THE CLEVER WIFE
by Maive Stokes · from Indian Fairy Tales
Original Story
THE CLEVER WIFE
To notes I N a country there was a merchant who traded in all
kinds of merchandise, and used to make journeys
from country to country in his boat to buy and sell
his goods. He one day said to his wife, “I cannot stay at
home any more, for I must go on a year’s journey to carry
on my business.” And he added, laughing, “When I return
I expect to find you have built me a grand well; and also,
as you are such a clever wife, to see a little son.” Then he
got into his boat and went away.
When he was gone his wife set to work, and she spun
four hanks of beautiful thread with her own hands. Then
she dressed herself in her prettiest clothes, and put on her
finest jewels. “I am going to the bazar,” she said to her
ayahs, “to sell this thread.” “That is not right,” said one
of the ayahs. “You must not sell your thread yourself, but
let me sell it for you. What will your husband say if he
hears you have been selling thread in the bazar?” “I will
sell my thread myself,” answered the merchant’s wife. “You
could never sell it for me.”
So off she set to the bazar, and every one in it said,
“What a beautiful woman that is!” At last the kotwál saw
her, and came to her at once.
“What beautiful thread!” he said. “Is it for sale?”
“Yes,” she said. “How much a hank?” said the kotwál.
“Fifty rupees,” she answered. “Fifty rupees! Who will [ Pg 217] ever give you fifty rupees for it?” “I will not sell it for
less,” said the woman. “I shall get fifty rupees for it.”
“Well,” said the kotwál, “I will give you the fifty rupees.
Can I dine with you at your house?” “Yes,” she answered,
“to-night at ten o’clock.” Then he took the thread and
gave her fifty rupees.
Then she went away to another bazar, and there the king’s
wazír saw her trying to sell her thread. “What lovely
thread! Is it for sale?” he said. “Yes, at one hundred
rupees the hank,” she answered. “Well, I will give you
one hundred rupees. Can I dine with you at your house?”
said the wazír. “Yes,” she answered, “to-night at
eleven o’clock.” “Good,” said the wazír; “here are the
hundred rupees.” And he took the thread and went
away.
The merchant’s wife now went to a third bazar, and there
the king’s kází saw her. “Is that beautiful thread for
sale?” he asked. “Yes,” she answered, “for one hundred
and fifty rupees.” “I will give you the hundred and fifty
rupees. Can I dine with you at your house?” “Yes,” she
said, “to-night at twelve o’clock.” “I will come,” said the
kází. “Here are one hundred and fifty rupees.” So she
took the rupees and gave him the thread.
She set off with the fourth hank to the fourth bazar, and
in this bazar was the king’s palace. The king saw her, and
asked if the thread was for sale. “Yes,” she said, “for five
hundred rupees.” “Give me the thread,” said the king;
“here are your five hundred rupees. Can I dine with
you at your house?” “Yes,” she said, “to-night at two
o’clock.”
Then she went home and sent one of her servants to the
bazar to buy her four large chests; and she told her other
servants that they were to get ready four very good dinners
for her. Each dinner was to be served in a different room; [ Pg 218] and one was to be ready at ten o’clock that night, one at
eleven, one at twelve, and one at two in the morning. The
servant brought her four large chests, and she had them
placed in four different rooms.
At ten o’clock the kotwál arrived. The merchant’s wife
greeted him graciously, and they sat down and dined. After
dinner she said to him, “Can you play at cards?” “Yes,”
he answered. She brought some cards, and they sat and
played till the clock struck eleven, when the doorkeeper
came in to say, “The wazír is here, and wishes to see you.”
The kotwál was in a dreadful fright. “Do hide me somewhere,”
he said to her. “I have no place where you can
hide in this room,” she answered; “but in another room I
have a big chest. I will shut you up in that if you like, and
when the wazír is gone, I will let you out of it.” So she
took him into the next room, and he got into one of the four
big chests, and she shut down the lid and locked it.
Then she bade the doorkeeper bring in the wazír, and
they dined together. After dinner she said, “Can you play
at cards?” “Yes,” said the wazír. She took out the cards,
and they played till twelve o’clock, when the doorkeeper
came to say the kází had come to see her. “Oh, hide me!
hide me!” cried the wazír in a great fright. “If you come
to another room,” she said, “I will hide you in a big chest
I have. I can let you out when he is gone.” So she
locked the wazír up in the second chest.
