in a tavern when they heard a bell tinkling before a corpse as it was
carried out to burial. At this one of them bade his servant go and
ask whose it was. But the boy knew already. 'Sir, it is an old
companion of yours and he has been destroyed by a false thief Death,
who came upon him as he sat drunk and pierced him through the heart.
Indeed, he slays all the people in this district--a good thousand
have perished. I would bid you beware.'

"''Tis true,' said one of them. 'In a village near he has slain this
year all sorts and conditions of men. His habitation is there most
likely, we had best beware.' 'No,' said another. 'It were better to
set forth ourselves and slay him. We three will take an oath never to
rest, as God will aid us, till we have destroyed Death.' Then they
took this oath and set forth to seek the enemy. They had not gone far
along their way when at a stile they met a very old man. He greeted
them courteously. 'Good sir, why are you so old and wretched?' cried
one. 'Why?' said the old man. 'No youth will take on my age in
exchange for his youth, nor will my mother earth open to receive me,
though I for ever knock on her with my staff.' Then they asked news
of him of Death and he told them that he had left Death just there by
the oak tree in the road, and that he surely would abide their
coming. On they hurried till they came to the oak tree, and there
they found on the ground a pile of bright golden florins, eight
bushels or more, it appeared to them. At once they forgot their quest
of Death, turned all their thoughts to this wealth and sat them down
beside it. The first to speak was the worst scoundrel of the three.
'Who would have thought that we should have met with such fortune as
this? Why, we have here the means of living our whole lives long in
enjoyment, if only we can convey this treasure to my house or to one
of yours. But we must do it secretly by night, otherwise we shall be