The Bad Wife
by W. R. S. Ralston
The Bad Wife THE BAD WIFE.[53] A bad wife lived on the worst of terms with her husband, and never paid any attention to what he said. If her husband told her to get up early, she would lie in bed three days at a stretch; if he wanted her to go to sleep, she couldn't think of sleeping. When her husband asked her to make pancakes, she would say: "You thief, you don't deserve a pancake!" If he said: "Don't make any pancakes, wife, if I don't deserve them," she would cook a two-gallon pot full, and say, "Eat away, you thief, till they're all gone!" "Now then, wife," perhaps he would say, "I feel quite sorry for you; don't go toiling and moiling, and don't go out to the hay cutting." "No, no, you thief!" she would reply, "I shall go, and do you follow after me!" One day, after having had his trouble and bother with her he went into the forest to look for berries and distract his grief, and he came to where there was a currant bush, and in the middle of that bush he saw a bottomless pit. He looked at it for some time and considered, "Why should I live in torment with a bad wife? can't I put her into that pit? can't I teach her a good lesson?" So when he came home, he said: "Wife, don't go into the woods for berries." "Yes, you bugbear, I shall go!" "I've found a currant bush; don't pick it." "Yes I will; I shall go and pick it clean; but I won't give you a single currant!" The husband went out, his wife with him. He came to the currant bush, and his wife jumped into it, crying out at the top her voice: "Don't you come into the bush, you thief, or I'll kill you!" And so she got into the middle of the bush, and went flop into the bottomless pit. The husband returned home joyfully, and remained there three days; on the fourth day he went to see how things were going on. Taking a long cord, he let it down into the pit, and out from thence he pulled a little demon. Frightened out of his wits, he was going to throw the imp back again into the pit, but it shrieked aloud, and earnestly entreated him, saying: "Don't send me back again, O peasant! let me go out into the world! A bad wife has come, and absolutely devoured us all, pinching us, and biting us--we're utterly worn out with it. I'll do you a good turn, if you will." So the peasant let him go free--at large in Holy Russia. Then the imp said: "Now then, peasant, come along with me to the town of Vologda. I'll take to tormenting people, and you shall cure them." Well, the imp went to where there were merchant's wives and merchant's daughters; and when they were possessed by him, they fell ill and went crazy. Then the peasant would go to a house where there was illness of this kind, and, as soon as he entered, out would go the enemy; then there would be blessing in the house, and everyone would suppose that the peasant was a doctor indeed, and would give him money, and treat him to pies. And so the peasant gained an incalculable sum of money. At last the demon said: "You've plenty now, peasant; arn't you content? I'm going now to enter into the Boyar's daughter. Mind you don't go curing her. If you do, I shall eat you." The Boyar's daughter fell ill, and went so crazy that she wanted to eat people. The Boyar ordered his people to find out the peasant--(that is to say) to look for such and such a physician. The peasant came, entered the house, and told Boyar to make all the townspeople, and the carriages with coachmen, stand in the street outside. Moreover, he gave orders that all the coachmen should crack their whips and cry at the top of their voices: "The Bad Wife has come! the Bad Wife has come!" and then he went into the inner room. As soon as he entered it, the demon rushed at him crying, "What do you mean, Russian? what have you come here for? I'll eat you!" "What do _you_ mean?" said the peasant, "why I didn't come here to turn you out. I came, out of pity to you, to say that the Bad Wife has come here." The Demon rushed to the window, stared with all his eyes, and heard everyone shouting at the top of his voice the words, "The Bad Wife!" "Peasant," cries the Demon, "wherever can I take refuge?" "Run back into the pit. She won't go there any more." The Demon went back to the pit--and to the Bad Wife too. In return for his services, the Boyar conferred a rich guerdon on the peasant, giving him his daughter to wife, and presenting him with half his property. But the Bad Wife sits to this day in the pit--in Tartarus.[54] Our final illustration of the Skazkas which satirize women is the story of the _Golovikha_. It is all the more valuable, inasmuch as it is one of the few folk-tales which throw any light on the working of Russian communal institutions. The word _Golovikha_ means, in its strict sense, the wife of a _Golova_, or elected chief [_Golova_ = head] of a _Volost_, or association of village communities; but here it is used for a "female _Golova_," a species of "mayoress."
Moral of the Story
Sometimes, the most difficult people can be used to solve even greater problems, and defiance can lead to unexpected, dire consequences.
Characters
The Bad Wife ⚔ antagonist
Not explicitly described, but implied to be physically capable of going into the woods and causing trouble.