She and the kází now dined. Then she said, “Can you
play at cards?” “Yes,” said the kází. So they sat playing
at cards till two o’clock, when the doorkeeper said the king
had come to see her. “Oh, what shall I do?” said the
kází, terribly frightened. “Do hide me. Do not let me be
seen by the king.” “You can hide in a big chest I have in
another room, if you like,” she answered, “till he is gone.”
And she locked up the kází in her third chest.
[ Pg 219] The king now came in, and they dined. “Will you play
a little game at cards?” she asked. “Yes,” said the king.
So they played till three o’clock, when the doorkeeper came
running in (just as she had told him to do) to say, “My
master’s boat has arrived, and he is coming up to the house.
He will be here directly.” “Now what shall I do?”
said the king, who was as frightened as the others had
been. “Here is your husband. He must not see me.
You must hide me somewhere.” “I have no place to
hide you in,” she said, “but a big chest. You can get into
that if you like, and I will let you out to-morrow morning.”
So she shut the lid of the fourth chest down on the king
and locked him up. Then she went to bed, and to sleep,
and slept till morning.
The next day, after she had bathed and dressed, and
eaten her breakfast, and done all her household work, she
said to her servants, “I want four coolies.” So the servants
went for the coolies; and when they came she showed them
the four chests, and said, “Each of you must take one of
these chests on your head and come with me.” Then they
set out with her, each carrying a chest.
Meanwhile the kotwál’s son, the wazír’s son, the kází’s
son, and the king’s son, had been roaming about looking
everywhere for their fathers, and asking every one if they
had seen them, but no one knew anything about them.
The merchant’s wife went first to the kotwál’s house, and
there she saw the kotwál’s son. She had the kotwál’s chest
set down on the ground before his door. “Will you buy
this chest?” she said to his son. “What is in it?” he asked.
“A most precious thing,” she answered. “How much do
you want for it?” said his son. “One thousand rupees,”
she said; “and when you open the chest, you will see the
contents are worth two thousand. But you must not open
it till you are in your father’s house.” “Well,” said the [ Pg 220] kotwál’s son, “here are a thousand rupees.” The woman
and the other three chests went on their way, while he took
his into the house. “What a heavy chest!” he said.
“What can be inside?” Then he lifted the lid. “Why,
there’s my father!” he cried. “Father, how came you to
be in this chest?” The kotwál was very much ashamed of
himself. “I never thought she was the woman to play me
such a trick,” he said; and then he had to tell his son the
whole story.
The merchant’s wife next stopped at the wazír’s house,
and there she saw the wazír’s son. The wazír’s chest was
put down before his door, and she said to his son, “Will
you buy this chest?” “What is inside of it?” he asked.
“A most precious thing,” she answered. “Will you buy
it?” “How much do you want for it?” asked the son.
“Only two thousand rupees, and it is worth three thousand.”
So the wazír’s son bought his father, without knowing it, for
two thousand rupees. “You must not open the chest till
you are in the house,” said the merchant’s wife. The wazír’s
son opened the chest in the house at once, wondering what
could be in it; and the wazír’s wife stood by all the time.
When they saw the wazír himself, looking very much
ashamed, they were greatly astonished. “How came you
there?” they cried. “Where have you been?” said his
wife. “Oh,” said the wazír, “I never thought she was a
woman to treat me like this;” and he, too, had to tell all
his story.
Now the merchant’s wife stopped at the kází’s door, and
there stood the kází’s son. “Will you buy this chest?”
she said to him, and had the kází’s chest put on the ground.
“What is in it?” said the kází’s son. “Silver and gold,”
she answered. “You shall have it for three thousand
rupees. The contents are worth four.” “Well, I will take
it,” said the son. “Don’t open it till you are in your house,” [ Pg 221] she said, and took her three thousand rupees and went
away. Great was the excitement when the kází stepped
out of the chest. “Oh!” he groaned, “I never thought
she could behave like this to me.”
The merchant’s wife now went to the palace, and set the
king’s chest down at the palace gates. There she saw the
king’s son. “Will you buy this chest?” she said. “What
is in it?” asked the prince. “Diamonds, pearls, and all
kinds of precious stones,” said the merchant’s wife. “You
shall have the chest for five thousand rupees, but its contents
are worth a great deal more.” “Well,” said the king’s son,
“here are your five thousand rupees; give me the chest.”
“Don’t open it out here,” she said. “Take it into the
palace and open it there.” And away she went home.
The king’s son opened the chest, and there was his father.
