sick man, and laid him the other way, so
that now Death was standing by his head. Then he gave the King some of
the herb, and he recovered and grew healthy again. But Death came to
the physician, looking very black and angry, threatened him with his
finger, and said, “Thou hast overreached me; this time I will pardon
it, as thou art my godson; but if thou venturest it again, it will cost
thee thy neck, for I will take thee thyself away with me.”
Soon afterwards the King’s daughter fell into a severe illness. She was
his only child, and he wept day and night, so that he began to lose the
sight of his eyes, and he caused it to be made known that whosoever
rescued her from death should be her husband and inherit the crown.
When the physician came to the sick girl’s bed, he saw Death by her
feet. He ought to have remembered the warning given by his godfather,
but he was so infatuated by the great beauty of the King’s daughter,
and the happiness of becoming her husband, that he flung all thought to
the winds. He did not see that Death was casting angry glances on him,
that he was raising his hand in the air, and threatening him with his
withered fist. He raised up the sick girl, and placed her head where
her feet had lain. Then he gave her some of the herb, and instantly her
cheeks flushed red, and life stirred afresh in her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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