Beschrijving
Godfather Death. (Including the previous Types 332A* and 332B*.) A poor man with many children wants a (just) godfather for his newborn son. He refuses God (saint, devil) and chooses death (angel of death, plague) because he treats everyone alike [Z111, J486]. As a gift the father (son) receives the magic power of forecasting recovery or death, depending on whether death stands at the head or the foot of the sick person’s bed [D1825.3.1]. Thus the man becomes a famous doctor and grows wealthy.
The doctor betrays death (several times): When promised wealth (the princess), the doctor turns the bed and thus saves the life of a person who was supposed to die [K557] (in the doctor’s dying hour, death grants him time to say a last Paternoster, but the doctor does not finish the prayer [K551.1] – cf. Type 1199. Death tricks the doctor into finishing the prayer.)
In some variants, death shows the man his life-light in the underworld and suddenly extinguishes it [E765.1.3, K551.9]. Or the man attempts to lengthen his life by various means (usually without success). (Previously Type 332A*.) Cf. Type 1187.
The doctor betrays death (several times): When promised wealth (the princess), the doctor turns the bed and thus saves the life of a person who was supposed to die [K557] (in the doctor’s dying hour, death grants him time to say a last Paternoster, but the doctor does not finish the prayer [K551.1] – cf. Type 1199. Death tricks the doctor into finishing the prayer.)
In some variants, death shows the man his life-light in the underworld and suddenly extinguishes it [E765.1.3, K551.9]. Or the man attempts to lengthen his life by various means (usually without success). (Previously Type 332A*.) Cf. Type 1187.
Motief
Z111
J486
D1825.3.1
K557
K551.1
E765.1.3
K551.9
Commentaar
Documented in the 14th century.
Combinaties
This type is usually combined with episodes of one or more other types, esp. 1199, and also 326, 330, 331, 334, 1164, and 1187.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
332
Subgenre
sprookje