“What’s all this?” cried the prince. “How came you to
be in the chest?” The king was very much ashamed, and
did not tell much about his adventure; but when he was
sitting in his court-house, he had the merchant’s wife brought
to him, and gave her a quantity of rupees, saying, “You are
a wise and clever woman.”
Now the kotwál knew the wazír had gone to see the merchant’s
wife; and the wazír knew the kází had gone; and
the kází, that the king had gone; but this was all that any
of them knew.
The merchant’s wife had now plenty of rupees, so she
had a most beautiful well built and roofed over. Then she
locked the door of the well, and told the servants no one
was to drink any of its water, or bathe in it, till her husband
came home: he was to be the first to drink its water, and
bathe in the well.
Then she sent her ayah to the bazar to buy her clothes
and ornaments such as cowherd’s wives and daughter’s
wear; and when the ayah had brought her these, she [ Pg 222] packed them up in a box. Then she dressed herself in
men’s clothes, so that no one could tell she was a woman,
and ordered a horse to be got ready for her. “I am going
to eat the air of another country for a little while,” she said.
“You must all take great care of the house while I am away.”
The servants did not like her going away at all; they were
afraid her husband might return during her absence, and
that he would be angry with them for having let her go.
“Don’t be afraid,” she said. “There is nothing to be
frightened about. I shall come back all right.”
So she set out, taking the key of the well, the box with
the clothes her ayah had bought for her in the bazar, and
plenty of rupees. She also took two of her servants. She
travelled a long, long way, asking everywhere for her husband’s
boat. At last at the end of a month she came to where
it was. Here she hired a little house, and dressed herself
like a cowherd’s daughter. Then she got some very good
milk, and went down to the banks of the river to sell it.
Everybody said, “Do look what a beautiful woman that is
selling milk!” She sold her milk very quickly, it was so
good. This she did for several days, till her husband, the
merchant, saw her. He thought her so beautiful, that he
asked her to bring him some milk to his boat. So every day
for a little while she sold him milk. One day he said to her,
“Will you marry me?” “How can I marry you?” she said.
“You are a merchant, and I am a cowherd’s daughter. Soon
you will be leaving this country, and will travel to another
in your boat; you will want me to go with you. Then I
shall have to leave my father and mother, and who will take
care of them?” “Let us be married,” said the merchant.
“I am going to stay here for three months. When I go,
you shall return to your father and mother, and later I will
come back to you.” To this she agreed, and they were
married, and she went to live in the boat. At the end of [ Pg 223] three months, the merchant said to her, “My business here
is done, and I must go to another country. Would you
like to go home to your father and mother while I am away?”
“Yes,” she said. “Here are some rupees for you to live
on in my absence,” he said. “I do not want any rupees,”
said his wife. “I only want you to give me two things: your
old cap, and your picture.” These he gave her, and then
he went to his boat, and she went back to her own home.
Some time afterwards she had a little son. The servants
were greatly frightened, for they thought their master would
not be pleased when he came home; and he was not pleased
when he did come two months later. He was so cross that
he would not look at the baby-boy, and he would hardly
look at his beautiful well.
One night he lay awake thinking, and he thought he would
kill his wife and her little son. But the next day she came to
him: “Tell me the truth,” she said; “you are angry with me?
Don’t be angry, for I want to show you a picture I like very
much—the picture of my boy’s father.” Then she showed him
his own picture, and the old cap he had given her on board
his boat; and she told him how she had been the cowherd’s
daughter; and also how she had gained the money to build
his well. “You see,” she said, “I have done all you bade
me. Here is your well, and here is your son.” Then the
merchant was very happy. He kissed and loved his little
son, and thought his well was beautiful; and he said to his
wife, “What a clever woman you are!”
Told by Múniyá, Calcutta, March 3rd, 1879.
[ Pg 224]
Story DNA
Moral
A clever and resourceful person can overcome challenges and prove their worth, even against societal expectations and male arrogance.
Plot Summary
A merchant challenges his clever wife to build a well and bear a son during his year-long absence. The wife, using her wit, sells thread to four powerful men, then tricks and humiliates them by hiding them in chests and selling them back to their sons for a profit, funding the well. She then disguises herself, finds her husband, and marries him under a false identity, conceiving a child. Upon his return, the merchant is displeased, but his wife reveals her elaborate plan and accomplishments, proving her loyalty and cleverness, leading to his joyful acceptance of their son and her ingenuity.
