Once upon a time, there was a girl named Anna, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Unfortunately, her father, Laszlo, died when she was still a child, and guardianship over her passed to her stepmother — Judith.
Judith never felt a shred of love for her stepdaughter. To her, Anna was a burden. Over the years, Anna grew into a beautiful and intelligent young woman, inspiring admiration from everyone who met her. Suitors flocked to win her attention, which only deepened Judith’s jealousy, since her own daughter, Juju, enjoyed no success at all.
Blinded by jealousy and wanting to get rid of Anna, Judith came up with the most humiliating way she could imagine.
— Since you insist on getting married, — she said with a cold smirk, — I have found the perfect groom for you.
Anna’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Judith had shown mercy? Maybe she had indeed met a kind and worthy person? But the moment she heard exactly whom Judith had chosen, she was left breathless.
“You will marry a pauper. A ragged man without a penny to his name. Everything is already arranged.”
Anna fought desperately, but it was all in vain. Judith had organized the wedding down to the last detail, and stopping the ceremony was impossible.
The news about the upcoming wedding quickly spread throughout the town. Everyone was shocked: such a beautiful and smart girl like Anna, and—marrying a pauper? What a disgrace!
The wedding day arrived. The church was full of onlookers who came to witness the girl’s humiliation. The groom stood at the altar—a bearded stranger in tattered clothes. Anna wore a white dress, her head bowed, as if living a nightmare.
When the priest began the ceremony, suddenly the groom raised his hand:
“Wait a minute!”
Silence fell over the church. All eyes turned to the mysterious man. He straightened up, took off his worn-out coat—and seemed to transform. He wiped dust and dirt from his face, revealing before everyone a young, handsome man.
“My name is Matvey,” he said with a warm smile. “I am not a beggar. I am the son of a wealthy merchant. Before he died, my father entrusted me with the task of finding a wife who would love me not for my money, but for who I truly am. That’s why I hid my origins and pretended to be poor.”
The crowd gasped. Judit turned as pale as a wall, and Anna opened her eyes wide with surprise.
“When I learned that Madam Judit planned to marry off her stepdaughter to a beggar out of pure malice, I thought, ‘What if I become that beggar myself?’ Now that the truth is out, Anna, will you marry me, knowing who I really am?”
Tears welled up in Anna’s eyes— but this time from happiness.
“Yes!” she exclaimed joyfully, grabbing his hand.
The crowd erupted in applause. Everyone rejoiced for the newlyweds. And Judit stood in the corner, unable to utter a word, watching her wicked plan collapse before her eyes.
Anna and Matvey married and lived happily ever after, while Judit was left alone—forever remembering that kindness and love always triumph over spite and envy.