The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-03-05
THE STUBBORN WIFE.
A Folk-TaIe From the Russian OF
Afanasieff.

In old times, in the Government of
Novgorod, there lived a wife on such
bad terms with her husband that she
became a proverb in her neighborhood.
No matter what he said, she was sure
to take the opposite ground. If he told
her to get up early and prepare his
breakfast, she would lie in bed without
stirring for three days; if he said:
''COme, now, my dear, it's time for you
to 90 to Sleep" she would stay awake,
talking all the while, till daybreak
Once, when the poor man ventured to
ask her to make some pancakes, she
few into a rage, and cried:
Pancakes, you thief! you don't de-
deserve a pancake"
''All right, my love; don't make
pancakes, then, if | don't deserve
them," he answered, oh! so meekly.
I'D like to know who is to keep me
from cooking what please in my own
house" she screamed at this. PAN
cakes I'm going to make, a good two
gallon pOtful, and you shall cat them
every one
So for once the poor husband got his
fill of pancakes, but luck was not al
ways on his side.
Things went on from bad to worse,
until at last the man took to wandering
in the woods, afraid to set his foot
upon the threshold of his home. One
day, while picking a few berries to
appeasc his hunger, he pushed aside a
bush and there beneath it saw pit
apparently bOttOmless. An idea came
to him. If he were to put his wife into
the pit, might not it teach her a good
lesson? So, returning home, he
plucked up courage to address her in
pleasant tone:
''If 1 were you, wife, I wouldn't 90
into the wood to pick berries. Itreally
is not safe there
''Safe, you bugbear! What is that to
you? / can take care of myself, /
think. I'll go into the wood this very
day
''Well, go, if you must, my love; but
on no account 90 near the great big
cUrrant bush I've marked with a white
stone at the root"
"You want to keep ALI the currants
for yourself, you greedy brute, cried
the captiOus wife. ''Be sure I'll have
my share"
So saying she ran out into the woods
like a mad creature, never resting un-
til she had picked and eaten all the
fruit from the currant bush marked
with a white stone at the root. As
she picked the last bunch the greedy
creature leaned over to see that none
remained on the far side of the bush.
Over she went, headlOng into the pit,
and the last words her husband heard
from her were these: ''Oh, when 1 get
mt
The rest he fortunately could not
understand, owing to the rapidity of
the lady's disappearance. Returning
home joyfully, he made feast Of every
good thing to eat he could discover in
the cupboard. Climbing up on the
stove he stretched out his legs for a
comfortable nap, but not until after he
had enjoyed a grand smoke, the like of
which he had not known since the day
his honeymoon set in. After three davs
of rest that seemed like heaven, the
man resolved to 20 and find out how
matters were progressing in the pit.
Taking a long cord he let it down into
the aperture, and by and by he felt
something tugging at the end of it.
''There she is! the poor dear crea-
ture-sprightly as ever! l recognize
her vicious way of jerking. / thought
she could stand three days Of it. -
In high spirits he began hauling IN
the line, and soon brought to view, not
his spouse, but a little black demon,
wriggling tremendously. Frightened
out of his wits, the peasant was about
to cast the imp back where it came
from, but the creature wept bitterly.
entreating him not to do so.
don t send me home again, peasant;
let me cut if you have any mercy.
Home is no longer home down yonder
since she made her appearance. Three
days ago a scolding woman fell down
there, and since then we are all utterly
worn out with her. Only let me stay
on earth and I'll promise to do you a
good turn.
"Then she's no better?' cried the
alarmed man.
Worse, if possible" said the imp.
"She does nothing but talk of what she
will do when she catches YOU again. "
perhaps it is as we'll not to disturb
her." answered the husband, Fastening
away from the mouth of the pit. The
imp, well pleased, trotted at his heels,
and as they walked, proposed to his
benefactOr a business partnership.
Suppose we 20 together to the town
of Vologda. III take to tormentino
folks, and YOU shall cure them. What
sayyou. peasant? Can'tyou see money
in the scheme?''
The peasant, after cogitating awhile.
agreed 10 the proposition. When they
reached a fine house belonging 10 a
merchant who had a wife and several
daughters, the imp insinuated himself
through the key-hole Of the door, and
fell to playing tricks upon the women,
which fairly drove them crazy. The
doctor Of the village came, and the
priest came, and all the old gossips
gathered around the house. But moth
ing could be thought Of to relieve the
possessed women, till finally our friend
the peasant, dressed like a venerable
man, presented himself upon the
threshold, offering TO drive away the
live spirit. In desnair. the people al-