A German knight inherited a large fortune from his father, but was so careless and such a spendthrift that it was gone in a short time. Nonetheless, he lacked the will to give up his high lifestyle and so went to his relatives and friends for support. For a time, they satisfied his request and for a while, he was again able to enjoy his life of luxury.
But when everything was spent, he again sought out his relations to ask for more money. On his way, he entered a wood. He continued riding on the main road until he came to a narrow path. He turned onto this and soon came into a clearing through which a charming stream flowed. Here sat a beautiful woman who greeted him and asked where he was riding.
The knight returned the greeting but avoided answering her question. The woman then said, “I know that you wish to visit your relatives and are thinking of asking them for support. However, that will be fruitless, then they – like others as well – will likely be watchful before the throw away their money without expecting something in return. It would be more purposeful to find a wealthy woman and to obtain money that way.”
“I know of no woman through whom I could obtain such good fortune”, replied the knight.
“Do you want to marry me if I obtain sufficient money for you?” asked the woman.
“I’m not sure if that is advisable,” answered the knight.
“Then do as you wish,” said the woman.
“At least,” said the knight, “I want to first seek out my relatives and hear what they think of this.”
“Do as you see fit,” responded the woman, “but it will not give you much advantage,”
“Where can I find you, should I agree to your proposal?” asked the knight.
“Come to this same place when you return,” said the woman, “and bring an extra horse with you on which I can ride home with you.”
With that, the knight departed and traveled to his relatives. As the woman said, they refused to help him a second time. He then told them of his meeting in the wood and said that he had a certain suspicion and believed he knew who the woman was. “She may be who she wishes,” replied his relatives, “it is advisable to accept the offer.”
The knight returned toward home, came to the clearing and found the woman sitting by the stream. She greeted him and asked how things had gone. “Not other than what you suspected,” he replied.
“That was to be expected,” said the woman, “so what do you plan to do?”
“I’m not quite sure what I should decide,” said the knight.
“The advice seems acceptable to take a woman home and to obtain money from her,” said the beautiful woman. “I will abide by what I’ve promised you: marry me and you will not lack for money whenever you ask for it. What did your relatives say when you told them of my offer?”
“They didn’t advise against taking the money, regardless of where it comes,” replied the knight.
“Sensibly stated,” said the woman, “then every man is treasured for his wealth. Is there a horse ready which I may mount?”
“It is right here,” said the knight.
So decide what you want to do,” said the woman. “I’m ready to ride with you and to enter into our agreement.”
“There is no other choice,” said the knight. With that, he led the horse to her, helped her onto it and then mounted the other. As she neared the knight’s mount she said, “As soon as we arrive home we must drink the engagement beer.”
“I’m not sure if I have the means for it,” said the knight.
“I’ll ensure that we lack for nothing,” she replied, and took out from under her robe a heavy purse that she gave to him. “Take this for now,” she said, “and if it is spent then tell me, and I’ll obtain more.”
He took the money, arranged for the engagement beer and after a short time, the marriage was held. They lived together for many years and had four children: two sons and two daughters. The woman was much loved because of her good will and generosity. She also kept secret her promise to her husband, that she always provided him with money when he wished to buy something.
Like others, she went to church and participated in the services; only when the mass began would she always remove herself using some excuse, and was never present when the consecrated wafer was raised. As a result, talk began to spread amongst the people that finally reached the ears of the knight’s brother, a deacon.
He hurried to seek out his brother the knight. One day he came to his estate when the knight was away and only his wife was present. She welcomed the guest and his companion with great friendliness, presented them with the best food and drink and provided them with her company. That night, the deacon stayed there. The next morning he spoke his prayers and wished to have a mass read in his room. Before doing so, he asked the woman to be summoned. He then asked her to first take part in the ceremony, and then to dine with him afterward.
She agreed, and remained quietly until the reading of the gospel. When this began, she prepared to leave. The deacon asked what she was doing. She replied that she had an important work to arrange. The clergyman requested if she could remain quietly there, and the woman obeyed. Nevertheless, as the singing quietly began she was determined to leave the room. Again, she allowed herself to be calmed, but when the Sanctus hymn ended, she again became restless and was determined to leave.
But the deacon held her fast, grasping a long robe he had with him and threw it over her shoulder. At the same moment, the Blessed Sacrament was raised. With that, the woman placed her hands on the heads of her daughters and disappeared up the chimney in the ceiling.
