Once upon a time there lived a husband and wife. In addition to common children, each had children born in their first marriage. Despite the fact that the husband did everything that a man is supposed to do, the wife was always unhappy with him and constantly grumbled:
“You’re no good.” You don’t know how to do anything that other men do! You're good for nothing! You are no husband, you are no man!
- Why am I not a husband? Why am I not a man? What do other men do that I couldn't do? They go to the river to fish, they float down the river in a canoe, and I also float in a canoe, and I also fish! They set traps, and I set traps too! They cultivate the land, and I cultivate the land. They raise pigs and chickens, and so do I. I also know how to trade in the market, like everyone else! Everyone sleeps with their wives, and you and I sleep together! And you become pregnant from me the same way women become pregnant from their husbands! Everyone has children, and I have children! What, after all, can other men do that I couldn’t do? – her husband once asked her indignantly.
- Ayue! Leave me alone, you're no good for anything anyway!
And so many times did he listen to these unjust accusations that he finally decided to seek advice from the assembly of elders, who usually conferred under a tree near the chief’s dwelling. Here people rested, here elders gathered for council.
And so, as usual, the elders gathered, the leader came, and many more ordinary people came running. People are always curious.
“You, chiefs and elders, old people and young, you, among whom there are both tall and short, among whom there are fat and thin, you who may be my older brothers or my younger brothers, let me ask you a question. Can I say everything I want?
And several voices answered:
-Say whatever you want!..
- Well, I’ll say everything I want! If one person constantly tells another: “You are no good! You can't do anything! You can’t do anything!”, what do you think: should the other person endure all this?
- No, such words insult a person! - said one of the men.
And several voices supported him:
– You can say whatever you want! We are listening! Then one of the elders asked:
- Listen, is this conversation between two men, between two women, or between a man and a woman?
– Not just between a man and a woman, but between a husband and wife.
- And who are these man and woman?
“This man is me, and this woman is my wife.”
- Ay-ay-ay! Then all this must be decided by the elders and the leader himself.
- Well, come on, tell me everything in detail! – confirmed one of the leader’s advisers.
“Listen, elders and advisers, people old and young, tall and short, fat and thin, this woman constantly tells me: “You are no man!” You're no good for anything! You can’t do anything that other men do!” But I go canoeing with others, I fish as well as others, and I set traps as well as others. Everyone cultivates the land, and I cultivate the land. Everyone raises pigs and chickens, and I do too. Everyone trades in the market, and I trade. Well, of course, sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s worse, that’s understandable. When we met, I already had children, just like her. But then we also had children together. And we sleep together, and she gets pregnant from me. In short, I do everything that other men do. Why does she scold me all the time? Why does she reproach me for not being able to do anything that other men do?
- Listen! - one of the elders decided. “Your wife probably wants you to get a talisman!” Then she will calm down! - And, turning to the leader, he asked: - Tell me, most honorable one, am I speaking right or wrong?
- That's right. Let this man receive the talisman, and then his wife will calm down,” the leader confirmed.
And the man followed their advice. He went to the sorcerer with a request to give him a good, faithful talisman.
– Why do you need a talisman? What happened to you? – asked the sorcerer. – I need to know this, against whom the talisman should act, who will become its victim.
And the man repeated his story again. As the wife repeats: “You are no man! You're no good for anything! You don’t know how to do anything that other men do!”, and explained to the sorcerer that he did everything like other men: he caught fish, and set traps, and cultivated the land, and gave birth to children...
- Okay. I understood everything. I'll give you a talisman. But his victim will not be your son, born from another woman, not the son born from you by her. The victim of witchcraft will be her eldest daughter or her eldest grandson. This is so that she finally understands that she was wrong, that you can do anything! Go home. Here's your talisman.
The man returned home and did not say a word to anyone.
And a few days later, when the eldest grandson of the grumpy wife, along with other children, was eating acaju fruits, the grain got into his throat. He choked, coughed and died.
They began to find out the cause of the boy’s death, and learned that the grandfather was to blame for everything.
All the relatives - both mother and father - gathered and began to discuss what had happened.
– Although the child died due to his grandfather’s fault, the grandfather is right! - everyone announced together. “He endured humiliation from his wife for too long. You can't offend a good person.
So the husband proved to his wife that he can do anything.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru