The Golovikha
by W. R. S. Ralston
The Golovikha THE GOLOVIKHA.[55] A certain woman was very bumptious. Her husband came from a village council one day, and she asked him: "What have you been deciding over there?" "What have we been deciding? why choosing a Golova." "Whom have you chosen?" "No one as yet." "Choose me," says the woman. So as soon as her husband went back to the council (she was a bad sort; he wanted to give her a lesson) he told the elders what she had said. They immediately chose her as Golova. Well the woman got along, settled all questions, took bribes, and drank spirits at the peasant's expense. But the time came to collect the poll-tax. The Golova couldn't do it, wasn't able to collect it in time. There came a Cossack, and asked for the Golova; but the woman had hidden herself. As soon as she learnt that the Cossack had come, off she ran home. "Where, oh where can I hide myself?" she cries to her husband. "Husband dear! tie me up in a bag, and put me out there where the corn-sacks are." Now there were five sacks of seed-corn outside, so her husband tied up the Golova, and set her in the midst of them. Up came the Cossack and said: "Ho! so the Golova's in hiding." Then he took to slashing at the sacks one after another with his whip, and the woman to howling at the pitch of her voice: "Oh, my father! I won't be a Golova, I won't be a Golova." At last the Cossack left off beating the sacks, and rode away. But the woman had had enough of Golova-ing; from that time forward she took to obeying her husband. Before passing on to another subject, it may be advisable to quote one of the stories in which the value of a good and wise wife is fully acknowledged. I have chosen for that purpose one of the variants of a tale from which, in all probability, our own story of "Whittington and his Cat" has been derived. With respect to its origin, there can be very little doubt, such a feature as that of the incense-burning pointing directly to a Buddhist source. It is called--
Moral of the Story
Unchecked ambition and a desire for power can lead to painful consequences and ultimately teach humility.
Characters
The Golovikha ★ protagonist
Not explicitly described, but implied to be physically capable of running and hiding.
Attire: Not explicitly described; likely simple peasant clothing appropriate for a Russian village woman.
Bumptious, bossy, corrupt (takes bribes, drinks at others' expense), cowardly, ultimately submissive.
The Golovikha's Husband ◆ supporting
Not explicitly described.
Attire: Not explicitly described; likely simple peasant clothing appropriate for a Russian village man.
Patient, cunning (wants to teach his wife a lesson), obedient (to his wife's initial request), ultimately assertive.
The Cossack ⚔ antagonist
Not explicitly described, but implied to be physically imposing and capable of using a whip.
Attire: Implied to be wearing a uniform or attire typical of a Cossack, including a whip.
Authoritative, persistent, punitive.
Locations
Village Council
A place where village elders gather to make decisions, implied to be a formal or semi-formal meeting space.
Mood: formal, deliberative, initially calm, later a place of gossip and decision-making
The husband reports on the Golova selection, and the wife is chosen as Golova.
The Golova's Home
The woman's house, where she seeks refuge and is hidden by her husband.
Mood: initially domestic, then frantic and fearful as the Cossack approaches
The woman runs home to hide from the Cossack.
Outside the Golova's Home
An area immediately outside the house, where five sacks of seed-corn are stored.
Mood: tense, fearful, then chaotic and painful
The woman is hidden in a sack among other sacks, and the Cossack whips them, causing her to cry out.
Story DNA
Moral
Unchecked ambition and a desire for power can lead to painful consequences and ultimately teach humility.
Plot Summary
A proud and demanding woman insists on being chosen as the village head, Golova. Her husband, intending to teach her a lesson, arranges for her election. As Golova, she abuses her power, but when a tax collector (Cossack) arrives, she fails to collect the poll-tax and hides in a sack. The Cossack, suspecting her hiding, whips the sacks, causing the woman to scream and renounce her position, ultimately leading her to become obedient to her husband.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to humiliation
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects traditional patriarchal social structures where women's roles were subservient, and local governance involved figures like the 'Golova' and the enforcement of taxes by figures like Cossacks.
Plot Beats (13)
- A bumptious woman questions her husband about a village council meeting.
- The husband reveals they are choosing a Golova (village head).
- The woman demands to be chosen as Golova.
- The husband, intending to teach her a lesson, tells the elders, who elect her.
- The woman, as Golova, abuses her power by taking bribes and drinking.
- The time comes to collect the poll-tax, and she fails to do so.
- A Cossack arrives to collect the tax and find the Golova.
- The woman, terrified, asks her husband to hide her in a sack among corn-sacks.
- The husband ties her in a sack and places her with five other sacks.
- The Cossack, suspecting the Golova is hiding, slashes at the sacks with his whip.
- The woman screams in pain, repeatedly declaring she no longer wants to be Golova.
- The Cossack stops beating the sacks and rides away.
- The woman, having been thoroughly chastised, gives up her ambition and becomes obedient to her husband.
