required any effort. With just a little bit of influence, that presumptuous young man was accused of theft and handed over to the executioner''s axe."

"That must have been devastating for a young maiden," Anne interjected.

"The death of her lover alone did not drive this young lady to madness," Amy went on, "She even calmly requested the executioner for his head. She brought the young man''s head back home, cradling it in her lap, kissing it over and over again, and later planted that blonde head in a flowerpot on the balcony. From that day on, she wore long mourning dress, her face veiled in black, spending her days tending to that flowerpot, paying no attention to anyone who tried to engage her in conversation."

"What a weird woman!" Charlotte muttered.

"Her strange act unsurprisingly drew attention from people. When her older brother discovered the truth, he was furious and immediately took away the flowerpot, destroying it, and forbidding the stubborn young lady from wearing mourning clothes ever again. It was as if the girl only truly understood the misfortune that had befallen her once she lost the flowerpot. She buried her face in her pillow, crying heartbroken tears that could move anyone to weep! Her family thought that after this fit of childishness passed, she would return to her former self, so they hastily arranged a passable marriage for her - for a maiden who had already become the talk of the town, such a place was something to be grateful for, indeed.

"Who would have thought that the damsel would cease her weeping, o