After that, she was never seen again and no one knew what had happened to her. The two sons remained at home, and were obedient Christian men. The man took another woman and it is not told that he experienced any misfortune.
(The Woman in the Woods speaks): — “People will accuse you for your wastefulness, but won’t help you a second time. Seek out your relatives and tell them what has happened between us. Ask them for advice about what you should do.
“I expect that as soon as they hear of the silver that I will provide you, they will tell you to agree to the marriage while at the same time hiding the real reason they do so because they value more avoiding your plea for help than whether our marriage is happy or not. If you wish to find me on your return home, come to this same place as it is here I will await you.”
He stated his agreement, as his heart tended toward the woman for her elegance and cleverness. He then rode away and went to his relatives, where everything proceeded as the woman had said. He then decided to seek her out again.
She was already waiting for him in the clearing. When he told her that all had gone with his relatives as she had predicted and he therefore had decided to marry her, she immediately climbed up behind him on his horse and rode home with him.
When they came near his estate, the woman stated that he must invite all of his friends and family on the same day and arrange for the engagement brew, for she did not wish to become just his mistress. The wedding could then take place as soon as his finances had improved. The knight replied that he would like to meet her wishes but that his cellar was empty.
“Then I will prove to you that I haven’t made empty promises,” she said, “here is a purse of silver that should be enough to buy the best beers. If later you still have the need, just come and tell me.”
With a glad heart, the knight took the money and arranged a magnificent guests’ feast. From this day forth, his situation was completely changed; he never wanted for money, and his wife provided it for him whenever he wanted to buy something. Beyond that, she was friendly to every man and servant, kept the household is such exemplary order so that the knight blessed the hour that he brought her to his house, and everyone honored and praised her highly.
Their marriage was also blessed with children. First, two sons and then two daughters were born. In spite of the admiration that the woman enjoyed, one thing aroused curiosity of people: it appeared as if the mass was not important to her; she always knew to arrange it whereby she was never present for the offertory. This became known to the deacon mentioned earlier, the knight’s brother, who decided to find out for himself if the rumor had merit.
One evening he came with his entourage to the estate and found only the woman at home. She greeted them politely and served them the best. She as well as the children made the most favorable impression on him so that in his heart he wished he might prove the ugly rumors false.
“As my brother is away,” he told her, “I do not wish to stay long and immediately after tomorrow’s mass I would like to dine.” The woman replied that everything would be arranged according to his wishes. He then went directly to rest for the night.
His room to which he was shown was arranged in a most stately way, and the fireplace was prepared in such an excellent way that while the fire burned he could sleep without care.
With the morning light, the deacon had the altar set up and everything prepared for the mass, while a priest was also present in his group. The deacon then had the woman called, ordering his companions to prevent her from leaving for any reason.
When his sister-in-law appeared leading her two daughters by the hand, the deacon greeted them cordially and invited her to provide him company during the meal before his departure and first to hear the mass. She agreed, and the mass honoring the Holy Spirit then began. The epistle was read, but as the evangelism was read, she became disquieted and prepared to leave.
“Where do you wish to go?” asked the deacon.
“I must leave,” she replied, “but I will come right back.”
He asked her not to disturb the service, so she remained. As the muted singing began following the reading of the evangelism, she again became restless, setting aside her robe with the thought of leaving the room. The deacon grasped her hand and said, “You are certainly a sensible woman. How is it that you give so little heed to the holy proceedings?”
“I must distribute something for your meal which the servants cannot attend to,” she replied.
“Should something be lacking,” he answered, “I will gladly forgo it and take the blame for it.” With that, she again became quiet. However, as the praefatio began, fear again gripped her and she along with her two daughters began to wander around the room and was unable to hear the deacon’s words. The doors were locked so that she was unable to leave. As the muted singing began anew following the praefatio, she had taken a position near the fireplace. Placing her hands on her daughters’ heads, all three suddenly changed to vapor and flew up the chimney.
The sons remained behind and grew into honorable and good Christian men. Following the death of their father, they inherited his goods, which were in no way reduced in spite of the wondrous way his wife had disappeared.
This story shows that God and the angels are always present at holy occasions, and that our savior supports the memory of his honored martyrs.