English Original
Some years ago, there lived a group of young men who led wicked lives. One Sunday, they sat in a tavern instead of attending church. They heard that a man had been killed by a thief named Death. Unafraid, they vowed that if one of them were killed, the other two would slay the murderer.
One day, they met a poor old man who told them they could find Death under an oak tree. The three men hurried down a crooked path toward the tree. Upon finding the oak, they discovered a huge pile of new gold coins and immediately forgot all about Death.
The leader declared they must devise a plan: they must take the gold to his house as soon as possible, but secretly, under cover of night. Therefore, the youngest man was sent to town to fetch bread and wine for them. Once dark, they would carry the gold to one of their houses.
After the youngest had left, the leader told the other man that he planned to kill their companion. The other agreed. Meanwhile, the youngest, also consumed by greed, decided to poison his two companions. He put poison into two bottles of wine, leaving the third untouched, and returned to the tree.
The tale concludes with the youngest man stabbed to death and the other two poisoned.
中文翻译
数年前，有一群过着放荡生活的年轻人。某个周日，他们没去教堂，而是坐在一家酒馆里。他们听说有个叫“死亡”的强盗杀了一个人。他们毫不畏惧，并发誓：如果他们中任何一人被杀，另外两人就要杀死凶手。
一天，他们遇到一位贫穷的老人。老人告诉他们，在一棵橡树下可以找到“死亡”。三人沿着一条蜿蜒的小路匆匆跑向那棵树。在橡树下，他们发现了一大堆崭新的金币，立刻把“死亡”抛诸脑后。
领头的人说必须制定一个计划：他们必须尽快把金子运到他家，但必须趁夜晚秘密进行。于是，最年轻的那位被派去镇上为他们取面包和酒。等天黑后，他们就把金子运到其中一人的房子里。
最年轻的离开后，领头者对另一人说，他打算杀掉那个同伴。另一人表示同意。与此同时，最年轻的那个也贪念顿起，决定毒死他的两个同伴。他将毒药下在两瓶酒里，第三瓶则保持原样，然后返回橡树。
故事以最年轻者被刺死，而另外两人被毒死告终。