The legend behind Moonlight Sonata

I'm not an avid fan of classical music but I really love Beethoven's Moonlight and I stumbled across the legend from the masterpiece. So here it goes: It is related that late one evening, Beethoven and a friend were walking through the streets of Bonn, and, in passing through one of the poorer quarters, were surprised to hear music, well played, coming from one of the houses. Beethoven, with his usual impulsiveness, crossed the street, pushed open the door, and entered unannounced. The room was poor, and lit by one feeble candle. A young man was working at a cobbler's bench in a corner. A young lady, still almost a child, was seated at an old square piano. Both sprang up in amazement at the intrusion, but their surprise was no greater than Beethoven's, and his friend's, upon discovering that the girl was blind. Beethoven, somewhat confused, hastened to apologize, and explained that he had been so struck with the quality of the young woman's playing, that he had hastened to find out who was playing at that time of night and at this quarter of the city. He then asked the girl where she had learned to play, and she informed him that they had at one time lived next door to a lady who studied music, and who spent a great deal of time practicing the works of the great Master, Beethoven. She had learned to play many of the Master's pieces just from hearing the lady practice. The brother then interfered to inquire who they were, that they should notice his poor sister's playing. Listen! said Beethoven, and going to the piano he played the opening bars of his Sonata in F. Tears rushed to the girl's eyes as she recognized the music, and then in a trembling voice, asked him if he could be the great Master himself. "Yes," he said. "I will play for you." After a few moments, whilst playing one of his older compositions, the candle flickered, and went out. The interruption seemed to break the train of his memory. He arose and went to the window, and throwing it open, let in a flood of moonlight. After musing a few moments, he turned around and said, "I will improvise a sonata to the moonlight." Then followed the wonderful composition that we all know so well. To read the full article, first published in the June 1922 issue of "Etude Musical Magazine." written by Varnum Tefft, see www.thepianopages.com/varnumtefft-article33.html