Taming of the Shrew: The Disobedient Wife
Folktales of Aarne-Thompson-Uther Type 901translated and/or edited by
D. L. Ashliman
© 2025
"Count Lucanor," replied Patronio, "if the man is like the son of a good man, a Moor, advise the marriage by all means; but if such be not the case, forbid it."
The Count begged of him to relate the narrative.
"There lived in a city," said Patronio, "a Moor who was much respected, and who had a son, the most promising youth in the world; but, not being rich enough to accomplish the great deeds which he felt in his heart equal to, he was greatly troubled, having the will and not the power.Now in the same town there lived another Moor, who held a higher position, and was very much richer than his father, and who had an only daughter, the very reverse in character and appearance of the young man, she being of so very violent a temper that no one could be found willing to marry such a virago.
One day the young man came to his father, and said, "You know that your means will not allow you to put me in a position to live honourably," adding that, as he desired to live an easy and quiet life, he thought it better to seek to enrich himself by an advantageous marriage, or to leave that part of the country.
The father told him that he would be very happy if he could succeed in such a union. On this, the son proposed, if it were agreeable to his father, to seek the daughter of their neighbour in marriage. Hearing this, the father was much astonished, and asked how he could think of such a thing, when he knew that no man, however poor, could be induced to marry her.
Nevertheless, the son insisted; and, although the father thought it a strange whim, in the end he gave his consent. The good man then visited his neighbour, telling him the wish of his son.
When the good man heard what his friend said, he answered, "By heaven, my friend, were I to do such a thing I should prove myself a very false friend, for you have a worthy son, and it would be base in me to consent to his injury or death; and I know for certain that, were he to live with my daughter, he would soon die, or death, at least, would be preferable to life. Do not think I say this from any objection to your alliance, for I should only be too grateful to any man who would take her out of my house."
The young man's father was much pleased at this, as his son was so intent on the marriage. All being ultimately arranged, they were in the end married, and the bride taken home, according to the Moorish fashion, to the house of her husband, and left to supper; the friends and relations returning to their respective homes, waiting anxiously for the following day, when they feared to find the bridegroom either dead or seriously injured.
Now, being left alone, the young couple sat down to supper, when the bridegroom, looking behind him, saw his mastiff and said to him, "Bring me water wherewith to wash my hands."
The dog, naturally taking no notice of this command, the young man became irritated, and ordered the animal more angrily to bring him water for his hands, which the latter not heeding, the young man arose in a great rage, and, drawing his sword, commenced a savage attack on the dog, who, to avoid him ran away; but, finding no retreat, jumped on the table, then to the fireplace, his master still pursuing him, who, having caught him, first cut off his head, then his paws, hewing him to pieces, covering everything with blood.
Thus furious and blood-stained, he returned to the table, and, looking round, saw a cat. "Bring me water for my hands," said he to him.
The animal not noticing the command, the master cried out, "How, false traitor, did you not see how I treated the mastiff for disobeying me? If you do not do as I tell you this instant you shall share his fate."
The poor little harmless cat continuing motionless, the master seized him by the paws and dashed him to pieces against the wall. His fury increasing, he again placed himself at the table, looking about on all sides as if for something to attack next. His wife, seeing this, and supposing he had lost his senses, held her peace.
At length he espied his horse, the only one he had, and called to him fiercely to bring him water to wash his hands. The animal not obeying, he cried out in a rage, "How is this? Think you that because you are the only horse I have that you dare thus to disobey my orders? Know then that your fate shall be the same as the others, and that anyone living who dares to disobey me shall not escape my vengeance."
Saying this, he seized the horse, cut off his head, and hacked him to pieces.
And when the wife saw this, and knowing he had no other horse, felt that he was really in earnest, she became dreadfully alarmed.
He again sat down to table, raging and all bloody as he was, swearing he would kill a thousand horses, or even men or women, if they dared to disobey him. Holding at the same time his bloody sword in his hand, he looked around with glaring eyes until, fixing them on his wife, he ordered her to bring him water to wash his hands.
The wife, expecting no other fate than to be cut to pieces if she demurred, immediately arose and brought him the water.
"Ha! thank God you have done so." said he. "Otherwise, I am so irritated by these senseless brutes that I should have done by you as by them."
He afterwards commanded her to help him to meat. She complied; but he told her, in a fearful tone of voice, to beware, as he felt as if he was going mad. Thus passed the night; she not daring to speak, but strictly obeying all his orders.
After letting her sleep for a short time, he said to her, "Get up, I have been so annoyed that I cannot sleep; take care that nothing disturbs me, and in the meanwhile prepare me a good and substantial meal."
While it was yet early the following morning, the fathers, mothers, and other relatives came stealthily to the door of the young people, and, hearing no movement, feared the bridegroom was either dead or wounded; and, seeing the bride approach the door alone, were still more alarmed.
She, seeing them, went cautiously and tremblingly towards them, and exclaimed: "Traitors, what are you doing? How dare you approach this gate? Speak not. Be silent, or all of us, you as well as I, are dead."
When they heard this they were much astonished, and, on learning what had taken place the night previous, they esteemed the young man very much who had made so good a commencement in the management of his household; and from that day forward his wife became tractable and complaisant, so that they led a very happy life.
A few days later, his father-in-law, wishing to follow the example of his son, likewise killed a horse in order to intimidate his wife, but she said to him, "My friend, it is too late to begin now; it would not avail you to kill a hundred horses. We know each other too well."
And you, Count Lucanor, if your dependant wishes to marry such a woman, if he be like this young man, advise him that he may do it with safety, for he will know how to rule his house: but if he be not likely to act with resolute determination at the beginning, and to sustain his position in his household, advise him to have nothing to do with her. As also I would counsel you in all cases where you have dealings with men to act with that decision which will leave them no room to think that you can be imposed upon.
The Count thought this a very good example, and Don Juan had it written in this book, and made these lines, saying :
Who would not for life be a henpeck'd fool
Must show, from the first, that he means to rule.
Nevertheless, God had made the girl into a beautiful maiden, so that whoever saw her perceived a picture full of loving kindness, but whoever got to know her better soon noticed her evilness, and then avoided her entirely. When the maiden turned eighteen years old she wanted to take a husband, but no one came who would marry her.
This greatly distressed the father, and one day he said to her: "Daughter, your mother's example and her bad advice mean that you will remain without a husband, or if someone takes you who has no desire to patiently endure evil womanly tricks like I put up with your mother, you will be beaten more often than you can count, and you will regret that you have followed your mother's example and advice."
The pious knight's daughter was very unhappy to hear this and said angrily: "Well, father! You can say what you will! You have always preached to my mother, but she does not thank you. Do you know what? Do what you think is best for yourself, and let me do as I please for myself. If a suitor comes tomorrow and marries me, I will indeed be the dominant one in our marriage."
"Oh, my daughter," answered the knight, "I don't think it's right that you have such thoughts. You should think of being better than your wicked mother, otherwise you might get a husband who is so honest and pious that he will conquer you, and afterwards you will have to give in with shame and disgrace."
