Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-04-22
A ROUMAN|ln LEGEND
The Tragedy From Which Sprang
MaEoI!i'S Well.
A WEIRD TALE CT OLDEN DAYS
Neither Fate Nor Flood Nor Hurricane
Could Keep the Faithful Anniker
Her Horrible Door,,

Neither Fate Nor Flood Nor Hurricane
Could Keep the Faithful Anniker
From the Man She Loved and From
Her Horrible Doom.
Tradition Is not history, but IL serves
10 ill i'm the gaps left by the chroni.
clers OF olden time and throws light
sometimes lurid one-upon the
manners and customs OF bygoue ages.
A dark deed cruel enough to be re-
membered even In cruel age Is re.
peated from father TO son. each gener.
alton adding its touch of superstitious
marvel to the story till IL grows into
the fairy tale OF today, mythical. yet
not without a kernel of truth
Among the picturesque peasantry
of ROumanin fingers many weird
tale Of olden days. one such legend is
related concerning an ancient monaS-
terry, the remains of which are still to-
be seen on a wooded hillside. Beneath
the weird walls lie nine great Jumps
OF granite. and among these rocks
rises spring of clear water. called by
the peasants "Manollrs well" and be-
lieved by them To have strange and
wonderful origin.
Once upon time. we are told. n
Roumanian noble named Negen was n
captive in the hands OF Selim. the sui
tan OF Turkey. During his exile Ne
gen employed his time 10 studying
architecture. and. possessing consider
able talent. be undertook to superin-
tend the building OF a celebrated
mosque. Charmed by the beauty of
the building. the sultan granted Prince
Negen his liberty aud permission TO
carry back to his native land certain
costly materials similar to those used
In identifying the mosque.
Accompanied by nine skilled masons.
Negen returned to Roumnnia. resolved
TO immortalize his name by building
there a religious house such as had
never before been seen.
The site chosen. the builders set to
work under bis orders, but their labor
was in vain. for every night evil spir.
its pulled down what had been erect.
ed during the day.
One night Manolli. the chief OF the
builders. had a strange dream A
mysterious voice warned him that the
building they had undertaken would
never be reared unless they built into
the walls the living form OF the first
woman who appeared at break Of day
On awaking from sleep Manolll
told his comrades OF this vision, and
together they made n solemn VOW "a
sacrifice thus the first woman, maid or
matron. who appeared the next morn.
ing.
With the 6rst streak OF dawn Ma.
nolli mounted the scafrolding and scan.
ned the surrounding bills with pallid.
anxious face. Alas. who is IL he sees
In the distance? His own fair young
wife. bringing food and wine for her
lord.
Then Manolli threw himself upon
his knees aud besought heaven To
send food to prevent her from com
Ing, aud at once the rain poured down.
and the river rose SO that n waste Of
water covered the valley. But the
young wife waded through the water
and Manolli. In despair. beheld her
still approaching
Again he prayed. and a fierce hurri.
cane swept over the mountains. level.
Ing trees and hurting rocks In the
way. Yet on she came. Anniker had
brave spirit. and neither food nor
tempest would keep her from the mar
she loved.
Joyfully the masons received her
but Manolli's face was pale and strick.
en- with anguish.
They led the young wife to a niche
In the newly built wall and told her to
stand there for joke. while they pre-
tended to build her In. At first she
laughed merrily and entered into the
Jest. but her smiles vanished as quick
ly the wall rose from ankle to knee
and from knee to waist. Poor Ami
kers entreaties and cries did not move
the hearts of the stern builders. and
soon her voice was heard no more.
The prophetic vision proved true.
The building suffered no moro from
Invisible foes and when complete sat
isfied the pride OF Negen's heart. Ma
nolli alone took no pleasure In the edi
hSO Which, uhO Gust Dln so GEAR.
1t was finished. and the masons pre-
pared to return TO their own country
Negen. however. determined that they
should never return. The design
which they had worked out so admi-
rably was the creature OF his brain. the
darling Of his heart: it should never be-
reproduced. So he invited them all to
the roof for the last time. Then.
treacherously removing the ladders. ne
left them there to die.
The masons devised various means
for reaching the earth. but they were
all killed In the attempt to escape and
were changed by fairies into the great
blocks Of stone which remain to this
day in proof OF the tragic event.
Manoili alone made no effort to save
himself and joined In none of the con- |
trivances prepared by his comrades. |
He heard only Anniker's voice calling
10 him-"Manolli. Manolli" Follow
ing the mystic voice. he spmng from
the parapet. falling Hfeless upon the |
earth. and the tears yelling up from
his broken heart became a fountain. |
ever clear. cool and fresh. and to this |
1nx a. &C.