Once upon a distant time, people expressed love by giving a part of their bodies to their lovers. Everyone possessed a leather bag into which their partner would place a token of affection during their union. Commonly exchanged were a fingernail, a strand of hair, an eyelash, or a bit of skin.
However, it was not unheard of for fingers, ears, or even entire limbs to be slipped into the bag in moments of profound love or passion. There were even tales of lovers who climbed into their beloved's leather bag and vanished, literally swept away by emotion.
The donated body parts sometimes rejuvenated miraculously, the sacrifice itself becoming a testament to their love. Of course, those who entered another's bag never returned. It was widely believed they were reborn, perhaps as a member of their lover's family.
In that era, phrases like "giving yourself to your lover" and "making sacrifices for love" were understood in the most literal sense.