The daughter replied with such nasty and mocking remarks to her father, that he cried out angrily: "You wicked hussy! If you will not follow your father's advice, your back will be full of blows! Whoever marries you, be he a knight or a servant, shall take control of you and make you follow his will!"
"Or I will make him follow my will!" replied the daughter defiantly, and continued her tirade until they were no longer speaking to each other.
Now about three miles from the castle of this good knight lived another knight who was rich in money and property, and who had thoughts of getting married. He was also good looking and polite in manners. He heard that his neighbor's daughter was both beautiful and mean-spirited, and he thought: "I trust that I can turn her mind to virtue and make her good. But if I fail in this then I will take her for better or for worse because of her beauty."
He then rode with his friends to the maiden's father and asked him for his daughter.
The father warned the young suitor about his daughter's bad behavior, and the latter said: "I have heard about her, but just give her to me as my wife! God willing that we live together for just one year, and you will see how good she becomes!"
"With that his future father-in-law answered: "May God protect you from her evil ways! Beware, for if she follows after her mother, you will never have a good day with her, as long as she lives."
But the suitor stuck to his decision, and an agreement was made, and arrangements were made that when the young knight returned, he should take the maiden back home with him as his bride.
The mother knew nothing about this negotiation. In fact, she did not know at all that her daughter was engaged to a man, and when she found out, she became very angry.
She called her daughter and said: "Daughter, know that my curse will fall on you if you do not resist your husband, just as I resist your father with blows and harsh words always and everywhere. Listen to what I tell you: I was a little girl when I came to your father, much smaller than you, for you are now fully grown. For three weeks your father beat me every day until I became ill, and he gave me only water water to refresh me. But nonetheless, I won the battle and have always maintained my rights from that time onward!"
"Mother," answered the daughter, "I tell you, come what may, I shall make a fool of my husband."
Meanwhile the day came when the knight returned. He came on a beautiful horse of great value, also leading a slender greyhound and carrying a well-trained falcon in his hand. He received the maiden without further ado and placed her behind him on his horse, sent all his servants ahead so that none of them rode with the two, and then immediately took leave from his bride's father.
The father said a moving farewell: "May God's goodness be with you, oh daughter! May he grant you contentment, happiness, and a more peaceful heart than I have found in my wife!"
Hardly had this speech been spoken when the mother raised a fuss and shouted after her daughter: "Listen to my words too! You shall submit to your husband all the days of your life, just as I have taught you!"
With that the daughter called back: "Very well, my mother, I shall indeed follow your example."
Thus the two rode together by themselves. However, to test his bride's obedience, the knight avoided the main road, instead riding along an uncomfortable steep and narrow side path. After they had gone about a half mile they came to a bushy swamp, and the falcon began to flap its wings, because it wanted to pursue some herons.
The knight said: "Stop flapping your feathers, or I'll rip your head off."
Soon afterwards the falcon saw a crow flying, and it wanted to follow it.
The knight said again: "You are deceiving only yourself, if you think that you can disobey me. It serves you right that you must die!" And he strangled the falcon like a chicken.
The maiden was frightened by this speech and the deadly deed, and she began to fear the knight.
The path became narrower, stonier, and thornier. The greyhound's feet hurt, and he could no longer keep to the horse's side as before.
The knight, who was leading him by a leash, had to keep pulling him along, which was inconvenient for the knight, and he scolded the greyhound: "You wicked rascal! Beware, it will be a disaster for you if you keep pulling my arm like that!"
The poor dog could not obey, and the knight drew his sword and struck him dead.
The maiden suppressed a cry of anger, but her heart was terrified in her breast.
She felt pain, and she thought: "Lord God, what a madman this man is! Did the devil bring me to him?"
The knight kept the naked sword in his hand and began to scold his horse: "Why are you snorting? Why don't you run at a trot or a pace? You only want to amble as though you were on level ground! You must die!"
As the poor horse could not run at a pace, which gait it had never been taught, the knight said: "Woman, dismount!"
She said: "I will do what you tell me to do."
The knight dismounted as well, and then cut off the horse's head, saying: "If you had followed my instructions, you would not have died. Woman, you can see what has happened. I came to dislike the horse, as well as the Greyhound and the Falcon. But I am not accustomed to walking. It would be difficult for me, as I have had no practice, so now I will ride you!"
With that he began to put the reins on her and was about to buckle the saddle on her, when she said: "Sir, with you alone I'll be carrying enough. Leave the saddle and the reins, my dear sir. I can carry you more gently and better without them."
"Oh, woman, how could I ride you without a saddle and reins?" asked the knight fiercely. "You have bad habits, daring thus to speak against my will!"
Then she consented, and he saddled her and bridled her like a horse, and put the bridle and bit in her mouth, and gave her the stirrups to hold tight. He mounted her and rode her for a little while, about three spear-lengths, until she fainted from the heavy burden.
Then the knight dismounted from her and said: "Woman, are you gasping for air?"
"No, sir!" she answered.
He continued: "This is a smooth field, so you can now go at a walking gait."
She said, crawling on on her hands and feet: "I will gladly do it. There are many horses on my father's farm, and I have learned the walking gait from them."
"Then will you do everything that I want?" asked the knight.
She replied: "And if I were to live a thousand years, I would always do what you want me to do!"
With that he told her to get up, took her by the hand, and led her home to his castle, where his friends were gathered. They greeted her respectfully and led her to her room. This was done with great joy, and the wife was the most lovely woman, honorable and well-bred, without lust or deceit, faithful, calm, and gentle; not a virtue was lacking in her. She received her guests in a friendly and cheerful manner, and without meanness or resentment. As a true wife should, she fulfilled her husband's wishes.
When six weeks had passed, the young woman's father and mother went to see their daughter to see how she was faring and how she was behaving. Soon enough the mother found out what had happened and how her daughter was obeying her husband.
Hearing this, she angrily scolded her daughter: "Oh, you wretched woman! What I see and hear makes me doubt that you are my child. What? You let your husband be your master?"
The wicked mother hit her daughter in the face and on her body. She tore at her hair, then continued to beat her and scold her.
The young woman wept and cried out: "If you have come here to scold me, then wait until you can find the reason! I have the very best husband, and he is good and honest, but if you do not do his will, he will kill you straight away. Therefore, mother, have a wise mind and beware of saying anything bad about him, for he is so wrathful that he angrily judges and destroys everything that is contrary to his will."
"Hoho! Tomorrow is another day!" mocked the mother. "Your husband's anger doesn't bother me in the slightest! I don't care a bit about him! You silly goose! The devil must be going through your head that you dare to threaten me, your mother, with your husband!"
"Mother, I am not threatening you!" the daughter defended herself. "I am only telling you the truth. I advise you to greet my husband warmly, for if you were to do to him what you did to my father, he would turn your back black and blue. You do not have much hair left, but it is still enough that he will tear it out!"
"That would be a crowning achievement," replied the mother angrily. "I would not be afraid of him, even if he were as big as a mountain. I am no more and no less afraid of him than I am of your father! What has he done to me these twenty years? But even today I will not yield to him one bit!"