Attire: Likely simple, practical clothing of a Russian peasant woman, such as a sarafan, blouse, and head covering.
Contrarian, disobedient, aggressive, argumentative, stubborn, domineering.
The Husband ★ protagonist
Not explicitly described, but capable of going into the forest and carrying a long cord.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing of a Russian peasant man, such as a rubakha (tunic) and trousers.
Long-suffering, cunning, resourceful, patient, joyful after his wife's disappearance, later clever and strategic.
The Little Demon ◆ supporting
A small, imp-like creature, capable of shrieking and tormenting people.
Attire: None, or implied to be naked/scantily clad as a demon.
Mischievous, easily tormented, fearful of the Bad Wife, grateful, cunning, opportunistic.
The Boyar's Daughter ○ minor
Initially well, then described as 'ill and went so crazy that she wanted to eat people' when possessed.
Attire: Fine clothing appropriate for a Boyar's daughter, perhaps disheveled during her illness.
Initially normal, then aggressive and deranged due to demonic possession.
The Boyar ○ minor
Not described, but implied to be a man of wealth and authority.
Attire: Rich, formal clothing befitting a Boyar, such as a kaftan and fur hat.
Concerned for his daughter, authoritative, generous, grateful.
Locations
The Husband's Home
The dwelling where the bad wife and her husband live, characterized by constant domestic strife.
Mood: tense, argumentative, frustrating
The initial depiction of the bad wife's contrarian nature and the husband's suffering.
The Forest with the Currant Bush and Bottomless Pit
A forest where the husband goes to find berries and distract his grief, containing a specific currant bush with a hidden bottomless pit in its middle.
Mood: initially melancholic, then cunning and decisive for the husband, later terrifying for the wife and demon
The husband discovers the pit and devises a plan to get rid of his wife; the wife falls into the pit; the husband pulls out a demon.
Town of Vologda (Merchant's Homes)
Various homes of merchants in the town of Vologda, where the demon possesses women and the peasant 'cures' them.
Mood: initially sickly and chaotic, then blessed and prosperous
The peasant and demon execute their scheme to gain wealth by 'curing' possessed women.
The Boyar's House (and Street outside)
The grand residence of a Boyar, where his daughter is possessed, and the street outside filled with townspeople and carriages.
Mood: desperate and chaotic inside, then boisterous and alarming outside
The peasant tricks the demon into returning to the pit by making it believe the Bad Wife has arrived.
Story DNA
Moral
Sometimes, the most difficult people can be used to solve even greater problems, and defiance can lead to unexpected, dire consequences.
Plot Summary
A peasant is tormented by his extremely contrary wife, who always does the opposite of what he asks. He discovers a bottomless pit and tricks her into falling in. Later, he pulls a demon from the pit, who begs not to be sent back, claiming the wife is far worse. The peasant and demon form a partnership: the demon possesses people, and the peasant 'cures' them for money. When the demon possesses a noble's daughter, the peasant tricks the demon into returning to the pit by making it believe the 'Bad Wife' has come for it, thus freeing himself from both the demon and his wife, and gaining wealth and a new spouse.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects traditional Russian social hierarchy (peasant, merchant, boyar) and common folk beliefs in demons and possession. The mention of 'Golovikha' and 'Volost' in the accompanying text suggests a connection to local governance structures, though this specific story doesn't delve deeply into them.
Plot Beats (15)
- A peasant's wife is extremely contrary, always doing the opposite of what her husband asks.
- The husband, seeking relief from his torment, finds a bottomless pit in the forest.
- He tricks his wife into falling into the pit by forbidding her to go near a specific currant bush.
- After three days, the husband checks the pit and pulls out a demon.
- The demon, terrified of the wife, begs the peasant not to send him back and offers to do him a good turn.
- The demon and peasant agree to a scheme: the demon will possess people, and the peasant will 'cure' them, earning money.
- The peasant becomes wealthy by 'curing' merchant's wives and daughters.
- The demon, having made the peasant rich, warns him not to cure the Boyar's daughter, whom he plans to possess.
- The Boyar's daughter falls ill, and the peasant is summoned.
- The peasant instructs the townspeople to shout, 'The Bad Wife has come!' outside the Boyar's house.
- Inside, the peasant tells the demon that the Bad Wife has arrived, causing the demon to panic.
- The demon, hearing the shouts, asks the peasant where to hide.
- The peasant tells the demon to return to the pit, claiming the wife won't go there anymore.
- The demon flees back into the pit, joining the bad wife.
- The peasant is rewarded with the Boyar's daughter in marriage and half his property.
