Mysterious Maiden
Deep in the mountains, there once lived an old bachelor. Every day, he would go digging for herbs and then sell them in the market. Nearly thirty, and quite poor, it seemed unlikely he would ever find a wife. One day he went deeper in the woods than usual, looking for herbs, and struck such a rich vein that he lost track of time. Before he knew it, the sun had set, stranding him in the dark. Eager to get home, he only got more lost in the forest. He had no other recourse but to keep wandering. At last, he saw a faint light flickering in the distance. He ran over to see who it might be. What he found was a straw-thatched house with a fenced-in garden. Hearing his footsteps, a young woman came out to greet him.
