Outwitting Death

Retold By Gail Rosen

But she was full of life, and never dreamt of dying. She was always busy, in her house, baking bread or sewing new curtains. Or in her garden, planting flowers or weeding the vegetables. Or in her yard, building a shed for the goats, or helping to birth a new baby lamb.

But Death comes to everyone in time. And so, one day, Death remembered the old woman. And he came and knocked on her cottage door. "Old Woman, I have come to fetch you."

The old woman was kneading dough for bread. "Death? Oh, Death. I'm afraid I'm much too busy. I have to finish kneading this dough. Then I have to wait for it to rise. Then I have to knead it again and form it into loaves, then wait for it to rise again, and then bake it. . . If it must be, Death, could you come back tomorrow?"

"Very well" said Death. "I shall return for you tomorrow." And with his bony finger, he chalked on her door, the word "Tomorrow" and he went away. The next day, Death returned. "Old Woman, I have come to fetch you."

The old woman was tending her rose bushes.

"Oh. Death. Death, I'm afraid you've made a little mistake. You see, you said you'd come tomorrow. Tomorrow. See for yourself what you wrote on the door."

And Death looked. And there on the door was the word "Tomorrow."

"Very well, Old Woman," said Death. "I shall come for you tomorrow." And he went away. The next day, Death returned. "Old Woman, I have come to fetch you."

The old woman was sewing a new party dress. "Death? Oh, Death, I'm afraid once again you are mistaken. You see, you said you would come tomorrow. Tomorrow, not today. See for yourself what you wrote on the door."

And Death looked. And there on the door was the word "Tomorrow." "Very well, Old Woman," said Death. "I shall come for you tomorrow." And he went away. Well this went on every day for a month and at the end of that time, Death was getting annoyed. "Old Woman, you have been cheating me. I shall come for you one last time."

And with his sleeve, he erased the word on the door. Now the old woman wasn't laughing any more. She was frightened. She tried and tried to think of a way to outwit death. She was up all night thinking. In the morning, she hadn't thought of anything so she looked around her cottage for a place to hide. In the corner was a large barrel. It was filled with honey. She climbed inside it and crouched down low, with just her nose sticking out. But then she thought "Oh dear. Death is clever. He's sure to find me here."

So she climbed out of the barrel of honey. Across the room there was a large chest. She opened the chest and climbed inside. It was filled with goose feathers. But then she thought "Oh dear. Death is clever. He's sure to find me here."

And she climbed out of the chest. But just as she did, Death burst through the door. He looked around and he couldn't see the old woman anywhere. In her place, he saw a strange creature. It was huge, covered with white feathers and something thick was dripping from it.

Death was so startled he cried out "Aaagh!"

And the thing screamed back "Aaaaaagh!" And Death was so frightened that he ran away. And he never returned.