While the older woman was thus rambling on, her son-in-law and her husband stood in a secret place where they could hear every word.
The older man spoke quietly to his son-in-law: "I am very glad that you have conquered my daughter's stubbornness, and I will gladly leave you and her all that I own when I go the way of all flesh."
The son-in-law thanked his father-in-law for his kind attitude, who then said to him: "Please advise me what I should do to your mother-in-law, who always opposes me and makes my life so bitter! If only she could at least stop being so harsh a year before she dies, I would have the greatest joy, and all my suffering would end!"
The son-in-law then promised to reform his mother-in-law in his own way, if his father-in-law would allow him to do so.
The father-in-law replied: "I will not forbid you anything. Boil her or roast her, and I will bring the wood for the fuel."
The knight immediately took four nimble, strong servants, let his anger grow, and went into the parlor, where the old woman was still sitting, and constantly berating him and her daughter.
When she saw him coming, she greeted him mockingly: "God's blessing to you, Mr. Angel!"
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Demon!" was was his return greeting. Then he firmly stepped up to her and said: "Woman, I beg you, stop your bad behavior towards your master and my master. He should give you countless blows on your back with an oak yardstick until you hurt so badly that you become a good wife."
"Well," she said, "I hear that you have killed many people like that, dear Mr. Googoo! But I have kept my skin and hair so far, and hope to keep it for a long time to come! Just what have I done to you?"
"You scold my master, your husband, every day, and you harm him in his own house!" answered the young knight.
She quickly replied: "In my house they call me Mistress Shrew! I can be my husband's master there, just as I am my own master. Otherwise God grant him not a single good day for as long as I am alive!"
"And if God lets me succeed," said the son-in-law, "I will take care that before we part, you shall give up your evil schemes and tricks."
"I wish you good luck!" she cried. "Otherwise, you will gain only shame and ridicule!"
"I know what makes you so mad and confused and angry," the knight replied. "You have two pieces of anger-flesh, one on each hip. That is why you have such bad habits. If they were cut out of you, that would be a great blessing, for then you would be happier than any woman has ever been, and it would be equally good for your husband."
"Ah! I am glad that you are such a good doctor. Teach your art to my daughter!" was her answer. "Do you also have medical herbs for sale? Do you mix mugwort into a healing potion?"
"Hey! Your mockery is great!" cried the knight; "but it will soon be spoiled for you. As soon as we take out your pieces of anger-flesh then you will be better and more pious than a child!"
"Enough of your barking, you loudmouth!" scolded the woman.
But then, at the knight's signal, the servants took hold of her, threw her down. Then her daughter's husband honed a large, sharp knife, which he then held against her hip and cut a long, deep wound through her clothing. With that, her scornful laughter completely disappeared.
Then he said, throwing a piece of flesh into a vessel: "Look, woman, you have been a wicked woman for many years, and this piece of anger-flesh was to blame for that. I cannot let you keep it any longer."
She lay there sad and screaming: "I did not know that myself, but I do know what devil is telling you what to do to me!"
"Yes, you still have a piece of anger-flesh on your other leg," said the knight, "That one must come out as well!"
"Oh," she complained, almost crying, "that one is very small. It won't do me much harm! Help me, God! The piece that you have already cut out was to blame for all the damage. Now I am free of all anger and will be quiet. Just leave the other one uncut."
Then the daughter said cheerfully to her husband: "Think carefully what you are doing. I fear that if the other piece of anger-flesh does not come out too, the great work on the first one will be lost, and in the end the other piece will multiply, if you do not cut it out as well."
"No, no, dear daughter!" cried the mother. "Tell him to leave me unharmed. I'll be good!"
"Mother," answered the young woman, "you advised me to fight against my husband and not to be subject to him. For that reason and for the fact that she treated my father so badly, just cut out her other piece of anger-flesh!"
And then the knight attacked the other leg, but the woman cried out, "No, no! That is more than enough! Daughter, remember that I carried you in my womb. Make peace for me with your husband! I swear that I will live a good life, and that the kind and just God will protect me from anger. The knight has already taken away my the large piece of anger-flesh. The small one is not worth paying any attention to!"
"Well," said the knight, "if she desires peace, I will leave her alone. But let her promise right now that if she does not avoid anger, she will allow herself to be cut."
With that she was lifted up, and her wound was bandaged.
The woman then cast all anger and strife behind herself. She became a good-natured woman, gave up her evil temper. The next day she and her husband took leave of their son-in-law, and he wished for her that God would protect her from all evil.
If afterward she sometimes would a word or two to her husband that he found annoying and displeasing, he would only reply: "I can't help it; I must send for our daughter's husband."
She would blush with fear and say: "It is not necessary; his coming would not be beneficial to me. I have the courage and the will to do what you like, and I advise all women to say to their husbands what I say to mine, if they want to live in peace."
This ends the tale, and every man and woman can use it to their own advantage.
Two brothers who are soldiers take to wife two sisters. One makes much of his wife, and is ill-rewarded by her disobedience. The other mishandles his, and she does his will. The former inquires of the latter how he may gain his wife's obedience, and is duly instructed thereanent. Whereupon he threatens his wife with punishment, and she laughs in his face, and ultimately makes scoff at him.
The learned and prudent physician, when he foresees that a certain disease will manifest itself in the human body, adopts those remedies which in his estimation promise fairest to preserve life, without waiting for the distemper to make itself apparent, because a new wound heals more readily than an old one. And a husband when he takes to himself a wife -- I must here crave forgiveness of the ladies -- should act in precisely the same fashion, that is, never to let her get the upper hand, lest, when some time afterwards he may wish to keep her in order, he may find such task beyond his powers, and be forced to follow in her wake for the rest of his life. Such in sooth was the case of a certain soldier, who, wishing to induce his wife to mend her ways, after he had too long delayed to assert himself, had to put up with the consequences of this failing of his to the day of his death.No great time ago there lived in Corneto, a village near Rome, situated in the patrimony of St. Peter, two men who were sworn brothers; indeed, the love between them was just as great as it would have been supposing they had been born of the same womb. Of these one was called Pisardo and the other Silverio, and both one and the other followed the calling of arms, and were in the pay of the pope; wherefore a great love and friendship sprang up between them though they did not dwell in the same house.
Silverio, who was the younger in years and was under no family restraint, took to wife a certain Spinella, the daughter of a tailor, a very fair and lovely maiden, but somewhat over-flighty in humour. After the wedding was over and the bride brought home, Silverio found himself so completely inflamed and dominated by the power of her beauty that it seemed to him she must be beyond comparison, and straightway he fulfilled any demand that she might make upon him.
Thus it came to pass that Spinella grew so arrantly haughty and masterful that she took little or no reck of her husband. And in time the doting fool fell into such a state that if he should ask his wife to do one thing, she would forthwith do something else, and whenever he told her to come here, she went there, and laughed at everything he said. Because the foolish fellow saw nothing except through his own foolish eyes, he could not pluck up heart of grace enough to reprove her, nor seek a remedy for his mistake, but let her go her own way, and work her own will in everything, according to her pleasure.
