A thread neither mad nor sad.

[Leshy]

"De tuinman en de Dood"

As the title implies, the original is in Dutch, which I'm afraid is not particularly useful for replication on this forum. Hence, I have translated the poem into English, which explains why the flow is not particularly nice. Keep in mind that it does have a good meter in the original Dutch version ;)

The gardener and Death

A Persian nobleman:

This morning my gardener came, pale of fright,
into my room: "Good lord, hear my plight!"

Out there, in the rosegarden, I was cutting away,
But upon looking behind me, I saw Death with dismay.

I was frightened and escaped across the other side,
But I'm afraid for the threat of his hand I cannot hide.

Master, a horse, and let me leave with speed,
I'll be at Isfahan tonight on your fastest steed.

This afternoon - the gardener had long since fled,
I went outside and met Death near the flowerbed.

"How come", I asked him as he stood there dark and tall,
"Did you threaten my servant this morning at all?"

He smiled and answered: "A threat it was surely not
that made the good man flee. But surprise was my lot,

When I came upon the man here in the morning light,
that I am supposed to take away in Isfahan by night."