Tales and Fables

Sir Gareth and Miss Daphne loved each other so much it hurt. To win the approval of his future father-in-law, Gareth had to perform seven challenges.[...]

The seventh was the hardest. Gareth had to go to Lynx Crag, find the witch who lives there and convince her to lift the drought that plagued the whole land. Everyone, including Daphne, pleaded with Gareth to humble himself before the witch. You see, the witch from Lynx Crag was spiteful and headstrong, even for a witch, and only an act of true humility could break her icy heart.

Gareth, however, had no intention of bending his knee before a witch. Instead, he planned to force her to lift the curse. Nobody knows what happened on Lynx Crag, but Gareth never returned to his beloved. Daphne stood on the top of a hill and looked for him day and night. Finally, she turned into a tree, so that she may live to see the return of her knight. Such was the strength of her longing and the power of her love.

Anyone who plunged his axe blade into that tree would see blood run from the wound. Folk started to avoid that place, leaving Daphne in peace to wait for Gareth. In time, all had forgotten about her.