Before another year had passed away Pisardo took to wife Fiorella, the other daughter of the tailor, a damsel no less comely of person than Spinella, nor less sprightly in her disposition.
When the wedding-feast was over, and the wife taken home to her husband's house, Pisardo brought forth a pair of men's breeches and two stout sticks, and said: "Fiorella, you see here this pair of men's breeches. Now you take hold of one of these sticks and I will take hold of the other, and we will have a struggle over the breeches as to who shall wear them. Which one of us shall get the better of the other in this trial shall be the wearer, and the one who loses shall henceforth yield obedience to the winner."
When Fiorela heard this speech of her husband's, she answered without aught of hesitation in a gentle voice: "Ah, my husband! what do you mean by such words as these? What is it you say? Are not you the husband, and I the wife, and ought not the wife always to bear herself obediently towards her husband? And, moreover, how could I ever bring myself to do such a foolish trick as this? Wear the breeches yourself, for assuredly they will become you much better than they will become me."
"I, then," said Pisardo, "am to wear the breeches and to be the husband, and you, as my dearly-beloved wife, will always hold yourself obedient to me. But take good care that you keep the same mind and do not hanker after taking the husband's part for yourself, and giving me the wife's, for such licence you will never get from me."
Fiorella, who was a very prudent woman, confirmed all that she had hitherto said, and the husband, on his part, handed over to her the entire governance of his house, and committed all his chattels to her keeping, making known to her the order he desired to have observed in his household.
A little time after this Pisardo said to his wife: "Fiorella, come with me. I wish to show you my horses, and to point out to you the right way to train them in case you should at any time have to put your hand to such work."
And when they were come into the stable he said, "Now, Fiorella, what do you think of these horses of mine? Are they not handsome? Are they not finely tended?" And to this Fiorella replied that they were. "But now see," said Pisardo, "how docile and handy they are."
Then picking up a whip he gave a touch now to this and now to that, saying. "Go over there; come here."
And then the horses, putting their tails between their legs, went all together into a group obedient to their master's word. Now Pisardo had amongst his other horses a certain one, very beautiful to look upon, but at the same time vicious and lazy -- a beast upon which he set but little store.
He went up to this horse, and dealing it a sharp cut with the whip, cried out, "Come here; go over there;" but the beast, sluggish and sullen by nature, took no heed of the whip, and refused to do anything his master ordered, lashing out vigorously now with one leg, now with the other, and now with both together. Whereupon Pisardo, remarking the brute's stubborn humour, took a tough, stout stick, and began to baste its hide therewith so vigorously that he was soon out of breath with fatigue. However, the horse, now more stubborn than ever, let Pisardo lay on as he would and refused to budge an inch; so Pisardo, seeing how persistent was the obstinacy of the brute, flew into a violent rage, and grasping the sword which he wore by his side he slew it forthwith.
Fiorella, when she saw what her husband had done, was mightily moved with pity for the horse, and cried out, "Alas, my husband! Why have you killed your horse, seeing that he was so shapely to look upon? Surely it is a great pity to have slain him thus."
To this Pisardo replied, with his face strongly moved by passion, "Know then that all those who eat my bread and refuse to do my will must look to be paid in exactly the same coin."
Fiorella, when she heard this speech, was greatly distressed, and said to herself, "Alas? What a wretched miserable woman I am! What an evil day it was for me when I met this man! I believed I had chosen a man of good sense for my husband, and lo! I have become the prey of this brutal fellow. Behold how, for little or no fault, he has killed this beautiful horse!"
And thus she went on, grieving sorely to herself, for she knew not to what end her husband had spoken in this wise. On account of what had passed Fiorella fell into such a taking of fear and terror of her husband that she would tremble all over at the very sound of his footstep, and whenever he might demand any service of her she would carry out his wishes straightway. Indeed, she would understand his meaning almost before he might open his mouth, and never a cross word passed between them.
Silverio, who, on account of the friendship he felt for Pisardo, would often visit the house of the latter, and dine and sup there, remarked the manners and carriage of Fiorella, and, being much astonished thereat, said to himself: "Great God! Why was it not my lot to have Fiorella for my wife, as is the good luck of my brother Pisardo? See how deftly she manages the house, and goes about her business without any uproar! See how obedient she is to her husband, and how she carries out every wish of his! But my wife, miserable wight that I am, does everything to annoy me, and uses me in as vile a fashion as possible."
One day it chanced that Silverio and Pisardo were in company together, talking of various things, when the former spake thus: "Pisardo, my brother, you are aware of the love that there is between us. Now, on this account, I would gladly learn what is the method you have followed in the training of your wife, seeing that she is altogether obedient to you, and treats you in such loving wise. Now I, however gently I may ask Spinella to do anything, find that she always stubbornly refuses to answer me, and, beyond this, does the exact opposite to what I ask her to do."
Whereupon Pisardo, smiling, set forth word by word the plan and the means he had adopted when first he brought his wife home, and counselled his friend to go and do likewise, and to see whether he might not also succeed, adding that in case this remedy should not be found efficient, he would not know what other course to recommend.
Silverio was much pleased with this excellent counsel, and having taken his leave he went his way. When he reached his house he called his wife at once, and brought out a pair of his breeches and two sticks, following exactly the same course as Pisardo had recommended.
When Spinella saw what he was doing, she cried out: "What new freak is this of yours? Silverio, what are you about? What ridiculous fancy has got into your head? Surely you are gone stark mad! Don't you think everybody knows that men, and not women, should wear the breeches? And what need is there now to set about doing things which are beside all purpose?"
But Silverio made no answer and went on with the task he had begun, laying down all sorts of rules for the regulation of his household.
Spinella, altogether astonished at this humour of her husband, said in a mocking way: "Peradventure, Silverio, it seems to you that I know not how to manage a house rightly, since you make all this ado about letting your meaning be known?"
But still the husband kept silence, and having taken his wife with him into the stable, he did with the horses everything which Pisardo had done, and in the end slew one of them,
Spinella, when she saw this fool's work, was convinced in her own mind that her husband had in truth lost his wits, and spake thus: "By your faith, tell me, husband, what crazy humours are these that have risen to your head? What is the true meaning of all this foolishness you are doing without thinking of the issue? Perhaps it is your evil fate to have gone mad."
Then answered Silverio: "I am not mad, but I have made up my mind that anyone who lives at my charges and will not obey me shall be treated in such fashion as you have seen me use this morning towards my horses."
Whereupon Spinella, when she perceived the drift of her besotted husband's brutal deed, said: "Ah, you wretched dolt! It must be clear enough to you that your horse was nothing but a poor beast to allow himself to be killed in this manner. What is the full meaning of this whim of yours? Perhaps you think you can deal with me as you have dealt with the horse? Certes, if such is your belief, you are hugely mistaken, and you put your hand much too late to the task of setting things in order after the fashion you desire. The bone is become too hard, the sore is now all ulcerated, and there is no cure at hand. You should have been more prompt in compassing the righting of these curious wrongs of yours. You fool! You brainless idiot! Do you not see what damage and disgrace must come upon you through these doltish deeds out of number of which you have been guilty? And what profit do you deem you will get from them? None, as I am a living woman."
