There were two old men who journeyed together.
The name of one was Life, and the other was called Death.
They came to a place where a spring flowed, and the man who owned the spring greeted them. They asked him for permission to drink.
He said: "Yes, drink. But let the elder drink first, because that is the custom."
Life said, "I, indeed, am the elder."
Death said, "No, I am the elder."
Life answered: "How can that be? Life came first. Without living things to die, Death does not exist."
Death said: "On the contrary, before Life was born everything was Death. Living things come out of Death, go on a while and then return to Death."
Life replied: "Surely that is not the way it is. Before Life there was no Death, merely that which is not seen.
The Creator made this world out of the unseen substances. When the first person died, that was the beginning of Death. Therefore you. Death, are the younger."
Death argued: "Death is merely what we do not know. When the Creator created, he molded everything out of what we do not know. Therefore Death is like a father to Life."
They disputed this way, standing beside the spring.
And at last they asked the owner of the water to judge the dispute.
He said: "How can one speak of Death without Life, from which it proceeds? And how can one speak of Life without Death, to which all living things go?
Both of you have spoken eloquently.
Your words are true.
Neither can exist without the other.
Neither of you is senior.
Neither of you is junior.
Life and Death are merely two faces [masks] of the Creator.
Therefore you are of equal age
Here is a gourd of water.
Drink from it together."
They received the gourd of water. They drank. And after that they continued their journey.
What say you of these two travellers?
They go from one place to another in each other's company.
Can one be the elder and the other the younger?
If you do not know, let us consider other things.
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