Many years ago there dwelt in a certain city a man of great worldly riches and possessions. But he was a wicked cheat and money-lender, one that people had to pay unfairly high rates of interest to. So people wondered why the earth did not open under his feet and swallow him up. He was also a city judge; but his decisions were so unrighteous that he was always spoken of as the "Unjust Judge."
One market-day, in the early part of the morning, this judge rode out to see a fine vineyard that he owned. As he was returning, Death, dressed as a rich man, met him on the way. The judge did not know who the stranger was that went up to him, and therefore asked his name and business.
"It would be better for you neither to know me nor my business with you," Death answered.
"Oh, oh!" exclaimed the judge, "I have to know it, or you are a lost man. I am a man of power in this place and there is none who will dare to dispute my authority. So if you will not tell me your name, I shall take your life and forfeit your property."
"If that is the case," said the other, smiling grimly, "I will tell you. I am Death!"
"Humph!" growled the judge. "Then, what is your business here?"
"To take whatever is given in real earnest to me this day."
"Very well," said the judge; "but I must be witness that you get neither more nor less than what is due to you."
"Do not ask to be near me when I take what is given me," answered Death in a warning voice.
The judge, however, took no heed of Death's words. "I must and will be witness," he said, and began to swear. So Death said nothing more, he just warned him again that he could not release himself from the bargain he now had made, however much he might wish.
The judge declared that he would not flinch from his word, and so both went to the market-place. The market was thronged with people and every now and then the judge and his companion were stopped and asked to share a bottle of wine. The judge always took a glass; but his companion knew well it was not offered in earnest, so he refused all that was held out to him.
By chance it happened that a woman was driving along a herd of swine. Like most pigs they would not go as she wanted them, but another way. "I wish Death had you all, skin and hair!" she cried at last in a rage.
"Do you hear that?" said the judge to his companion.
"Yes," answered Death; "but she does not mean what she says. She would become miserably poor if I took her swine. I only take what is given to me in earnest."
Soon afterwards they met a woman and her child. The child would not go any other way but his own. "You naughty boy," she exclaimed; "I could wish you were dead!"
"Do you hear that?" asked the judge again. "Take the child! Is it not given to you in earnest?"
"Oh, no, no; she would bitterly lament it, if I should take her at her word," answered Death.
In a little while they met a second woman. She was dragging along a child who struggled and cried lustily. "You good-for-nothing little tramp," she exclaimed; "it would be a happy thing for me to lose you altogether!"
"Now, what about this child?" said the judge.
"No," answered his companion; "for this woman would not really get rid her child, not even for fifty or a hundred pounds, and she would not even think of giving it to me."
Now they came to the thickest part of the crowd and soon they were wedged in, unable to go forward or backward. Just then a woman caught sight of the judge. She was old and poor and suffered under heavy misfortune. As soon as she saw him she cried out, "May pains and afflictions come your way, judge! Without cause you took from me the cow that was my only support! You did not mind. May you get your due! Oh, if Heaven would hear my prayer and send Death to take you from the world you have done so much injustice to!"
The judge said feebly, "Things are not always as they seem," but Death led him away in triumph, saying, "See now, judge! That was in earnest, and you must get through with it."
So in the middle of the crowd Death struck him down at the feet of the old woman he had so unjustly taken a cow from. People said, "He who wants to get wise, should mind his ways."
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