Megtörténtek és megtörténhetők (2. kötet)

In the quiet valley of Madarász, a modest Oláh‑Swabian hamlet tucked between thickets and young trees, life in 1858 moves to the rhythm of hunting seasons and whispered folklore. The villager most spoken of is Lupuj Páwel, an ageing bird‑catcher famed for his uncanny ability to mimic any feathered song and to trap even the most elusive game. One summer evening he captures a ptarmigan whose neck bears a delicate silk cord ending in an unfamiliar golden ring, a find that instantly sparks curiosity and rumor among the locals.

The ring’s mystery draws the attention of Medárd, a young carriage driver whose restless mind is already weaving plans to possess the glittering trinket. Meanwhile, at the nearby castle, a boisterous troupe of eight—ranging from the stern prefect Schneider to his robust wife Anna and their bright‑eyed daughter Lotti—gathers for a night of revelry that promises tangled alliances and hidden motives. As the festivities unfold, the faint echo of the golden ring hints at the unforeseen complications it may bring to both the village and the castle’s guests.