A beautifully illustrated story about a man's attempt to evade death. ( )

Once upon a time there was a man called Bodkin who wanted to live forever because he enjoyed everything about his life. So he went to see the Wise Woman who sends him to the Old Man of the Forest. That old man tells him he will live until all the trees are cut, but Bodkin realizes that will happen one day and he wants to live forever. So he goes to the Old Man of the Lake who will live until he drinks the whole lake -- which is an endpoint. Then to the Old Man of the Mountain who will live until the mountain stands no more. Bodkin is satisfied with that and stays... for several hundred years. But then he feels a longing for his old village and wants to go back. The old man warns him it will be changed and whatever happens he must not leave the saddle of his horse. Bodkin agrees. His old village is definitely gone -- in its place is a modern city with skyscrapers and traffic lights. On his way back he comes across an old man with a broken-down wagon and dozens of pairs of old shoes scattered across the road. The old man begs for help. Bodkin hesitates, then dismounts to pick up the shoes. He then asks who the old man is why he carries so many worn-out shoes. "The old man smiled, and his eyes glistened greedily as he laid a soft hand on Bodkin's arm. 'I am Death,' he whispered. 'And these are the shoes I have worn out running after you.'

Pairs nicely with Colin Thompson's How to Live Forever and Appointment by Somerset Maugham (pic bk version) -- Tuck Everlasting, etc.