Silverio, when he listened to the words of his shrewd wife, knew in his heart that his effort, through the doting affection he had hitherto spent on Spinella, had miserably failed; so he made up his mind, greatly to his chagrin, to put up patiently with his wretched lot till death should come to release him.
And Spinella, when she perceived how little her husband's plan had turned out to his advantage, resolved that if in the past she had worked her own will with a finger she would henceforth work it with an arm; for a woman headstrong by nature would sooner die a thousand times than go aside aught from the path which she has deliberately marked out for herself.
A rich merchant had an only daughter who was so known for her wickedness that no one wanted to marry her.A captain returning from battle war who had lost his fortune in the war heard that this maiden was extremely wicked, but also very rich and quite beautiful. He took no heed of her wickedness, but went straight to the merchant and asked for his wicked daughter's hand in marriage. Her parents were happy that someone was willing take her off their hands. So that they could get rid of the wicked raven-carrion for once and all, they immediately said yes.
The daughter was impressed by his sword, boots, and spurs, so everything went smoothly, and the wedding took place.
The day immediately after the wedding, the captain persuaded his sweetheart to go hunting with him, taking a dog and a falcon with him.
When the two of them had ridden some distance from the town, the captain thought it was time to test his sweetheart's wickedness. He began in this way:
Firstly, when the falcon pecked his finger several times, he said (acting very angry) to the falcon: "If you do that to me again, see how I'll do to you."
As was its custom, the falcon pecked again, and with that the captain dashed out its brains against a tree.
Seeing the dead falcon, the sweetheart started to scold her husband, but he said to her: "That is what I always do."
Then it came to the dog. It was always running far ahead, and the captain called to it to stay behind the horse. The dog ran ahead again, whereupon the captain he took his pistol and shot it dead.
Then it came to his horse It stumbled once, and the captain said: "If you do that again, I'll shoot you down like I did the dog."
Shortly afterwards the horse took a wrong step and stumbled, almost falling to the ground with the captain. With that he immediately took the other pistol, put it to the horse's head, and shot it dead, so that both he and the horse fell to the ground.
When his wife saw this, she again wanted to scold him.
He answered briefly: "This is how I treat everyone who refuses to obey me."
She wanted to complain further and said: "How will you ride home now, and who will carry the saddle and the gear?"
He answered: "That is what you shall do. Get off your horse and let me ride. meanwhile take the saddle and put it on your head and carry it home."
This seemed very strange to the wife, and she did not want to do it.
He immediately asked her angrily: "Are you refusing me?"
With fear and trembling she cried out: "As you say, sir! As you say, sir!"
With that she dismounted from her horse so quickly that she fell to the ground.
"Get up right now!" he continued. "Put the saddle on your head, or I'll push you down!"
"Yes, sir! Yes, sir!" she said.
With that he took the holsters with the pistols from the dead horse and put them on the living one, while talking to himself. She had to run along beside him with the saddle and gear on her head. From time to time she angrily mumble aloud.
When he heard this, he said to her: "Shut up or I'll shoot you like a dog."
When, true to her nature, refused to remain silent, he took the pistol and shot at the saddle on her head. She fell down in terror, thinking that she had been wounded. He then angrily took the other pistol and aimed it at her as if he wanted to shoot again, because the first shot had not hit her.
Seeing this, she cried out loudly: "Oh, sir, stop! I will gladly do anything you want."
"Then get up quickly. Pick up the saddle again, and don't make any noise, or I will shoot you down, however much you beg."
"Yes, sir! Yes, sir!" she replied. She carried the saddle to the gate in silence, and did whatever he wanted her to.
When they were at the gate, he dismounted, took the saddle and gear from her, and gave it to the guard for safekeeping.
He then said kindly to her: "Now come, my darling, and kiss me. If you follow my wishes, I will love you."
But she stubbornly began to cry and did not want to kiss him. The captain, angry again, swore that if she did not kiss him immediately and stop crying, she would have to carry the saddle through the whole town into the house. She, now recognizing his resolve, went up to him, kissed him, and made peace with herself.
Then the captain put his beloved behind him on horseback and they rode home. Arriving at home, she stubbornly locked herself in a room (as also she had done at her parents' house). When it was time to eat, he sent for her to come to the table.
She said she did not want to eat. He left it at that, to see what her plans were. That evening, when they were about to go to bed, he thought she would come to bed with him. However, she not only stubbornly stayed in her room that night, but for three more days and nights, without food or drink.
Finally he went upstairs himself and asked her to open the door. She refused to answer him, so he locked the door securely on the outside. He then forbade the servants from listening to her or going to her, even though she called for them several times.
In the meantime he went to her parents and told them what had happened and how he hoped to soon put her right, begging them to take no notice of her and to sit out on the sidelines. If she were to go to them, she should always to be sent back to him without food or drink. Her parents told him how they had done this often, and if they had not given her food she would have starved herself to death. They promised to do his bidding in all things.
Meanwhile, our evil one, found herself locked up from the outside. Her husband was showing off. Starving, hunger was also getting to her. She cried out all the louder and tried to break down the door, but all in vain.
Finally, when her cries became silent, he sent the maid to look through the keyhole to see what she was doing. As soon as she noticed that someone was there, she called out, saying they should open up or she would die.
The maid, following her master's orders said: "Oh, young lady, I must tell you in secret that our master has decided to let you starve to death. Furthermore, he has sworn to kill us if we come to you when you call. If he knew that I was up here with, he would shoot me immediately."
She ordered the maid to tell the master that if he did not let her out, she would kill herself. The maid, pretending to be afraid to do so, at first refused, but finally, after the wife repeatedly insisted, she promised to risk it with the master.
The maid reported everything to the master, who immediately put a ladder against the window and sent in a rope and a drawn sword, saying if that is what the lady wanted to do, she should now choose the rope or the dagger, and finish the act as soon as possible. Thus he would not have to murder her.
The wife, seeing how serious he was, and that all her scolding, banging, and starving would not help, thought better of it and begged the master to do it, saying that otherwise she would be forced to starve herself to death.
After much pleading by the wife, the master had the maid open the room. As soon as she was released, she went to the pantry to satisfy her hunger, but she found it locked and was told by the maid that the master had the key. She would have to ask him for it, but she did not want to ask him for anything. Instead she hurried to her parents, hoping to eat with them. But her parents did not let her in, and they would not give her anything. They sent her back to her master.
Thus she returned home, asked her master for forgiveness, and promised to obey him in everything from now on, if only he would let her have some food to satisfy her great hunger.
Thus, in a short time, this extremely wicked maiden became a very pious and humble woman.
At last it was the misfortune of a neighbouring gentleman to fall in love with her, and he proposed a match. As he was a very worthy man, he was pitied by all; and one of his friends represented, that he was going to play the fool in the most extravagant manner by marrying a fury, who would certainly break his heart.
