The tale of the doctor who defied Death - Iseult Gillespie
-
0:11 - 0:13In their ramshackle hut
on the edge of the woods, -
0:13 - 0:16a husband and wife were in despair.
-
0:16 - 0:20The woman had just given birth
to their thirteenth child, -
0:20 - 0:26and the growing family was quickly
running out of food and money. -
0:26 - 0:30The father walked into the woods
to ponder their problem. -
0:30 - 0:33After hours spent wandering
through the trees, -
0:33 - 0:37he encountered two shadowy silhouettes.
-
0:37 - 0:40The first figure appeared
to be the man’s God, -
0:42 - 0:45while the second resembled the Devil.
-
0:47 - 0:50Both figures offered to lighten
the man’s burden, -
0:50 - 0:54and act as Godfather
to his most recent child. -
0:54 - 0:57But the man refused their offer—
-
0:57 - 1:02he wouldn’t entrust his son to those
who passed judgment on human life. -
1:02 - 1:06He ventured deeper
into the tangled thicket. -
1:06 - 1:11Here in the darkest part of the woods,
the father made out a third figure. -
1:11 - 1:16Sunken eyes stared out of its gaunt face,
which broke into a crooked smile. -
1:16 - 1:21This was Death himself,
come to offer his services as Godfather. -
1:21 - 1:25He promised to return
when the child came of age, -
1:25 - 1:28to bring him happiness and prosperity.
-
1:28 - 1:32The father— knowing that all people
are equal in the eyes of Death— -
1:32 - 1:33accepted his offer.
-
1:37 - 1:41Years later, when the child had grown
into an ambitious young man, -
1:41 - 1:46his skeletal Godfather
came for his promised visit. -
1:46 - 1:50In his gnarled hand
he held a flask containing the cure -
1:50 - 1:52for all human ailments.
-
1:52 - 1:55Death had brought this flask
for his Godson, -
1:55 - 1:58promising to make him a successful doctor.
-
1:58 - 2:02But the powerful potion
came with very strict rules. -
2:02 - 2:05If his Godson encountered a sick person
-
2:05 - 2:08and Death was hovering
at the top of their bed, -
2:08 - 2:14the doctor could heal them with
just a waft of the antidote’s fumes. -
2:14 - 2:16But if Death lingered
at the foot of the bed, -
2:16 - 2:20he’d already claimed the patient
as his own— -
2:20 - 2:22and the doctor could do nothing for them.
-
2:25 - 2:29In time, the doctor’s potent potion
and uncanny instincts -
2:29 - 2:32became known throughout the land.
-
2:32 - 2:36He grew rich and famous, casting off
the hardships of his early life. -
2:36 - 2:41When the king fell ill, he summoned
the famous physician to treat him. -
2:41 - 2:45The doctor swept into the palace,
ready to show off his skills. -
2:45 - 2:47But when he entered the king’s chamber,
-
2:47 - 2:51he was dismayed to see Death
settled at the foot of the bed. -
2:51 - 2:55The doctor desperately wanted the glory
of saving the king— -
2:55 - 2:58even if it meant deceiving his Godfather.
-
2:58 - 3:03And so, he swiftly spun the bed around
and reversed Death’s position, -
3:03 - 3:07leaving the doctor free
to administer the antidote. -
3:07 - 3:09Death was livid.
-
3:09 - 3:13He warned his arrogant Godson
that if he ever cheated Death again, -
3:13 - 3:17he would pay for it with his life.
-
3:17 - 3:20Death and the doctor
continued their travels. -
3:20 - 3:26After some time, the king’s messengers
came to collect the doctor yet again. -
3:26 - 3:28The princess was gravely ill,
-
3:28 - 3:33and the king had promised incredible
riches to anyone who could cure her. -
3:33 - 3:38The doctor approached the princesses’
chamber with gold in his eyes. -
3:38 - 3:41But upon seeing the sleeping princess,
his greed fell away. -
3:43 - 3:46He was so struck by her grace,
-
3:46 - 3:50that he failed to notice
Death lurking by her feet. -
3:50 - 3:53He swiftly healed the princess,
-
3:55 - 3:59but before she could even utter
her thanks, -
3:59 - 4:03Death had dragged
his lovesick Godson away. -
4:03 - 4:07In an instant,
the palace dissolved around them. -
4:07 - 4:10The doctor found himself
in an immense cave -
4:10 - 4:17lined with countless quivering candles,
each representing the duration of a life. -
4:17 - 4:22As punishment for his Godson’s
foolish attempt to master mortality, -
4:22 - 4:26Death whittled his candle
down to its wick. -
4:26 - 4:29Seeing his own dwindling light,
-
4:29 - 4:33the doctor felt the fear
he’d often glimpsed in his patients’ eyes. -
4:33 - 4:39Desperately, he begged Death to transfer
his dying light onto a new candle. -
4:39 - 4:45His Godfather considered the request—
but the doctor’s betrayal was too great. -
4:45 - 4:50He loosened his bony grip,
and his Godson’s candle fell to the floor. -
4:50 - 4:52Death stood motionless,
-
4:52 - 4:55his inscrutable face
fixed on the sputtering flame— -
4:55 - 4:59until all that was left of the doctor
was a wisp of smoke.
- Title:
- The tale of the doctor who defied Death - Iseult Gillespie
- Speaker:
- Iseult Gillespie
- Description:
-
View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-tale-of-the-doctor-who-defied-death-iseult-gillespie
A husband and wife were in despair. The woman had just given birth to their 13th child, and the growing family was quickly running out of food and money. Wandering into the woods, the father encountered a skeletal figure with sunken eyes and a gaunt face: this was Death himself, come to offer his services as Godfather. Iseult Gillespie tells the tale of Death and the doctor.
Lesson by Iseult Gillespie, directed by Yael Reisfeld.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 05:02
Elise Haadsma approved English subtitles for The tale of the doctor who defied Death | ||
Elise Haadsma accepted English subtitles for The tale of the doctor who defied Death | ||
lauren mcalpine edited English subtitles for The tale of the doctor who defied Death |