The Tales of Beedle the Bard - The Deathly Hallows

Once upon a time, three brothers were traveling along a lonely path, and it was almost dusk (or midnight). As they walked, they came to a river that was too deep to cross and too dangerous to swim across. However, the three brothers were skilled in magic, and with a wave of their wands, a bridge appeared over the treacherous water. When they reached the middle of the bridge, a hooded figure blocked their way.

Death spoke to them. Death was angry that he had lost three new sacrifices - because travelers usually drowned in this river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers on their magic, saying that they had escaped Death by their cleverness, and each of them could get a reward.

The eldest brother was a warlike man, and what he wanted was the most powerful wand in the world: a wand that would always help its owner win a duel, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! Death walked to an elderberry tree on the shore, made a wand out of an overhanging branch, and gave it to the eldest brother.

The second brother was a proud man, and he decided to continue to humiliate Death. What he wanted was the power to bring the dead back to life. Death picked up a stone from the shore and gave it to the second brother, telling him that the stone had the power to bring the dead back to life.

Then Death asked the youngest brother what he wanted. The third brother was the most humble and the smartest one, and he did not believe in Death. So he asked for something that would allow him to go anywhere without Death finding him. Death reluctantly gave him his invisibility cloak.

Then Death stood aside and let the three brothers continue on their way. They talked about the wonderful experience they had just had and admired Death's gift.

Later, the three brothers separated and went to their respective destinations.

The eldest brother walked for more than a week. He came to a remote mountain village and quarreled with a wizard. Naturally, he used the "Elder Wand" made of elder wood as a weapon, which would undoubtedly win the duel. After his opponent fell to the ground and died, he continued to move forward and walked into a tavern, boasting loudly about how the powerful wand he had received from Death was invincible.

That very night, after the eldest brother had gotten drunk, another wizard crept to his bedside, stole the wand, and cut his throat.

In this way, the god of death took the eldest brother's life.

At the same time, the second brother returned to his home where he lived alone, took out the stone that could bring back the dead, and turned it three times in his hand. To his surprise, the girl he wanted to marry but who died young appeared in front of him immediately.

But she was sad and indifferent, and there seemed to be a veil between them. Although she returned to the world, she did not really belong here, and she was very painful. In the end, the second brother was driven mad by hopeless desire and committed suicide in order to be with her.

In this way, the god of death took the second brother's life.

However, the god of death searched for the third brother for many years, but he could not find him. The third brother lived until he was very old, and finally took off the invisibility cloak, gave it to his son, and then greeted the god of death like an old friend, and happily left the world with him as an equal.