Along time ago there was a husband and a wife who dearly loved each other called Marditsa and Giannaki. One day they were walking on the road and Giannaki grew thirsty,  "Marditsa", he said "I must drink I am very thirsty".  At this time Marditsa and Giannaki were crossing a small river, but this river was magical who so ever drank from it would become a goat,  "No, you must not drink from this river Giannaki or you will become a goat.", said Marditsa.  Giannaki with all his thirst did not listen to his wife and drank from the river and turned into a goat.  With great sadness Marditsa led her husband home.

During this time a great feast was occurring in the village, and the king seeing such a magnificent goat following Marditsa ordered it to be cooked in his honor.  Marditsa in all her sadness did not eat at the feast, but rather she collected the bones of her husband  to bury them.  When Marditsa got home after the feast  she buried the bones near her house to remember her husband.  Immediately where her husband's bones had been buried a most beautiful tree sprouted with  untold fruit. 

 Soon the cruel king heard of this and went to eat the fruit of the tree but try as he tried to reach the fruit the tree would spread its branches and not let the king eat from the tree. When Marditsa came to eat from the fruit of the tree the tree would bend down its branches and provide the fruit to her.  When the king saw this he grew very angry and ordered the tree to be cut down and made into firewood for the villagers.  Marditsa then took a piece of firewood and made a beautiful cane to remember her husband.  This cane quickly became magical and would do anything Marditsa wished.  No matter how hard anyone tried no one could ever separate Marditsa from Giannaki.. nor can anyone separate true love.  

Origin: Central Greece-The Island of Evia.