Sharing Joy and Sorrow
There was once a tailor, who was a quarrelsome
fellow, and his wife, who was good, industrious, and pious, never could please him.
Whatever she did, he was not satisfied, but grumbled and scolded, and knocked her about
and beat her. As the authorities at last heard of it, they had him summoned and put in
prison in order to make him better. He was kept for a while on bread and water, and then
set free again. He was forced, however, to promise not to beat his wife any more, but to
live with her in peace, and share joy and sorrow with her, as married people ought to do.
All went on well for a time, but then he fell into his old ways and was surly and
quarrelsome. And because he dared not beat her, he would seize her by the hair and tear it
out. The woman escaped from him, and sprang out into the yard, but he ran after her with
his yard-measure and scissors, and chased her about, and threw the yard-measure and
scissors at her, and whatever else came his way. When he hit her he laughed, and when he
missed her, he stormed and swore. This went on so long that the neighbors came to the
wife's assistance. The tailor was again summoned before the magistrates, and reminded of
his promise. Dear gentlemen, said he, I have kept my word, I have not beaten her, but have
shared joy and sorrow with her. How can that be, said the judge, as she continues to bring
such heavy complaints against you. I have not beaten her, but just because she looked so
strange I wanted to comb her hair with my hand. She, however, got away from me, and left
me quite spitefully. Then I hurried after her, and in order to bring her back to her duty,
I threw at her as a well-meant reminder whatever came readily to hand. I have shared joy
and sorrow with her also, for whenever I hit her I was full of joy and she of sorrow, and
if I missed her, then she was joyful, and I sorry. The judges were not satisfied with this
answer, but gave him the reward he deserved.
--The End-- |
