A poor man had so many children that he had already asked everyone
in the world to be godfather after he had yet another child. So there was
nobody left to ask. He became so distressed that he lay down and fell
asleep. Then he dreamt that he was to go outside the town gate and ask the
first person he met to be godfather. So that’s what the man did. He went
The Godfather 139
out in front of the gate and asked the first man he met to be godfather. The
stranger gave him a little bottle of water and said: “With this water you
can cure the sick when Death stands at the sick person’s head, but when
Death stands at the sick person’s feet, the patient must die.”
Now one day the king’s child became sick, and Death stood at the
child’s head. So the man cured him with the water. The second time that
the king’s child became sick, the man cured him again because Death was
standing at the head. But the third time, Death was standing at the foot of
the bed, and the child had to die.
Later the man went to the godfather to tell him about everything.
When he climbed the stairs in the house and reached the first landing, he
encountered a shovel and a broom quarreling with each other. The man
asked where the godfather lived, and the broom replied:
“One flight higher.”
When he came to the second landing, he saw a bunch of dead fingers
lying there, and asked once again where the godfather lived.
“One flight higher,” replied one of the fingers.
On the third landing there was a pile of skulls who told him once again:
“One flight higher.”
On the fourth landing he saw some fish sizzling in a pan over a fire.
They were frying themselves and also told him, “One flight higher.”
After he had climbed to the fifth floor, he came to the door of a room
and looked through the keyhole. There he saw the godfather, who had a
pair of long, long horns. When he opened the door and entered the room,
the godfather quickly jumped into the bed and covered himself.
“Godfather,” the man said, “when I came to the first landing, a broom
and shovel were quarreling.”
“How can you be so simple-minded?”said the godfather. “That was the
servant and the maid just talking to each other.”
“On the second landing I saw dead fingers lying about.”
“My goodness, how foolish you are! Those were salsify roots.”
“On the third landing there were skulls lying about.”
“You stupid man, those were cabbage heads.”
“On the fourth landing I saw fish in a pan frying themselves.”
A poor man had so many children that he had already asked everyonein the world to be godfather after he had yet another child. So there wasnobody left to ask. He became so distressed that he lay down and fellasleep. Then he dreamt that he was to go outside the town gate and ask thefirst person he met to be godfather. So that’s what the man did. He went The Godfather 139out in front of the gate and asked the first man he met to be godfather. Thestranger gave him a little bottle of water and said: “With this water youcan cure the sick when Death stands at the sick person’s head, but whenDeath stands at the sick person’s feet, the patient must die.”Now one day the king’s child became sick, and Death stood at thechild’s head. So the man cured him with the water. The second time thatthe king’s child became sick, the man cured him again because Death wasstanding at the head. But the third time, Death was standing at the foot ofthe bed, and the child had to die.Later the man went to the godfather to tell him about everything.When he climbed the stairs in the house and reached the first landing, heencountered a shovel and a broom quarreling with each other. The manasked where the godfather lived, and the broom replied:“One flight higher.”When he came to the second landing, he saw a bunch of dead fingerslying there, and asked once again where the godfather lived.“One flight higher,” replied one of the fingers.On the third landing there was a pile of skulls who told him once again:“One flight higher.”On the fourth landing he saw some fish sizzling in a pan over a fire.They were frying themselves and also told him, “One flight higher.”After he had climbed to the fifth floor, he came to the door of a roomand looked through the keyhole. There he saw the godfather, who had apair of long, long horns. When he opened the door and entered the room,the godfather quickly jumped into the bed and covered himself.“Godfather,” the man said, “when I came to the first landing, a broomand shovel were quarreling.”“How can you be so simple-minded?”said the godfather. “That was theservant and the maid just talking to each other.”“On the second landing I saw dead fingers lying about.”“My goodness, how foolish you are! Those were salsify roots.”“On the third landing there were skulls lying about.”“You stupid man, those were cabbage heads.”“On the fourth landing I saw fish in a pan frying themselves.”
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..