Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-04-20
A ROUMAN|AA LEGEND
The Tragedy From Which Sprano
ManoIIi's Well.
A WEIRD TALE OF 0LDEN DAYS
Neither Fate Nor Flood Nor Hurricane
Could Keep the Faithful, Annikee
From the Man She Loved and Fror,
Her Horrible Doom.


Tradition Is not history. but It serves
10 fill In the gaps left by the chroni-
ciers OF olden time and thA'ws light
sometimes a lurid onIupon the
manners and customs of bygope ages
A dark deed cruel enough to be re-
membered even In n cruel age Is re-
peated from father to son. each Sener-
alton adding its touch of superstitious
marvel to the story TIL it grows into
the fairy tale OF today. mythical. yet
not without a kernel Of truth.
Among the picturesque peasantry
of Roumania fingers many a weird
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 q spring of clear water. called by
the peasants "Manollrs we'll and be
lieved by them to have a strange and
wonderful origin.
Once upon time, we are told. n
Roumanian noble named Negen was
captive In the hands of Seiim. the sui
tan OF Turkey. During his exile Ne
gen employed his time IN studying
architecture. and. possessing consider
able talent. he undertook TO superin-
tend the building of celebrated
mosque. Charmed by the beauty Of
the building. the sultan granted Prince
Negen his liberty and permission to
carry back to his native land certain
costly materials similar 20 those used
In identifying the mosque.
Accompanied by nine skilled mnsons
Negen returned to Roumania. resolved
to immortalize his name by building
there a religious house such as Ind
never before been seen.
The site chosen. the builders set &c
work under his 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
!
wor who appeared at break OF day
On awaking from sleep ManOll
told his comrades of this vision. ant
together they made solemn vow I,
sacrifice thus the first woman. maid o.
matron. who appeared the next morn
ing.
With the first streak OF dawn Ma
nolli mounted the scaffolding and scan
ned the surrounding hills with palIld
anxious face. Alas. who is II he see
| in the distance? His own fair youni
wife. bringing food and wine for he
lord.
| Then Manolli threw himself upo
his knees and besought heaven {
| send food to prevent her from CON
ing. and at once the rain poured dowI
| and the river rose so that waste O
| water covered the valley. But I'll
young wife waded through the water
and -Manolli. in despair. beheld he
still approaching.
Again he prayed. and a fierce hurr
cane swept over the mountains. leve
ing trees and hurting rocks In th
way. Yet on she came. Anniker ha
a brave spirit. and neither hcod nc
tempest would keep her from the ma
she loved.
Joyfully the masons received he
but Manolli's face was pale and stricl
Ell with anguish.
They led the young wife to mich
In the newly built wall and told her I
stand there for a joke while they pr
} tended to build her In. At first ST
} laughed merrily and entered into II
lest, but her smiles vanished as Quic
~ the wall rose from ankle to kns
. and from knee to waist. Poor Ann
ker's entreaties and cries did not mo,
: the hearts of the stern builders. ar
soon her voice was heard no more.
J The prophetic vision proved tru
r The building suffered no more fro
/ Invisible foes and when complete SO
= isfied the pride of Negen's heart NJ
: nolli alone took no pleasure In the et
fee which had cost him so dear.
1t was finished. and the masons pr
pared to return to their own countr
r Negen. however. determined that tn,
t should never return. The desi:
e which they had worked out so adm
:. rably was the creature of his brain. {
G darling Of his heart; 1t should never
n reproduced. So he invited them all
4 the roof for the last time. The
t treacherously removing the ladders.
II left them there to die.
), The mnsons devised various mea
4 for reaching the earth. but they we
y ali killed In the attempt to escape Il
4 were changed by fairies into the gre
II blocks of stone which remain to II
dow In pronf of tho fra Oic avanf