Earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

"'So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more

powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand

worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the

Banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the

Oldest brother.

"'Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to

Humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So

Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told

Him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

"'And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The

Youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not

Trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place

Without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own

Cloak of Invisibility.'"

"Death's got an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry interrupted again.

"So he can sneak up on people," said Ron. "Sometimes he gets bored of running at

them, flapping his arms and shrieking . . . sorry, Hermione."

"'Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way,

and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's

Gifts.

"'In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

"'The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village,

Sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand

As his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead

Upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the

Powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

"'That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, winesodden

Upon his bed. The thief took the wand and for good measure, slit the oldest

brother's throat.

"'And so Death took the first brother for his own.

"'Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone.

Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in

His hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to

Marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

"'Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had

Returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the

Second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.

"'And so Death took the second brother from his own.

"'But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never

Able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 731