Once upon a time there lived a girl. She was very beautiful and therefore the son of a rich man wanted to marry her although her parents were very poor. They however did not want to give her and climbed her on a high poplar not to allow the boy to steel her. The poplar was growing near the fountain of the village. The poplar was so high, that no body could climb it, even the son of the rich man.
The lad came to water his horse, he looked around to see her but he could not. The horse bent down to drink water and neighed the girl was so beautiful, that the horse recognized her shadow in the water although she was hidden in the branches.
Come down, girl! the lad asked her.
I can not, I ought not to. she answered. My mother and my father do not allow me!
One day, second day the lad got sick. The whole day he was walking around the fountain but he could not do anything. Finally an old woman saw him and told him:
Hey, lad, I have noticed that everyday you come here looking for something. What is it?
I will tell you, old woman. But you can not help me.
You just tell me and I will see! Old people always know what to do!
A girl is hiding here in the crown of the tree. She is so beautiful that my horse recognizes her shadow in the water. She is so beautiful and I am so much in love with her that I am ready to take her immediately although she is from a poor family. She however does not want to come down. She is afraid of her mother and father.
When you come tomorrow, lad, bring me a trivet, a tub, and some clothes. If your girl is not only beautiful but diligent as well I will make her come down.
He did as she told him and on the next day he brought her a trivet, a tub, and some clothes and hid near the fountain. The old woman started to pretend she was going to wash the clothes. But instead of putting the trivet to boil water, she put it upside-down. She started to cry:
Oh, My God, what am I going to do now? I do not know how to boil water, I will not be able to wash the clothes and my husband will be angry with me!
Do not be afraid, old woman! the girl said. I will tell you how to boil water and wash the clothes!
You will tell me, girl, but I am old and I do not hear well. Come down and show me!
My mother and father ordered me to stay here, but will go down to help you, old woman! the girl said and climbed down.
Then the lad came out from the bushes and told her:
You are not only beautiful, but good and diligent as well. I want you to marry me!
And they made a forty-days wedding.