"Be easy," answered the gentleman. "Before a month be over, I will make this termagant as mild as a lamb."
The marriage was celebrated at the lady's seat at four o'clock in the morning. As they came out of the chapel, she offered to go to her chamber and dress herself; for she expected a great deal of company that she had invited to dinner. She was not a little surprised, when her husband told her that she need not dress, for he was determined to carry her to dine at his seat about twelve miles off.
"Indeed, Sir," said the lady, "one would think you out of your senses. Have you forgot that we expect company here today?"
"I am not bound to give you an account of what I do," said her husband. "Learn, Madam, to obey me without disputing the case. I am so passionate, that I fear you would have too much reason to repent your contradiction to my will. So, without more ade, get on horseback this moment."
The lady in a rage, answered, that he might go by himself; she would not stir a foot.
The gentleman, without any emotion, calls four tall footman he had brought.
"Here," said he, if your lady will not get on horseback by fair means, take her by force, and tie her on."
The lady was extremely irritated; and being sensible that she could not resist, got on her horse, and vented her passion in a thousand curses and injurious language against her husband, who seemed to turn the deaf ear to all the said.
Meanwhile, a little favourite dog he was very fond of, came fawning on him.
"Begone," said he. "I am not in a playing humour."
The poor animal did not understand him, and came a second time to fawn upon him.
"Oh," said he, "I hate to be contradicted," and taking a horse-pistol, shot the poor creature through the head.
When the lady saw this, she was under the greatest terror, and gave over railing.
"This furious man," said she to herself, "may serve me in the same manner."
They travelled nine miles without exchanging a single word, when the lady's horse started at a tree in the way, and would not go forwards. The husband ordered her to alight.
"I will teach thee to obey," said he to the horse; and taking a pistol shot him dead on the spot, with all the coolness possible.
"Good God have pity on me!" said the wife in secret. "What will become of me, left alone with this madman? He will dispatch me on the first occasion."
"I have changed my mind," said the gentleman. "Let us go back, I'll walk my horse easily, that you may follow on foot. But the saddle on the dead horse must not be lost. Please take it off, and carry it on your shoulders."
The lady, more dead than alive, took up the saddle without any words, and came at last to her seat, dropping with sweat. In her absence the servants had been discharged; and she found others, all strangers to her, and who frightened her with their looks. She would willingly have run away from her mansion house; but such a thing was not to be thought on.
She dined and supped with her husband against her will, and without any appetite; and she gave herself up for a dead woman, when he told her, she might go up to her room, and that he would go to bed. At the same time he took his pistols with him. When he came into the room, which the lady looked upon as her grave, he placed himself in an easy chair, and ordered her to pull off his shoes and stockings. She obeyed without saying a word. Her husband bid her sit down in the same chair, and did the same for her.
"It is very just," said he, "that I should return the same good office that you have done to me; that is my way. As people do by me, I do by them. You may take your measures accordingly. You may be assured, that for every ill-natured thing you shall do to me, I shall return it amply; but on the other side, every the least instance of good temper and complaisance to me, shall be repaid with interest, and I will never be behind-hand. Your behaviour shall be the rule of mine; and it will entirely depend upon you to be the happiest of women. But remember, that if you are for playing the same pranks with me that you did with your former husband, I will not only be even with you but outdo you in malice and ill-nature."
"It is enough, Sir," said the wife. "Keep your word. I am satisfied, that if my behaviour is to be the rule of your's, which I own is but just, I shall never find you the man you have been today."
In effect, the lady made serious reflections on her former conduct; and being thoroughly convinced that the had met with one that could outdo her in her own way, the resolved to amend; and succeeded to the admiration of all that knew her; insomuch, that there never was a more happy marriage.
Many wooers came to the farm, and one of them wished to marry the eldest daughter. The farmer said that he had no objection to him as a son-in-law, but at the same time he thought it his duty to tell the suitor the truth. Accordingly, he warned him that his eldest daughter was so violent and strong-minded that no one could live in peace with her. As some compensation for these faults, she would receive three hundred pounds more in her dowry than would her two sisters. That was, of course, very attractive, but the young man thought over the matter and, after he had been visiting the house for some time, he altered his mind and asked for the hand of the second daughter. The daughter accepted him, and, as her father was willing, the two became man and wife and lived very happily together.
Then came another wooer, from another part of the country, and he also wanted to marry the eldest daughter. The father warned him, as he had cautioned the first wooer; telling him that she would receive three hundred pounds more than her youngest sister, but that he must be careful, for she was so stubborn and quarrelsome that nobody could live in peace with her. So the second wooer changed his mind and asked for the hand of the youngest daughter. They married shortly after and lived happily and peacefully together.
The eldest sister was now alone with her father, but she did not treat him any better than before, and grew even more ill-humoured because her two sisters had found favour in the eyes of the first two wooers. She was obstinate and quarrelsome, violent and bad-tempered, and she grew more so from day to day.
At last another wooer came, and he was neither from their own district nor even from their country, but from a distant land. He went to the farmer and asked for the hand of his eldest daughter.
"I do not want her to marry at all," said the father. "It would be a shame to allow her to do so; she is so ill-tempered and violent that no human being could live in peace with her, and I do not want to be the cause of such unhappiness."
But the wooer remained firm; he wanted her, he said, whatever her faults might be. At length the father yielded, provided that his daughter were willing to marry the young man, for, after all, he would be glad to get rid of her, and as he had told the suitor the whole truth about her, his conscience was clear. Accordingly the young man wooed the girl, and she did not hesitate long, but accepted the offer, for she was tired of sitting at home, a despised and spurned spinster.
The wooer said that he had no time to remain with them just then, as he must return home at once, and, as soon as the wedding-day was fixed, he rode away. He also told them not to wait for him at the farm on the day of the wedding, he would appear in good time at the church. When the day came the farmer drove with his daughter to the church, where a great company of wedding guests had assembled; the bride's sisters and brothers-in-law were there, and all the village people arrived in their Sunday clothes. The bridegroom was there also, but in ordinary travelling garments; and so the couple walked up to the altar and were married.
As soon as the ceremony was over, the bridegroom took his young wife by the hand and led her out of the church. He sent a message to his father-in-law asking him to excuse their absence from the marriage feast, as they had no time to waste.
He had not driven in a coach, as is the custom at weddings, but travelled on horseback, on a fine big grey horse, with an ordinary saddle, and a couple of pistols in the saddlebags. He had brought no friends or relations with him, only a big dog, that lay beside the horse during the ceremony.
The bridegroom lifted his bride on to the pommel, as if she had been a feather, jumped into the saddle, put the spurs to his horse, and rode off with the dog trotting behind. The marriage party standing at the church door looked after them, and shook their heads in amazement. Then they got into their carriages, drove back to the house, and partook of the marriage feast without bride or bridegroom.
The bride did not like this at all, but as she did not want to quarrel with her bridegroom so soon, she held her tongue for a time; but as he did not speak either, she at last broke the ice and said that it was a very fine horse they were riding.
