Russian Folktales · Chapter
The Quarrelsome Wife explained
A young man marries a quarrelsome, squint-eyed wife who forces him to do all the housework.
What happens
A young man marries a quarrelsome, squint-eyed wife who forces him to do all the housework. To escape her tyranny, he tricks her into falling into a deep pit. Later, he finds a little devil in the pit who agrees to serve him in exchange for being freed. The peasant becomes a successful doctor by exorcising the devil from a prince's palace, but when he tries to retrieve his wife, she falls back into the pit.
Themes in this chapter
Trickery and Cunning
The peasant uses deception to trap his wife in the pit and later to become a doctor by exorcising the devil.
Family and Betrayal
The husband betrays his wife by tricking her into the pit, and later she is abandoned again.
Fate and Divine Justice
The wife's violent nature leads to her being trapped in Hell, while the peasant's cunning brings him fortune but also loneliness.
Characters to notice
- The Youngest Son
The youth who marries a quarrelsome wife and later tricks her into a pit.
- The Stepmother
The squint-eyed, domineering wife who forces her husband to do women's work.
- The Devil
A little devil found in the pit who becomes the peasant's servant.
- The Tsar
The new Tsar who issues a decree that wives should command their husbands.
- The Boy
The boyárs whose palace is troubled by familiar spirits.
Key passages
“Father, I should like to marry! Mother, I should like to marry, I should really,” said the youth. “Well then, my child—marry.” So he married, and chose a lanky, black, squinting wife.”
A young man asks his parents for permission to marry, and they agree. He marries a tall, dark, cross-eyed woman.
Opening of the story establishing the marriage.
“Go to the stream and wash the shirts, take the broom and sweep the house, then go and sit by the cradle and rock the child, cook the supper and grill and bake the cakes.”
The wife orders her husband to do all the household chores, including washing, sweeping, rocking the baby, and cooking.
The wife's command reversing traditional gender roles.
“Do let me go, peasant. Your wife has been torturing and oppressing us. Tell me what to do: I will be your faithful servant.”
The little devil begs the peasant to free him, promising to serve him faithfully in return.
The devil's plea and offer of service.
“Ho, my squint-eyed wife, just come up here!” Then the little devil could not stand it and took to his heels out of the stove.”
The doctor calls for his wife, and the devil flees in terror.
The peasant uses his wife's name to exorcise the devil.