The origin of Death by Richard Hooker

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

   Once there lived two cousins who lived together. Both had wives and each had one son. One morning, one man's child became sick and was not sick for very long before he died. The man's heart felt very sore when his child died, but he finally dug a grave for it. For an entire day he did not eat but rather watched his child's corpse. After four days he left to visit his cousin.

   "What is your opinion, my cousin, concerning my dead child: suppose he should come back here in five days?" In this way did he speak.

   "No, my cousin. You should resume eating and become well again." In this way did he reply.

   And the other man said nothing to him, for he was thinking in his mind one thing and one thing only: "I will surely get even with you ."

   Not long afterwards, the child of the second man became sick and did not ail for very long before he died. The man's heart was very sore when his boy died, so he said that he wanted his boy to come back to him and went to his cousin.

   "My cousin, it will be very good if our two children should come back to us after five days." In this way did he speak to his neighbor.

   "Not so, my cousin. You should resume eating until you feel well again." In this way did the other man reply."I very much desired that our two children should come back to us, but you didn't want it this way at first. Therefore, people will always die but will never come back, because you didn't want it this way. You told me, 'It is well if they do not come back.'" This he was thinking in his mind.

   And so he felt very good telling him this. People would have always come back after five days if he had agreed to this at first. It would have been very good if anybody who died would always come back after five days.

   Now it ends. In this way was the story told in the beginning.