English Original
A poor man had so many children that he had already asked everyone in the world to be godfather. When another child was born, he had no one left to invite. In his perplexity, he lay down and fell asleep. He dreamt he should go outside his gate and ask the first person he met to be godfather.
Upon waking, he obeyed the dream. Outside the gate, he asked the first stranger he encountered. The stranger gave him a small glass of water, saying, "This is wonderful water. With it, you can heal the sick, but you must see where Death is standing. If Death stands by the patient's head, give him the water and he will be healed. If Death stands by his feet, all effort is in vain, for the patient must die."
From then on, the man could always tell if a patient could be saved. He became famous for his skill and earned much money. Once, he was called to the King's child. He saw Death by the child's head and cured it with the water. He did the same a second time, but the third time, Death stood by the child's feet, and he knew the child must die.
Later, the man decided to visit his godfather and tell him of his success. But the house was a strange establishment! On the first flight of stairs, a broom and shovel were violently disputing. They told him the godfather lived "one flight higher." On the second flight lay a heap of dead fingers, which gave the same direction. On the third flight was a heap of dead heads, and on the fourth, fishes sizzling in a pan, all directing him upward.
Ascending to the fifth flight, he peeked through a keyhole and saw the godfather, who had long horns. When he entered, the godfather hurried into bed and covered himself. The man described the strange sights: the quarreling broom and shovel, the dead fingers, the dead heads, and the self-cooking fish. Each time, the godfather dismissed his observations as foolishness—they were merely a boy and maid talking, scorzonera roots, cabbages, and dinner preparing itself.
Finally, the man said, "And on the fifth flight, I peeked through the keyhole and saw you, godfather, with long, long horns."
"Oh, that is a lie!" cried the godfather.
Alarmed, the man ran out. Who knows what the godfather would have done to him if he had stayed.
中文翻译
一个穷人孩子太多，已经请遍了世上所有人做教父。当又一个孩子出生时，他无人可请了。困惑中，他躺下睡着了。他梦见自己应该走到大门外，邀请遇到的第一个人做教父。
醒来后，他遵从了梦境。在大门外，他邀请了遇到的第一位陌生人。陌生人给了他一小杯水，说：“这是神奇的水。用它你可以治愈病人，但你必须看死神站在哪里。如果死神站在病人头边，给他水喝，他就能痊愈。如果死神站在他脚边，一切努力都是徒劳，因为病人必死无疑。”
从此，这个人总能判断病人能否得救。他因此技艺闻名，赚了很多钱。一次，他被召去医治国王的孩子。他看到死神站在孩子头边，便用水治好了他。第二次也是如此，但第三次，死神站在了孩子脚边，他知道这孩子注定要死了。
后来，这人决定去拜访他的教父，告诉他自己的成功。但那房子是个奇怪的所在！在第一段楼梯上，一把扫帚和一把铲子正在激烈地争吵。它们告诉他教父住在“再上一层”。第二段楼梯上躺着一堆死人的手指，也给出了同样的方向。第三段楼梯上是一堆死人的头颅，第四段楼梯上是锅里滋滋作响的鱼，都指引他向上走。
登上第五段楼梯，他从钥匙孔窥视，看到了长着长角的教父。他进去后，教父急忙躲到床上盖好被子。这人描述了那些奇怪的景象：争吵的扫帚和铲子、死人的手指、死人的头颅以及自己烹饪的鱼。每次，教父都斥责他愚蠢——那不过是男仆和女仆在说话、鸦葱根、卷心菜和正在准备的晚餐罢了。
最后，这人说：“在第五段楼梯，我从钥匙孔里看到你，教父，你长着很长很长的角。”
“哦，那是谎话！”教父喊道。
这人吓坏了，赶紧跑了出去。如果留下，谁知道教父会对他做什么。