"Yes," he replied; "I have seven other horses at home in my stables, but this is my favourite; it is the most valuable of all, and I like it best."
Then she remarked that she liked the beautiful dog also.
"It is indeed a jewel of a dog," he said, "and has cost me a lot of money."
After a while they came to a forest, where the bridegroom sprang from his horse and cut a thin switch from a willow-tree.
This he wound three times round his finger, then tied it with a thread and gave it to his bride, saying: "This is my wedding gift to you. Take good care of it, and carry it about you always! You will not repent it."
She thought it a strange wedding gift, but put it in her pocket, and they rode on again.
Presently the bride dropped her glove, and the bridegroom said to the dog: "Pick it up, Fido!"
But the dog took no notice, and left the glove on the ground. Then his master drew his pistol from the holster, shot the dog, and rode on, leaving it lying dead.
"How could you be so cruel?" said his bride.
"I never say a thing twice," was the reply, and they journeyed on in silence.
After some time they came to a running stream that they had to cross.
There being only a ford, and no bridge, the man said to his horse: "Take good care! Not a drop must soil my bride's dress!"
When they had crossed, however, the dress was badly soiled, and the husband lifted his bride from the horse, drew out the other pistol and shot the horse, so that it fell dead to the ground.
"Oh, the poor horse!" cried the bride.
"Yes, but I never say a thing twice," answered her husband.
Then he took saddle, bridle, and cover from the horse; bridle and cover he carried himself, but the saddle he gave to his young wife, and said: "You can carry that; we shall soon be home."
He walked on in silence, and the bride quickly put the saddle on her back and followed him; she had no desire to make him say it twice.
Soon they arrived at his dwelling place, a very fine farm.
The menservants and maidservants rushed to the door and received them, and the husband said to them: "See, this is my wife and your mistress. Whatever she tells you, you are to do, just as if I had ordered it."
Then he led her indoors and showed her everything -- living-rooms and bedrooms, kitchen and cellar, brewhouse, and dairy -- and said to her: "You will look after everything indoors, I attend to everything out-of-doors," and then they sat down to supper, and soon after went to bed.
Days, weeks, and months passed; the young wife attended to all household matters while her busband looked after the farm, and not a single angry word passed between them. The servants had been accustomed to obey their master implicitly, and now they obeyed their mistress likewise, and so six months passed without there having arisen any necessity for the husband to say the same thing twice to his wife. He was always kind and polite to her, and she was always gentle and obedient.
One day he said to her: "Would you not like to visit your relations?"
"Yes, dear husband, I should like to do so very much, if it is convenient," she replied.
"It is quite convenient," he said, "but you have never mentioned it. It shall be done at once; get ready, while I have the horses put to the carriage."
He went to the stable and saw to everything, while his wife ran upstairs to dress as quickly as possible for the journey.
The husband drove up, cracked his whip and asked: "Are you ready?"
"Yes, dear," came the reply, and she came running out and entered the carriage.
She had not quite finished dressing and carried some of her things in her hand, and these she put on in the carriage.
Then they started. When they had driven nearly half the distance, they saw a great flock of ravens flying across the road.
"What beautiful white birds!" said the husband.
"No, they are black, dear!" said his wife.
"I think it is going to rain," he said, turned the horses, and drove home again.
She understood perfectly why he had done so; it was the first time that she had contradicted him, but she showed no resentment, and the two conversed in quite a friendly fashion all the way home. The horses were put into the stable -- and it did not rain.
When a month had passed, the husband said one morning: "I believe it is going to be fine today. Would you not like to visit your relations?"
She wished to do so very much indeed, and she hastened a little more than the last time, so that when her husband drove up and cracked his whip, she was quite ready and mounted the carriage beside him. They had driven considerably more than half the distance, when they met a large flock of sheep and lambs.
"What a fine pack of wolves!" said the husband.
"You mean sheep, dear!" said the wife.
"I think it will rain before evening," said the husband, looking up at the sky. "It will be better for us to drive home again."
With these words he turned the horses and drove back home. They conversed in a friendly manner until they reached home; but it did not rain.
When another month had passed, the husband said one morning to his wife: "We really must see whether we cannot manage to visit your relations. What do you say to our driving across today? It looks as though the day would be fine."
His wife thought so too; she was ready very soon, and they set out. They had not travelled far when they saw a great flock of swans flying along over their heads.
"That was a fine flock of storks," said the husband.
"Yes, so it was, dear," said his wife, and they drove on.
There was no change in the weather that day, so that they reached her father's farm in due course. He received them joyfully and sent at once for his two other daughters and their husbands, and a very merry family meeting it was.
The three married sisters went into the kitchen together, because they could talk more freely there, and they had a great deal to tell each other; the two younger ones in particular had many questions to ask their elder sister, because they had not seen her for a very long time. Then they helped to prepare the dinner: it goes without saying that nothing was too good for this festive occasion. The three brothers-in-law sat meanwhile with their father-in-law in the sitting-room and they, too, had much to tell and ask each other.
Then said the old farmer: "This is the first time that you have all three been gathered together under my roof, and I should like to ask you frankly how you are pleased with your wives."
The husbands who had married the two younger, good-tempered sisters said at once that they were perfectly satisfied and lived very happily.
"But how do you get on with yours?" the father-in-law asked the husband of the eldest sister.
"Nobody ever married a better wife than I did," was the reply.
"Well, I should like to see which of you has the most obedient wife," said the father-in-law.
And then he fetched a heavy silver jug and filled it to the top with gold and silver coins. This he placed in the middle of the table before the three men, and said that he would give it to him who had the most obedient wife.
They put the matter to the test at once.
The husband who had married the youngest sister went to the kitchen door and called: "Will you come here a moment, Gerda, please; as quickly as possible!"
"All right, I am coming," she answered, but it was some time before she came, because as she explained, she had first to talk about something with one of her sisters.
"What do you want with me?" she asked.
The husband made some excuse, and she went out again.
Now it was the turn of the man who had married the middle sister.
"Please come here a moment, Margaret!" he called.
She also answered: "Yes, I am coming at once," but it was a good while before she came; she had had something in her hands and was compelled to put it down first.
The husband invented some excuse, and she went out again.
Then the third husband went to the kitchen door, opened it slightly and just said: "Christine!"
"Yes!" she answered, as she stood there with a large dish of food in her hands.
"Take this from me!" she said quickly to her sisters, but they looked at her in amazement and did not take the dish.
Bang! she dropped it right on the middle of the kitchen floor, rushed into the room and asked: "What do you wish, dear?"
"Oh, I only wanted to see you," he said, "but since you are here, you may as well take that jug standing on the table; it is yours, with all that is in it. You might also show us what you got from me as a marriage gift on our wedding day."
"Yes, dear, here it is," she said, and drew the willow ring from her bosom, where she had kept it ever since.
The husband handed it to his father- in-law and asked: "Can you put that ring straight?"
No, that was impossible without breaking it.
"Well, you see now," said the husband; "if I had not bent the twig when it was green, I could not have made it into this shape."