Themes
Emotional Arc
challenge to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Collected by Maive Stokes, a British folklorist, from an Indian storyteller in Calcutta, reflecting local customs and social structures of the time.
Plot Beats (17)
- Merchant tells his wife he's leaving for a year and jokingly asks for a well and a son upon his return.
- Wife spins four hanks of thread, dresses up, and goes to the bazar to sell them herself, despite her ayah's objections.
- She sells the first hank to the Kotwal for 50 rupees, inviting him to dinner at 10 PM.
- She sells the second hank to the Wazir for 100 rupees, inviting him to dinner at 11 PM.
- She sells the third hank to the Kazi for 150 rupees, inviting him to dinner at 12 AM.
- She sells the fourth hank to the King for 500 rupees, inviting him to dinner at 2 AM.
- She buys four large chests and prepares four dinners in separate rooms.
- As each guest arrives, she entertains them, then hides them in a chest in another room when the next guest is announced, until all four powerful men are locked away.
- The next morning, she hires coolies and takes the chests to the homes of the Kotwal's, Wazir's, Kazi's, and King's sons.
- She sells each chest back to the respective son for a significant profit, instructing them not to open it until inside their house.
- The sons open the chests to find their fathers, who are greatly shamed and forced to explain their predicament.
- With her new wealth, she builds the grand well, locks it, and instructs servants not to use it until her husband returns.
- She disguises herself as a man, then as a cowherd's daughter, travels to find her husband's boat, and sells milk to him daily.
- The merchant falls in love with the 'cowherd's daughter' and marries her, staying for three months before leaving her with her 'parents' (her own home) and giving her his old cap and picture.
- She gives birth to a son; the merchant returns two months later, angry about the son and unimpressed by the well.
- The wife reveals her true identity, shows him his cap and picture, explains how she earned the money for the well, and presents their son.
- The merchant is overjoyed, embraces his son, admires the well, and praises his clever wife.
Characters
The Merchant's Wife ★ protagonist
Beautiful woman, captivating enough to attract the attention of high-ranking officials and the king himself.
Attire: Initially wears her "prettiest clothes" and "finest jewels" to the bazar. Later dresses in "men's clothes" for travel and then like a "cowherd's daughter" (simple, practical attire) to approach her husband. Finally, she has her own clothes.
Clever, resourceful, independent, strategic, loyal.
Image Prompt & Upload
A woman in her mid-30s with a determined yet thoughtful expression, standing tall with a confident posture. She has auburn hair swept back into an elegant, practical bun, with a few loose curls framing her face. She is dressed in a rich, deep blue velvet gown with fitted sleeves and a modest neckline, adorned with a simple silver chain at her waist. In one hand, she holds a small, open leather-bound ledger; the other rests gently on a bolt of fine silk fabric. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Merchant ◆ supporting
No specific physical description, but he is a successful trader who travels by boat.
Attire: Period-appropriate merchant's attire, likely practical for travel and business.
Business-minded, initially dismissive of his wife's capabilities, later loving and appreciative, somewhat easily deceived when disguised.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with a weathered but shrewd expression, wearing a practical, layered outfit of a woolen tunic, leather vest, and sturdy trousers. A heavy money pouch is secured at his belt. His hair is short and graying, and he stands with a slight forward lean, as if examining goods or counting coins, his posture conveying a lifetime of trade and travel. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Kotwál ⚔ antagonist
No specific physical description, but holds a position of authority.
Attire: Implied to be official attire befitting a kotwál (chief police officer/magistrate).
Lustful, easily frightened, gullible.
Image Prompt & Upload
A stern middle-aged man with a thick black beard and sharp, piercing eyes, wearing a dark maroon sherwani embroidered with gold thread, a matching turban adorned with a jeweled brooch, and polished black boots. He stands with a rigid posture, one hand resting on the hilt of a sheathed sword at his hip, his expression cold and calculating, exuding an aura of authority and menace. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Wazír ⚔ antagonist
No specific physical description, but holds a high-ranking position.
Attire: Implied to be official attire befitting a wazír (chief minister).
Lustful, easily frightened, gullible.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with a sharp, gaunt face, cold calculating eyes, and a thin cruel smile. He has a neatly trimmed black goatee and slicked-back dark hair. He wears opulent dark purple and gold robes with intricate embroidery, a high collar, and a heavy gold chain of office. His posture is rigid and imposing, standing tall with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an aura of authority and menace. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Kází ⚔ antagonist
No specific physical description, but holds a position of religious judge.
