The Handless Maiden, after having her hands amputated, and cast the devil away, has decided to leave her parents behind, and venture into the forest to wander alone.

She feels that she is being called away from her former life, as it has ended abruptly.  Even though she has lost her physcial ability to grasp at life and her surroundings, she feels a sense of being guided.

The handless maiden wanders the forest for an entire day, becoming tired, dirty, and hungry.  She finally comes to a gorgeous pear tree grove, but it is protected by a moat.  

Suddenly an angelic spirit figure appears, and parts the moat for her, so that she is able to walk across without wading through the water.

When she gets into the enchanting pear grove, she has a sense that it is watched over closely, and that every pear is numbered and accounted for.  The kindly angelic spirit bends over one of the boughs of the pear tree, so that the handless maiden can reach up with her mouth and eat a single delicious pear.

After the Handless Maiden has eaten her pear, the angelic spirit parts the moat for her once more, where she safely crosses, and sleeps in the forest.