In a picturesque Russian town, a charming mother and her delightful daughter lived. One day, the daughter’s burning curiosity and eagerness led her to approach her mother with an ardent wish to learn how to play the piano. Overcome by her daughter’s fervor, the mother set out on a mission to turn her daughter’s musical aspirations into reality by venturing to the local music shop.
Upon entering the music shop, the young girl was immediately awestruck by the magnificent grand piano stationed at the back of the store, its sparkling appearance captivating her gaze. However, her mother’s reaction was quite different. She was taken aback by the exorbitant price tag and suggested a more affordable option. Nevertheless, the young girl refused to compromise and broke down in tears, determined to pursue her musical aspirations with nothing but the very best instrument.
As tears streamed down the young girl’s face, she clutched onto her mother’s arm, pleading for the piano of her dreams. But the price tag was simply out of reach, and her mother had to break the news that they couldn’t afford it. The girl’s sobs echoed through the store until the sound of the employee door opening hushed her tears.
Out stepped an elegant old lady, who had overheard the commotion. She kindly offered a deal that seemed too good to be true – the mother could pay off the piano in small, reasonable installments, with absolutely zero interest. When the mother asked what was in it for the old lady, she simply replied that music is a gift for everyone, not just the wealthy and Although it may pose a challenge, do not surrender your efforts.
As the piano was delivered to their home, the daughter jumped up and down with joy and immediately began practicing day in and day out. Despite her mother’s initial reluctance to the noise, nothing made her happier than seeing her daughter’s dedication and joy. The old lady’s wise words echoed in her mind – it wouldn’t be easy, but to never give up.
A week had passed, and the young girl began to grumble about her aching fingers. Her mother quickly dismissed it as a result of too much playtime. However, another week went by, and the girl’s pain only grew worse. She yearned for a break from practicing, but her mother reminded her of the advice from the wise old lady: never give up, especially when things get tough.
Despite her fatigue and weakness, the girl persevered through the challenging daily practice sessions. She refused to let her mother down, even though the piano keys seemed to taunt her with every strike. Then one day, disaster struck, and the piano let out a loud, jarring noise. The keys stopped working, and the girl rushed to tell her mother that it was not her fault.
After contacting the music shop, the mother was pleased to see the old lady who had previously helped them arrive to fix the piano without charging them. The mother and daughter left the old lady to work on the piano, being aware of the tension on the piano strings and the potential danger. Once the old lady had finished repairing the piano, it was as good as new, and the girl resumed her practice.
Despite her fingers never healing, she continued practicing daily, growing increasingly thin. But she was determined to follow the old lady’s advice and not give up, no matter how challenging things got.
As the weeks went by, the piano continued to break down. It seemed like an endless cycle – the old lady would come to fix it, the girl would resume her practice, and the piano would break again. Over time, the girl became paler and more fatigued, but her mother didn’t notice the subtle changes.
One day, when the piano broke down again, the mother decided to investigate. She suspected that the old lady was scamming them by selling subpar pianos, so she crept up to the living room and peeked through the keyhole.
To her horror, she saw the old lady pull out a glass jar of red liquid from the piano and drink it down. As she watched, she realized that the piano was draining her daughter’s blood in tiny increments whenever she played.
The mother was filled with shame for falling for such a cruel trick. She immediately stopped her daughter from playing the piano and reported the old lady to the authorities. From that day on, she vowed to protect her family from any predatory schemes that threatened to bleed them dry.