There was a beautiful girl, the daughter of a wealthy miller.
As she grew up, her father was eager to find her a suitable husband, hoping she would marry someone perfect.
Many men came to propose, but none satisfied the miller.
One day, a man arrived. He appeared wealthy, handsome, and well-spoken.
In every way, he seemed perfect, so the miller agreed to marry his daughter to him, and they became engaged.
However, the girl didn’t like her fiancé. Although he seemed kind, she felt an inexplicable fear every time she saw him, sensing he was hiding something.
One day, the fiancé said to her, “We are getting married soon, but you haven’t been to my home yet. Every time I invite you, you refuse. Why? This Sunday, you must come, as I’ve invited relatives and friends who want to meet you.”
The girl politely declined, saying, “I don’t know where your house is.”
“It’s nearby, in the forest.”
“I don’t know the way and might get lost.”
“I’ll sprinkle ash along the path. Just follow it, and you’ll find my home easily.”
With no other option, she agreed.
On Sunday, just before leaving, the girl felt overwhelming fear, stronger than ever. She sensed something bad was going to happen.
After thinking for a moment, she filled her pockets with beans.
When she arrived in the forest, she saw ash on the path, just as he said.
She followed it and scattered beans along the way.
Eventually, she reached a house, but it looked just as frightening as her fiancé made her feel.
She entered with unease, finding it empty.
As she stood there, puzzled, a voice called out, “Run away, run away! This is the house of robbers!”
She turned to see a bird in a cage.
Then, another voice sighed, saying, “Such a beautiful girl, why have you come here? Another one has fallen into the trap…”
The girl looked and saw an old lady had entered.
“I’m here to find my fiancé…” the girl said.
The old lady interrupted, “You’ve been deceived. Your fiancé is a robber! This is a den of thieves. Many girls like you have been tricked and lost their lives.”
Her heart raced, and her hands went cold. She finally understood why she had always feared her fiancé.
“But aren’t you one of them? Why are you telling me this?” she asked.
“I was captured by them too. They kept me alive because I can work.”
“Let’s run away together!”
“It’s too late, they’ve come back.”
The old woman glanced out the window, and the girl followed her gaze, seeing several robbers approaching, led by her fiancé.
“Quick, hide behind that large barrel. If we survive this, we’ll escape tonight!” the old woman urged.
The girl had just hidden when the robbers entered.
Her fiancé immediately asked the old woman if his bride-to-be had arrived.
“No,” she replied, “She never comes, no matter how many times you invite her. She’s let you down again.”
Angrily, he cursed and pulled out a pile of jewelry and gold, spoils from their latest robbery.
As he played with a beautiful ring, it suddenly slipped and bounced, landing in the girl’s skirt as she hid behind the barrel.
Terrified, she almost cried out.
The robbers searched everywhere for the ring but couldn’t find it.
“Check behind that barrel,” her fiancé said.
The girl’s heart pounded, fearing she’d be discovered.
But the old woman quickly interrupted, “Dinner’s ready, forget the ring for now. It can’t escape this house!”
She served the food, distracting the robbers with the delicious aroma.
The robbers, now focused on eating, stopped their search and sat down to eat.
Soon after eating and drinking their fill, they collapsed into a deep sleep, for the old woman had drugged the food and wine.
The girl cautiously emerged from behind the barrel, carefully stepping over the sleeping robbers, and fled with the old woman out the door.
Though the ash trail had blown away, the beans she had scattered remained, some even sprouting.
Guided by the beans and the moonlight, they rushed through the forest without stopping, fearing the robbers might wake and chase them.
Finally, they escaped the forest and made it back home.
Breathless and trembling, the girl told her father everything that had happened.
On the day of the wedding, in front of all the guests, the girl recounted her terrifying experience in the forest, publicly revealing that the groom was a murderous robber.
Trying to remain calm, the groom smiled and said, “Everyone knows you don’t like me, but you shouldn’t slander me like this.”
The girl, trembling, produced the ring and said, “This is the ring of a murdered girl. Do you still deny it?”
“Who can prove it? Perhaps you killed her yourself to frame me,” he retorted.
At that moment, the old woman stepped forward and said, “I can prove it, and I can testify that you’ve killed more than one girl!”
Faced with undeniable evidence and a witness, the robber groom could no longer defend himself.
As he tried to flee, the crowd leapt upon him and captured him.
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