If you could know when you would die, would you want to know? This is a question I have posed to people before, and no one has ever said yes. On paper, this answer doesn’t make any sense. After all, knowledge is power, and knowing more information should help people make better-informed decisions. Also, learning more about a topic that frightens you should ease the fear.

But in practice, that isn’t the case. Death is one of the few guarantees in life, but that doesn’t stop people from being afraid or at least wanting to avoid it as much as possible. So, the idea of knowing the exact day feels quite ominous and could weigh a person down. But what if you had a warning instead? What if death sent you a messenger?

---

A Grimm Tale: Death and the Giant

Long ago, a fearsome giant travelled the land and found himself on a main road. He was stomping along when a mysterious man suddenly appeared before him. The stranger raised his hand and said, “Halt, not one step farther!”

The giant laughed, “A creature that I could crush between my fingers, dares to block my way?”

The giant peering down at the little man, continued, “Who are you, and what makes you think you can stop me?”

The bold stranger, unfazed by the giant, responded, “I am Death. No one resists me, and you will obey my command.”

Confident in his strength, the towering giant refused, which led to the throw-down match of the century: The Giant versus Death. It was a long, violent and bloody struggle for both sides, but against all odds, the giant managed to get the upper hand and knocked out Death with a swift strike. Victorious, the giant continued his journey, leaving Death conquered and so bloodied that he couldn’t get up.

The Kind Youth

Laying there on the side of the road, Death began to wonder what would happen now. If he continued to stay where he was, no one would die and soon enough, the world would become crowded and overrun with people.

While Death was having this internal crisis, a young man was merrily walking down the same road. He was strong, healthy and singing a song as he went. When he saw the stranger lying at the side of the road, he felt empathetic towards him. The youth immediately went to the stranger, gave him a drink and waited until he could sit up.

Death studied the young man’s face and asked if he knew who he had just helped.

The youth replied, saying he didn’t know who he was.

A Reward or a Curse?

The youth was shocked but figured it would be good information either way, so he thanked Death and hoped that they would not see each other for a long time.

The youth went on his merry way in good spirits without much thought. He forgot to ask Death what these messengers would look like- something he was sure to regret.

A Mysterious Sickness

Years later, the man suddenly became sick and sorrowful. No one could tell him what the cause of his illness was and as it persisted, he became increasingly frustrated by his failing health and restless nights. But he reassured himself that he would not die because Death had not sent his messengers yet. Still, he took little comfort in that fact and desperately wished for his sickness to pass.

As suddenly as it came, the sickness passed, and the man returned to his happy life.

The next day, he was alone in his house when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned to see Death behind him.

Double Meanings

The man was appalled and asked if Death intended to break his promise. He had not seen any of Death’s messengers approach him, warning of his nearing end. How could this be?

“Silence!” answered Death. “Have I not sent one messenger after another? Did the fever not come and knock you down? Has your dizziness not muddled your mind? Has gout not convulsed you in all your limbs? Did your ears not sing? Did your tooth-ache not bite into your cheeks? Was it not dark before your eyes? And besides all that, has not my own brother Sleep reminded you every night of me? Didn’t you lie down at night as if you were already dead?”

The man was dumbfounded and couldn’t rebuke what he heard. He accepted his fate and walked away with Death, wondering what would have happened if he had ignored the helpless stranger on the road.

“Memento mori” by Matthaus Schiestl