Captive Death + 

A long time ago there lived a brave and invincible Knight. + 

One day he happened to capture Death herself. + 

He brought her to his strong castle, and put her in a cell. + 

Death sat there⁠—and people ceased to die. + 

The Knight was overjoyed, and thought: + 

“Now it is well, but it is rather a worry to keep a watch on her. Perhaps it would be better to destroy her altogether.” + 

But the Knight was a very just man⁠—he could not kill her without judgment. + 

He went to the cell, and, pausing before the small window, he said: + 

“Death, I want to cut your head off⁠—you’ve done a lot of harm upon the earth.” + 

But Death was silent. + 

The Knight continued: + 

“I’ll give you a chance⁠—defend yourself if you can. What have you to say for yourself?” + 

And Death answered: + 

“I’ll say nothing just yet; let Life put in a word for me.” + 

And the Knight suddenly saw Life standing beside him; she was a robust and red-checked but expressionless woman. + 

And she began to say such brazen and ungodly things that the brave, invincible Knight trembled, and made haste to open the cell. + 

Death went out⁠—and men began to die once more. The Knight himself died when his time came⁠—and he told no one upon the earth what that expressionless, brazen woman, Life, had said to him. + 