eeted them with a "God save
you, sirs." But the proudest of the three rioters answered him
roughly, asking him why he kept himself all wrapped up except his face,
and how so old a fellow as he had managed to keep alive so long? And
the old man looked him straight in the face and replied, "Because in no
town or village, though I journey as far as the Indies, can I find a
man willing to exchange his youth for my age; and therefore I must keep
it so long as God wills it so. Death, alas! will not have my life, and
so I wander about like a restless fugitive, and early and late I knock
on the ground, which is my mother's gate, with my staff, and say, 'Dear
mother, let me in! behold how I waste away! Alas! when shall my bones
be at rest? Mother, gladly will I give you my chest containing all my
worldly gear in return for a shroud to wrap me in.' But she refuses me
that grace, and that is why my face is pale and withered. But you,
sirs, are uncourteous to speak rudely to an inoffensive old man, when
Holy Writ bids you reverence grey hairs. Therefore, never again give
offence to an old man, if you wish men to be courteous to you in your
age, should you live so long. And so God be with you: I must go
whither I have to go." But the second rioter prevented him, and swore
he should not depart so lightly. "Thou spakest just now of that traitor
Death, who slays all our friends in this country. As thou art his spy,
hear me swear that, unless thou tellest where he is, thou shalt die;
for thou art in his plot to slay us young men, thou false thief!" Then
the old man told them that if they were so desirous of finding Death,
they had but to turn up a winding path to which he pointed, and there
they would find him they sought in a grove under an oak-tree, where the
old man had just left him; "he will not try to hide himself for all
your boasting. And so may God the Redeemer save you and amend you!"
And when he had spoken, all the three rioters ran till they came to the
tree. But what they found there was a treasure of golden
florins--nearly seven bushels of them as they thought. Then they no
longer sought after Death, but sat down all three by the shining gold.
And the youngest of them spoke first, and declared that Fortune had
given this treasure to them, so that they might spend the rest of their
lives in mirth and jollity. The question was how to take this
money--which clearly belonged to some one else--safely to the house o