Attire: Implied to be official attire befitting a kází (judge).
Lustful, easily frightened, gullible.
Image Prompt & Upload
A tall, imposing figure with sharp, angular features and pale skin. He has slicked-back black hair and piercing, cold blue eyes that glow faintly. He wears a high-collared, black leather coat over dark, fitted trousers and polished boots. His posture is rigid and authoritative, one hand resting on the hilt of a sheathed sword at his hip. His expression is one of cruel, calculating disdain. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The King ⚔ antagonist
No specific physical description, but is the ruler of the country.
Attire: Royal attire, likely rich fabrics and possibly a crown or turban.
Lustful, easily frightened, gullible, ultimately appreciative of wisdom.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly male ruler in his late sixties with a cruel, sneering expression, deep-set eyes, and a sharp, angular face framed by thinning grey hair. He wears a heavy, dark purple velvet robe with ermine trim over ornate black and gold armor, a large crown of jagged black iron atop his head. His posture is rigid and imposing, one hand clenched into a fist while the other rests on the hilt of a sheathed sword at his hip. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Little Son ○ minor
A baby boy.
Attire: Baby clothes.
Innocent, serves as proof of the wife's fulfillment of her husband's request.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young boy around six or seven years old with a round, innocent face, rosy cheeks, and wide, curious brown eyes. He has messy, sandy-brown hair that falls over his forehead. He is wearing a simple, slightly oversized cream-colored tunic with rolled-up sleeves, brown trousers, and worn leather ankle boots. He holds a small, carved wooden bird in one hand, his posture slightly leaning forward as if examining something on the ground with a look of wonder. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Merchant's House
The merchant's home, where his wife lives and manages the household. Later, it features multiple rooms where guests are entertained and hidden, and a newly built, beautiful well in the grounds.
Mood: Initially domestic and quiet, later becomes a scene of clever deception and strategic hospitality, then domestic again with a new well and child.
The wife hosts and cleverly traps the Kotwál, Wazír, Kází, and King in chests; later, the merchant returns to find his well and son here.
Image Prompt & Upload
A cozy, multi-story timber-framed merchant's house at dusk, with warm golden light glowing from its mullioned windows. The thatched roof is neatly trimmed, and climbing roses adorn the stone base. A manicured herb garden lines the cobblestone path leading to the sturdy oak door. To the side, in the soft twilight, stands a newly built ornate stone well, its carved details catching the last light, with a shimmering pool of water visible within. The atmosphere is peaceful and prosperous, with a hint of mystery in the deepening blue shadows under the eaves and the distant, softly lit windows of hidden guest rooms. Lush ivy and a large, ancient oak tree frame the scene. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Bazar (Marketplace)
A bustling public market area, divided into at least four distinct sections, where goods are bought and sold. People gather and observe others.
Mood: Lively, public, observant, a place of commerce and social interaction.
The merchant's wife sells her four hanks of thread to the Kotwál, Wazír, Kází, and King, setting up her plan.
Image Prompt & Upload
Late afternoon sun slants through a bustling ancient bazaar, casting long shadows across uneven cobblestone paths. The air is thick with the scent of spices and baked bread. Four distinct sections unfold: one with pyramids of vibrant spices under striped awnings, another with bolts of silk and wool draped from wooden beams, a third displaying gleaming copper pots and ceramic vases, and a fourth where colorful paper lanterns sway gently. Warm golden light illuminates weathered stone archways and adobe walls, contrasting with deep blue shadows. Wooden carts overflow with goods, and sunbeams catch dust motes dancing in the air. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
River Bank
The edge of a river where boats are docked and people gather. The wife sells milk here disguised as a cowherd's daughter.
Mood: Picturesque, public, a place of daily commerce and chance encounters.
The merchant's wife, disguised as a cowherd's daughter, sells milk to her husband and eventually marries him again.
Image Prompt & Upload
Early morning at a sun-dappled riverbank, a gentle mist rising from the calm water. A weathered wooden dock extends into the river, where several small, painted rowboats are moored. A grassy bank slopes up from the water's edge, scattered with wildflowers and a few smooth stones. A large, ancient willow tree drapes its branches over the scene. Near the dock, a simple wooden market stall stands with empty milk pails on its counter, beside a rustic stool. The air feels peaceful and expectant, bathed in soft, golden morning light. Cobblestone paths lead away from the bank into a sunlit meadow. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
