Three young men were sitting playing cards in a tavern, when they heard a ringing outside. Someone must have died. Out of curiosity the eldest called out to a boy, Boy, who's dead?' u He replied, 'Well, sir, he used to be a friend of yours- killed last night by a local fellow, known round here as Death. Knifed him right through the heart. The young men, being drunk and foolish, said, 'We'll sort him out. Who the hell does he think he is?! We'll search high and low till we find him. Despite warnings from the publican, the three young men set off in the direction of the village where Death had last been seen. They'd hardly gone half a mile when they came across a weak-looking old man. The young men made fun of him and were rude to him. Get out of our way, old man! they jeered. Why are you still alive? Because Death hasn't taken me yet,' he replied. 'But why are you so rude?' he asked as he passed by them. Before he could go, the hooligans grabbed him and asked him how he knew Death and where they could find him. Well', said the old man, 'if you're looking for Death you'll find him over there- along that path and near that tree.' He pointed ahead of him and said goodbye. The men didn't even thank him. They just rushed off in search of Death.When they came to the tree they saw a sack full of gold, and all thoughts of Death disappeared from their minds Look at this,' said the ringleader. It's ours now - we're rich. Finders keepers! Mm,' he pondered. We nced to move it back to our place but we should do it at night. Don't want people thinking we are thieves, do we? 'Yes, but we need food and drink to keep us going till then,' said one of the others The leader picked three straws from the ground and continued, 'Whoever gets the short straw goes back to town to get drink and food. The others stand guard over the loot. The men agreed and so the youngest, who'd drawn the short straw, headed off to town. When he was out of sight the leader, who was the wickedest,said 'Wouldn't it be good to share the moncy just between the two of us? He told the other one of his plan to kill the youngest man when he returned. Meanwhile the youngest man was plotting himself. He bought poison and put it into the wine that he carried back to the others. When he got to them, the two men attacked him just as they had planned. Then they sat down to celebrate, and in drinking the wine they too died. In the end, it seems that the three yourng men found Death after all!