“No matter what happens, this rose represents the love I have for you.”

Once upon a time in the village of Weinolsheim there lived a beautiful girl named Vanessa. Her mother and father were owners of the most magnificent winery in the village, and the villagers knew her and her family well. She helped take care of the vineyards when it came time to harvest grapes which Vanessa loved because she enjoyed nature. Her favorite place to go was a Wishing Well in the town of Uelversheim where she would sit for hours. 

Every day when she returned home, her parents noticed the cheer in her voice and lingering smile. Vanessa didn’t let her parents know when she visited the Wishing Well. There had been a long-standing rivalry between the two villages to determine who had the best wine so, she kept her visits secret. Vanessa also had another secret. While at the wishing well she had begun meeting a very handsome young man named Tomas and slowly, a relationship was formed.

Vanessa knew deep down that nothing could happen between her and Tomas. He was the son of her family’s rival and his family owned the winery in Uelversheim. She knew that this would not end well but that didn’t stop her from continuing to see him. There was something unique about him in the way he made her feel special like no one else had before. Her heart would race and loudly pound at the thought of being with Tomas.  

The next day Vanessa went to the Wishing well and Tomas was there waiting for her. As she walked toward him he said that he had something for her and revealed a beautiful rose from behind his back. He said, “No matter what happens, this rose represents the love I have for you.” Vanessa was beaming now. They both embraced one another and spent the afternoon talking and trying to come up with a way for them to be together in secret. Tomas finally said to Vanessa “we will go down to town hall and fight for our love.” Vanessa didn’t know how she felt about this, their future would not be an easy one. She told Thomas she needed time to think before making a decision.

When Vanessa returned home, her parents asked where she had gotten the rose. She didn’t know what to say so, she decided to tell them about Tomas. They were devastated and after talking, Vanessa felt horrible for telling them. She feared that they would cause a scene and they did. Her parents called Tomas’s family and revealed to them that their children were in a secret relationship. Neither family approved and Vanessa cried for the rest of the night wishing that she had never told anyone about Tomas. She tried to decide how to fix her circumstances and make things better but she continued to cry until she fell asleep.

In the morning, she got up and prepared to speak with Tomas. She bought more roses to wear in her hair like a crown and did her makeup. On the way there, her heart was beating rapidly, she had no idea how this was going to go. As she approached the Wishing Well, she saw Tomas but he was not happy. Once she arrived Tomas said to her “I’m sorry but it’s over, we can’t see each other again. My parents will take away my inheritance if I choose this life and you are not worth losing my family.” Vanessa was crushed. She took the rose that he gave her and ripped it apart as she ran back home in tears never to see him again. 

Story by Joy Casey based on local folklore.