Section 1
Once upon a time, there was a wealthy king who had a son that fell deeply in love with a beautiful young woman named Maid Maleen. Despite his wishes, Maid Maleen's father refused to give his daughter's hand in marriage to the prince. Determined to be together, the couple refused to give up on their love. Maid Maleen boldly declared to her father, "I cannot and will not marry anyone else." Angered by her defiance, the king ordered the construction of a tall tower that was completely sealed off from sunlight and moonlight. The king then imprisoned Maid Maleen in the tower, vowing to return in seven years to see if this punishment had broken her perverse spirit. For the next seven years, the only sustenance that was allowed into the tower was food and drink. Maid Maleen and her loyal maid were then locked inside the tower, completely cut off from the outside world. They were surrounded by impenetrable walls that deprived them of any sight of the sky or the earth. They sat in the dark, unable to tell the difference between day and night. The king's son would frequently walk around the tower, calling out Maid Maleen's name, but the thick walls prevented any sound from reaching her. All they could do was lament and express their despair. As time went by, the diminishing amount of food and drink signaled that the seven years were drawing to a close. They hoped that their moment of rescue had finally arrived, but no hammer struck, and no stones fell from the walls. Maid Maleen began to feel as though her father had completely forgotten about her. As their supply of food dwindled and they faced a grim fate, Maid Maleen realized that they had no choice but to attempt to break through the wall. Using a bread-knife, she carefully chipped away at the mortar of one stone, and when she grew tired, her maid took over. With immense effort, they managed to remove three stones over three days, until a glimmer of light shone through. Eventually, the opening was large enough for them to peer outside. The sky was a vivid blue and a cool breeze brushed their faces, but everything around them was dismal. Her father's castle lay in ruins, the town and villages appeared to have been destroyed by fire, the fields were barren, and there was no sign of any human presence. After the opening in the wall was large enough for them to escape, the waiting-maid jumped down first, followed by Maid Maleen. However, they soon realized that they had nowhere to go. The enemy had devastated the entire kingdom, exiled the king, and massacred all of its inhabitants. They set out to find another land, but they found no shelter or any other human being to provide them with even a meager meal. Their desperation led them to subsist on nettles. After traveling for a long time, they arrived in another country, where they attempted to secure employment. However, every door was shut in their faces, and nobody was willing to lend a helping hand. Finally, they reached a big city and made their way to the royal palace. Once again, they were told to go away, but eventually, the cook took pity on them and allowed them to stay in the kitchen, working as scullions. Interestingly, the young prince in whose realm they had found refuge was the same man who had been promised to wed Maid Maleen. His father, however, had chosen another bride for him – a woman whose face was as unappealing as her soul was cruel. The wedding was imminent, and the bride had already arrived. Due to her appalling looks, she shut herself in her room, refusing to let anyone see her. It was Maid Maleen's duty to deliver her meals from the kitchen.
