J.K. Rowling
THE TALE OF
THE THREE BROTHERS
There were
once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at
twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and
too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the
magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear
across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their
path blocked by a hooded figure.
And Death
spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims,
for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He
pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that
each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.
So the
oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than
any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand
worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree
on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and
gave it to the oldest brother.
Then the
second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate
Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So
Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother,
and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
And then
Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest
brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not
trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from
that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed
over his own Cloak of Invisibility.
Then Death
stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they
did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death’s
gifts.
In due
course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.
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