Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-01-03
A ROUMAN|AN Legend
The Tragedy From Which sprang
ManoIli's Well.
A WEIRD TALE |. 1. OF oLDEk DAks

b. : = !
A WEIRD TALE. OF 0LDEk DAkS
.Nsither Fate Nrr Flood Nor Hurricane
Could Keep the Faithful Anniker
From the Man She Loved and From
Her Horrible Doom.
Tradition Is not history. but 1t serves
to fill in the CUPS left by the chroni-
clers Of olden time and throws light
sometimes lurid one-,lpon the
manners and customs Of bygone ages.
A dark deed cruel enough to be re-
membered even in a cruel age IL re,
peatel from father to son. each gener.
aripn adding its touch Of superstitious
marvel to the story till It grows into
the fairy tale Of today. mythical. yet
not without keroel Of truth.
Among the picturesque peasantry
Of Roumania fingers many a weird
tale of olden days. One such legend 10
related concerning an ancient monas-
terry. the remains Of which are still to
be, seen on u wooded hillside. Beneath
thes weird walls lie nine great Jumps
Of granite. aud among these rocks
rises spring Of clear water, called By
the. peasant :Mapol!i's well", and be
iieved by them to have: 2 strange and
wonderful origin. B, $l.i. g s.;si; &.
Once upon i time, we are told .
Rounanianf noble named Negen was
captive ID the hands Of Selim, 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 to those used
in beautifyipg the mosque: ~.
Accompanied by nine skilled masons.
Negen returned to Roumania. resolved
TO immortaiize his name by building
there a religious house such a. had
never. before been seen. &.
The site chosen. the builders get 10
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 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 awaiting from sleep Manolll
told his comrades Of this vision. and
together they made solemn VOW to
sacrifice thus the first woman. maid or
matron. who appeared the next morn
ing.
With the arst streak Of dawn Ma
nolli mounted the scafrolding and scan
ned the surrounding hills with pallid.
anxious face. Alas. who Is it he sees
in the distance? His own fair young
wife, bringing food and wine for her
lord. Il
Then -Manolli threw himself upon
his knees aud besought heaven to
send q flood to prevent her from COM
Ing. aud romeo the rain poured down.
and the river rose 20 thut q waste tof
water covered the valley. But the
young wife waded through the water.
and ,Manolli, in despair, beheld her
still approaching. ~ n
Again. he prayed. and q fierce hurrt-
cane swept over the mountains level
ing trees and hurling rocks In the
way. Vet on she came. Anniker had
u brave, spirit. and neither 6ood nor
tempest would Keep her from the man
she loved.s
:.ioyfulIy sthe masons received her.
but iAIanollfs face was pale and strick-
Ell with anguish.
They led the young wife to 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 merriIy and entered into the
lest. but her smiles vanished MS quick
" the wall rose from ankle to knee
and from knee to waist. Poor Ami
kpr's entrea,ties and cries did not move
th.. hearts Of the stern builders. and
soon her voice was heard no more.
The prophetic vision proved true.
The building, suffered no. more from
Invisible foes and when complete sat
lstied the pride Of Negen's heart Ma
nolli alone took no pleasure In the edi.
flee which had cost him 80 dear.
1t was finished. and the masons pre-
pared to return TO their own country.
Negcn. however. determined that they
should never return. The design
which they hud worked out 40 admi-
rubly was the creature OF his brain. the
darling of Ills heart, 1t should never be
reproduced SD he invited them all to
the roof for the last time. Then.
;.encl,erouslE removing the ladders. he
:..f: them there to die. ~;
,,.rhe mnsons devised various means
TOR reaching, the, earth. but they were
al. killed III the attempt to escape and
wore changed by fairies into the great
,Ar ks .nf, styne. which: remain, to this
div. III prqY!s.spf the tragic, event.
,,Alarnl.l nAyyle made no effort to save
himself and ,joined in none. Of the con
trivances .llrepnred by. his comrades.
Hf heard only Anniker's voice calling
to- shim-.;IppoIlI. .Mnuolli" Follow
Ing the mystic vpice. he snrnng from
the, parnpets falling lifeless upon, the
earth. and the tears yelling up. from
his broken, heart. became a fountain.
ever clear. cool and fresh. and to this
dny It ia know rs. Manolli's well.-Lon-
don Family Herald.
Every bnse occupation makes one
shar, IN its practice and dull IN every
other.-Sir Philip Sidney.