After that they sat down to a merry meal, then the husband of the oldest sister returned home with her, and they lived for many years very happily together.
Then someone came and courted her. But the father said "No." He had heard bad things about the other two marriages, and that would be enough. He did not want to hear such bad things about his last daughter.
However, the girl wanted the suitor, and so they became engaged, and the wedding day was set. But then the bridegroom said that on the wedding day they should go to the church ahead of him, because it was possible that he would not come until the last moment. Then he added that she must know that he did not want any opposition in his house.
Well, the day came, and the bride's people were ready, but no bridegroom came. So they set off for church, and then he arrived on horseback.
After the ceremony the parents and the guests wanted the bridegroom to go home with them. But no, he wanted to return directly to his own house. The bride was to sit behind him on the horse. She would have preferred to go to her parents' house, but he did not want any contradiction.
They come to a ford they were to cross. There he told his horse that it must not rear at either him or his wife, or he would shoot it. They started to cross, and the horse reared. What did he do? He took a pistol out of his pocket and shot the horse.
"But what about the saddle?" asked the bride.
Yes, if she wanted it, she could take it. So she picked it up and carried it the rest of the way.
They now had to continue onward on foot. They went to the bridegroom's mother, who had prepared an apartment for them. She was as fair towards them as one could imagine.
When she had been there for some time, he asked her one day if she would like to go home and visit to her family. Yes, she would like to do so. They set forth one day with good weather. When they had gone a little way from the farm, two pigeons came flying by.
He said that they should not continue onward, because when two such ravens came towards them it meant bad luck.
"But after all, those were pigeons, after all, not ravens."
He did not want to be contradicted.
Then he cut off a branch with some twigs on it, and he braided them one over the other. He gave the branch to her and said she should always keep it in her pocket and give it back to him when he asked for it. With that they turned around and went back home.
The next day they set forth again. Then two ravens come flying by.
"Today we will have good luck," he said. "There are two doves approaching us."
"Yes," she said, because she did not dare to say anything else.
Then they drove on and arrived at her parents' farm.
They were very happy to see her. They longed for her greatly, because she had left them so suddenly. They wanted to know how she was doing.
Yes, she was as well off as she could wish, she said.
Then the parents invited the other two daughters to come home as well. They wanted to host a feast, now that she had come.
That evening, while the men were sitting and talking, all three sisters went downstairs to bed.
Now the father had a very beautiful silver bowl, which, he said, he would give to the son-in-law who had the most obedient wife.
"I have the most obedient wife," said the man who had married the youngest sister.
So they arranged a test. First off, the one who had married the oldest sister would call for his wife. He sent a messenger, telling her that he wanted to talk to her. But she did not want to go up where they were sitting and talking.
Then they sent a messenger to the second wife, but she did not want to bother the men in their conversation. So she didn't go either.
"I will assure you," said the third man, the one who had married the youngest sister, "that my wife will come when I send for her."
So he too sent someone down with the same message, that she should come upstairs, for he wanted speak to her. She got out of bed at once. The others made fun of her, but she said they had not carried the saddle. So she went up there and sat quietly beside him.
Then he asked if she had what he had given her. Yes, and she gave him the branch.
"Now you can see," said he, "one must bend the branch when it is green."
He had done just that, and now had such a lovely wife.
Then the father said: "You shall have the silver bowl," and he got it.
Mette Marie Jensdatter, Sundby
There once lived in Kerry a rich farmer who had three daughters; one of them was very bold and the other two were very gentle. One day a man asked the farmer for his eldest daughter in marriage. The farmer said she was too bold, but to marry the second one. So he married her and took her away to his own home. Another man asked him for his eldest daughter and the same thing happened; she was too bold, and to marry the youngest.This is the way my grandfather used to finish the story.A third man came and asked him for his eldest daughter, but the farmer said she was too bold, but the man said it made no difference. She may be the best of them yet. They married, and he was taking her on horse-back to his own home, but before they reached the house one thing happened. His dog was running after birds, and as he didn't come back when he called him, he drew his gun and shot him. The horse was getting tired and slow, so when he could not go fast, he also shot him.
She asked him why did he do that. So he said, "nything that is disobedient to me, he will get the same."
A year passed by and the farmer invited his three daughters and three husbands to his house, as he was giving a party.
He called his three sons-in-law into a private room and said, "I will give £300 to the man who has the most obedient wife."
"I have," said the first man that married.
So he called his wife, but it took a long time from her before she came to him. She said she had to finish her game of cards. The second man called his wife and the same thing happened. The third man called his wife who was the bold one. The minute she was called she threw down her cards, and she was by his side in a minute.
He said, "You have £300 won, and I always knew you were the best of your sisters."
If they didn't live happily since,
That we may.
And when they be drinking pratey water.
That we may be drinking tay.
Finally one day a notorious character, who was known as Banke Chhail, or "the cunning rascal," came and proposed for the girl, and her father was so glad to settle her in life that he agreed to the match at once and they were married.
Before the ceremony took place Banke Chhail bought a parrot, a cat, and a dog, and when he was taking his bride home he brought his animals with him. On the way the pair sat down at a well to rest, and a number of village curs came out and began to bark at Banke Chhail's dog. His dog barked at them in return and his master, drawing his sword, cut off his head at a single stroke.
"You rascal," said he, "do you dare to bark without my leave?"
This astonished his wife; but they went on a little farther, and as the morning broke the birds in the trees began to sing, and when the parrot heard them it too commenced to chatter. Banke Chhail at once pulled it out of the cage and wrung its neck.
"You fool," said he, "you did not remember that you belonged to Banke Chhail and you dared to open your mouth without his orders."
His wife was still more surprised, but she said nothing, and they went on. They sat down to rest in a garden and soon a rat appeared.
Banke Chhail called to his cat and said: "Catch me that rat."
The cat at once obeyed his orders and killed it.
When his wife saw this she began to think to herself, "What a terrible husband I have got. It would be well for me to obey him."
And when they reached home she found it to be her interest to obey him in all things and became a very loving and obedient wife; so much so that when some time after her father came to pay him a visit, she looked out through a chink in the door and was afraid to admit him without the leave of her husband.
By and by Banke Chhail came home and said to her: "Your respected father his waiting at the door. Why did you not let him in?"
"How could I do so without your leave?" she answered.
Then Banke Chhail went out and brought the old man in.
When he saw how changed his daughter, was, he said to his son-in-law: "You know what a life my wife leads me. I wish you would tell me how you have succeeded in reducing your wife to order. Perhaps I may be able to deal with my wife in the same way."
Said Banke Chhail: "Good, Sir, bring a brick and some moist clay and make me a lamp saucer out of each.
"It is easy" quoth the old man to mould the soft clay, but when the clay gets hard no power on earth would mould it."
"In short," said Banke Chhail, "your wife's character is fixed and cannot be mended. I dealt with my wife in season, and you see the result."
The old man went home sorrowful.
Told by Madho Prashad, Khattri, of Mirzapur.
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Revised June 24, 2025.