The Devil's Bath

The story begins with a young boy enjoying a carefree playtime filled with joy. This moment is shattered when he is summoned home, leaving a distressed infant alone in its cradle without understanding the weight of the situation unfolding around him.

An enigmatic woman steps in amidst the chaos surrounding the crying infant, stepping into a role filled with heavy responsibility. She embarks on a perilous journey up a majestic mountain, seeking to address the infant's desperate cries.

At the mountain summit, overlooking a breathtaking waterfall, she wraps her rosary around the infant's neck, symbolizing a flicker of hope in an otherwise somber situation. However, her actions soon take a harrowing turn as she faces a cruel decision.

With a heavy heart and overwhelming despair, the woman takes the momentous step of sending the child tumbling down the rushing falls. This act triggers her moment of deep regret as she crosses herself before seeking solace.

Approaching a church-prison tower, the woman knocks anxiously and confesses to a waiting figure about her unbearable sin. This marks a critical point in the narrative, showcasing her remorse and the weight of her decision.

The chilling aftermath reveals the decapitated body of the unnamed woman, suspended grotesquely in a chair. The image highlights the violence and turmoil that envelops the story, including a hand methodically cutting away her last finger.

The narrative shifts to Agnes, whose exuberance in the forest showcases her carefree nature. Collecting flowers and berries, her joy is cut short as her family reminds her of the approaching wedding to Wolf.

Agnes and her family arrive in town, greeted by jubilant villagers celebrating her union with Wolf. However, the festive atmosphere quickly darkens as disturbing events unfold, with men engaging in unsettling competitions involving roosters.

In an intimate moment away from the celebration, Wolf presents Agnes with a mysterious house as a wedding gift. Initially a source of joy, it becomes a point of concern as Agnes fears the proximity to Wolf's mother and their financial struggles.

As the wedding night unfolds, Agnes faces the harsh realities of her new life. Wolf's drunken behavior and the familial expectations weigh heavily on her, leaving her feeling isolated and anxious.

Agnes receives a severed finger from her family, a gruesome token connected to the unnamed woman's story. She decides to hide it beneath her mattress, hoping it may bless her with motherhood despite the horror it represents.

The following day, in her quest for Wolf, Agnes meets a kind woman and her children, who offer to guide her. However, they mysteriously vanish, amplifying her feelings of disorientation and loneliness.

Agnes's search leads her to the lifeless body of the woman, an echo of the earlier tragedy that looms over her. This discovery deepens her unravelling psyche, binding her fate with the dark past of the narrative.

As weeks pass, Agnes faces the oppressive reality of her marriage, battling continuous criticism from Wolf's mother. The strain of domestic duties and emotional turmoil leaves her feeling increasingly alienated and hopeless.

In a moment of horrifying desperation, Agnes makes the tragic decision to fatally wound a boy, replicating the act of violence from earlier. This gruesome incident propels her further into a spiral of madness and despair.