Narrated Story - Godfather Death
Using the classic story Godfather Death from the Brothers Grimm, I rewrote the story for narration and altered it a bit to raise the stakes for the main character. All of the writing, voice over, editing, and effects were completed by me. The photograph seen above was one that I took of the title page in my own copy of the Brothers Grimm Tales.
The Script - Godfather Death
As the sun broke over the mountains, a poor old man anxiously sat among his 12 children as they waited for number 13 to arrive. As the day wore on, he became more and more somber. He didn’t know how he was going to manage feeding one more mouth.
In desperation, he hurried down the road looking to find an answer when God crossed his path and said,
"I pity you. Let me hold your child at his baptism and take care of him. He’ll be happy with me."
The poor old man answered, "I don’t want you as his godfather. You give to the rich and let the poor starve. Leave me be!"
And with that he left God standing there and continued down the road.
Some time later, the Devil approached the poor man and said “Take me as your child's godfather, I’ll give him gold and all the joys of the world."
The poor old man shook his head, “You deceive mankind and lead them astray, you can not be his godfather” and continued on his way…
Soon, Death drifted toward the poor old man and said to him, "I will be your son’s godfather, I’ll make a doctor of him and with me as a friend, he’ll want for nothing."
The poor old man said, "Death, without distinction you take the rich as well as the poor. My child will be baptized on Sunday. Don’t be late."
--Musical interlude--
Twenty years passed when Death came back and summoned his godson. They came to a clearing in the woods where a single mulberry tree stood.
Death explained, "As I promised, it’s time for you to become a doctor. When you’re called to a sick person I’ll appear to you. If I am standing at their head, give them a ripened mulberry, and they’ll regain health. But if I’m standing at their feet, then they belong to me. Don’t attempt to begin a cure."
And so Death went on his way, and the young man became a renowned doctor. He only needed to see a patient, and he could immediately predict whether they would regain their health or die. People came to him from far and wide, and he became quite wealthy.
One day the king suddenly became ill and the doctor was summoned. When he approached the king, he saw Death standing at the foot of the bed. Not wanting to wear the shame of failing his king and country, he thought, “Maybe I could deceive Death, I am his godson after all. He couldn’t stay mad at me”
So he took hold of the king and turned him ‘round, so that Death was now standing at his head and prescribed one ripe mulberry.
The next day, the townspeople cheered “It worked! Long live the king!”
However, Death came to the doctor, angrily pointing his bony finger, and threatened, "You’ve betrayed me. I’ll overlook it this time because you’re my godson, but if you dare do it again, it’ll cost you your own neck”
A year passed when the king's beautiful daughter took ill. The king wept day and night, his sorrow poured from his eyes. The doctor came and found Death standing at her feet. But he was so astonished by her beauty, he forgot the warning. He turned her around, and placed one mulberry on her paling lips.
When the princess awoke, she was grateful to the doctor and they quickly fell in love. Her father heartily blessed the marriage and three years later they were expecting their first child. The doctor was thrilled and went to Death to share the happy news. He asked Death if he would be the godfather.
Death smiled and led the doctor to an underground cavern where thousands of candles were burning in endless rows, the flames ranged from strong and beaming to dim and flickering. Every instant some died out, and others were relit.
"Look!" said Death. "These are the life-lights of mankind. Here is a flame, strong and bright. This is your son’s life-light. I’d be glad to be his godfather.” The doctor beamed, and Death pointed at another candle. “Here is a flame that is about to go out. This is your life!”
The doctor turned pale and begged, “Please, godfather, relight it so that I can enjoy my life with my son and wife!”
Death stood still, gravely staring at the candle, when “poof”
