The folk tale about Death, known as a sakmė, originates from Lithuanian mythology and is part of the broader tradition of etiological legends—stories explaining natural phenomena. In this particular tale, God assigns tasks to various forces of nature, including Death.

God instructs Death to take the lives of people, but Death, fearing the anger of humankind, protests. God, understanding the need for a justification, declares that He will provide a reason for each death. As a result, Death now has a cause for every passing—whether through injury, drowning, or other circumstances—ensuring that there is always an explanation, and no one can directly blame Death for the inevitable.

This story sheds light on the inevitability and naturalness of death, suggesting that the reasons behind death are part of a divine plan, even if they appear harsh or unfair. It reflects a common theme in many cultures, where death is not a punishment but a natural, often unavoidable event that is part of the greater order of existence.

The tale is taken from How the Earth Came to Be: Lithuanian Etiological Legends (Kaip atsirado žemė: lietuvių etiologinės sakmės), compiled and edited by Norbertas Vėlius. This version encapsulates a broader worldview where death, while feared, is framed as an integral and necessary part of life, and its reasons, though sometimes mysterious, provide comfort in their inevitability.