The Hole in the Water

A young man who was alone in the world decided to get married. He was handsome and rich, but it seemed that in the whole land there was not the right wife for him: either they were too young, or too old, or already betrothed. There remained just one lovely young maiden, whom he had met at the well, but she seemed to be a bit mad. Not only did she say that her stepmother was a fairy, but she also insisted that her stepmother would only allow her to marry a man who could perform a certain very difficult task. ‘What is that?’ asked the young man. ‘He has to make a hole in the water.’

‘That’s impossible,’ exclaimed the young man. ‘You will never find a husband.’

‘Yes, I will find one,’ replied the young girl. ‘My stepmother says that when someone is truly in love, they can even work miracles.’

The young man was truly in love, but he had no idea how to slove the problem. He sighed and suffered for a long time but he did not give up. Then one day he found that the well had frozen over. Suddenly he understood. Seizing a stout stick, he made a hole in the frozen surface…..and so he was able to marry the beautiful maiden.