One night, four workers were returning from some far away fields where they had being working on since months. They were riding horses back to their village, the first three had been paid very well for their work, but the fourth, the most unfortunate, was returning empty-handed since the field in which he worked was completely ruined by a plague. They were riding very fast, the clouds covered the sky and the night turned so dark that they were not able to see each other. Then, suddenly, in halfway across the plain death itself appeared to the first rider of the group, his horse stopped abruptly:
DEATH. – You must come with me, it is time for you to find the place where you will die.
The man almost instinctively tried to attack her with his machete, without doing her a scratch. Then, crying, he begged her not to take him, but seeing that this wasn’t working either, he said:
RIDER #1. – Why don’t you take the one who comes after me?
The Death, without saying a single word, granted his wish and the rider continued his
way. It was very cold, so cold that in the darkness, the puffs of steam were coming out of the horses’ noses. Not having taken the first, Death stopped the second horseman. It rebuked in the same way as the previous one:
DEATH. – You must come with me, it is time for you to find the place where you will die.
The rider tried to «buy his life» by offering him all the gold coins he had collected as payment on the harvest. Death did not respond. The man despaired:
RIDER #2. – Please, don’t take me, I still have a lot to live!
DEATH. – I’ve already let one continue, you must come with me.
RIDER #2. – Let me continue too and take the one that comes after me.
Always silent, Death let him continue, as with the first one, and waited for the next. It was getting colder and colder, the horses galloped over the frosted pastures, and a strong wind was blowing, making it necessary to cover the body almost entirely, to avoid getting froze bites.
When the third horseman arrived, he stopped and looked at Death, who proceeded again:
DEATH. – You must come with me, it is time for you to find the place where you will die, (And it added) I let the first ones continue, you must come with me.
RIDER #3. – If you already spared the first ones, let me pass too. Behind me comes another man, he is the last one. You will take him for sure, (He, shameless, said) he doesn’t have anybody else to hand over.
Once again, and already annoyed, Death exonerated him from his destiny. And the
man continued his journey. That winter night, dark as a wolf’s mouth, was now only slightly enlightened by a small beam of moonlight, the horse’s hooves echoed in the silence and the cold numbed every single part of the body. Finally, the fourth horseman arrived where the death was standing.
DEATH. – You must come with me, it is time for you to find the place where you will die. (Before the man could say anything it continued) The three mans before you continued their journey in exchange for you to come with me.
His first reaction was a feeling of strong anger towards those who had handed him over. But then, although he wanted to return to his village, he thought that compared with returning empty-handed, it was better not to return at all. At least in that way, he would die knowing that he somehow saved three lives.
RIDER #4. – Okay, I’ll go with you.
He followed Death for almost an hour, until they reached the outskirts of a town, and surprised he recognized as the town where he was going, his town.
RIDER #4. – Is this where I am going to die, in my hometown?
DEATH. – Yes.
RIDER #4. – And, what am I going to die of?
DEATH. – You will die of old age, being a grandfather.
RIDER #4. – I don’t understand, why did you stop me on the way?
DEATH. – You didn’t know it but, during the march, all of you lost your way. If you had continued, you and your horse would have frozen to death.
After that it was a moment of silence, the man got goosebumps all over his spine. Then death, fading into darkness, continued:
DEATH. – I’m leaving, I don’t want to be late, I have three souls to collect…
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