The good moon

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The good moon is a story by the Austrian writer Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830–1916), which appeared in 1886 in the New Village and Castle Stories .

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Some friends remember their late friend who was called by everyone the "good moon". His life story is therefore given here.

The good moon was called Franz and had exactly the same name as his cousin. But while he was spoiled and pampered by his parents from an early age, the good moon lost his parents and had to learn to stand on his own two feet. He therefore had a sober, practical manner, while his cousin made verse, being impractical, capricious and unsteady. Since the cousin also lost his parents at the age of 25, the good moon has taken care of his cousin's farm and himself; both owned estates in Transylvania .

One day the cousin fell into the clutches of the coquettish Aglaya. But when he was staying in a spa for a spa stay, he fell in love with an innocent, charming girl and surprised everyone with the news that the wedding with her had already been decided. Aglaya, on the other hand, was not allowed to know about it. The bride came from a good background, lived with an aunt, but had no good financial prospects, as the aunt wanted to leave her fortune to the church. When the cousin was back home, however, his mood faded and he reconsidered his promise of marriage. Shortly before the agreed wedding, he asked the good moon to inform the bride that he would not come. So the good-natured cousin, who, however, considered himself a rough person, set off as quickly as possible in order to be able to cancel the wedding in time and to spare the bride the shame of waiting in vain in front of the church.

When he reaches the place, everything is already prepared and a large crowd is waiting for him as people mistake him for the bridegroom. When he was able to give his aunt the sad news that his cousin would not show up for the wedding, she had the idea of ​​asking him to marry her niece herself. The bride is still very young and Franz falls in love with her instantly. He agrees to spare her the shame, the bride herself is completely under the influence of her aunt and does what she tells her. So the two were married, but the marriage will not be consummated.

After a while, the couple moved to Franz's home, where Alma saw her former bridegroom again. Franz, who treated his wife very gently and hoped to win her love one day, became visibly more jealous because he believed that Alma still loved his cousin but not him. She was obedient to him in everything and showed no will of her own, which made the husband more and more unwilling.

One day a fire breaks out in a farm building. Franz and his cousin rush over with the fire engine, the young woman follows them. The belongings are brought to safety from an adjoining workers' house, and the enthusiastic cousin excels by running into the burning building a few times to get things out. As he is inside, a wall collapses and the good moon rushes with the fire engine to the other side of the building to bring help from there. Then he hears the pitiful cry "Franz!" his wife. A horse hits her in the head, and she collapses. You bring the lifeless home and get the doctor. Franz believes nothing other than that she hurried after him out of concern for his cousin. In her sick bed he decides that if she should get well again, he will renounce her and release her for him for whom she wanted to die. When she comes to, it turns out that Alma had acted out of concern and love for himself. But her life can no longer be saved. She dies in his arms - now finally his and yet not his.

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