The Windfairies · Chapter
The Ploughman and the Gnome explained
A poor ploughman discovers a gnome who promises him wealth in exchange for the best of everything in his household.
What happens
A poor ploughman discovers a gnome who promises him wealth in exchange for the best of everything in his household. As the ploughman grows rich, he marries a beautiful woman, but the gnome's demands escalate, eventually requiring his wife's face. The wife refuses, and the couple faces a crisis.
Themes in this chapter
Greed and Its Downfall
The ploughman's initial greed for wealth leads to a dangerous pact that threatens his wife's well-being and their happiness.
Promises and Consequences
The compact between the ploughman and the gnome drives the plot, with each broken promise bringing severe repercussions.
Characters to notice
- The Ploughman
The protagonist who makes a pact with a gnome for wealth, later struggles to meet its escalating demands.
- The Wife
The ploughman's new wife, who refuses to give up her face to the gnome and becomes distraught.
Key passages
“to get the best of everything and give nothing in return.”
The gnome offers the ploughman wealth in exchange for receiving the best of everything in his household.
The initial bargain is struck.
“I shall give a very great deal. For as long as I remain in your house, all things will go well with you.”
The gnome promises prosperity as long as it stays with the ploughman.
The gnome outlines the benefits of the pact.
“I must have your wife's complexion to wear with her hair, or else I go at once.”
The gnome demands the wife's face, threatening to leave and take the wealth.
The gnome's final demand escalates the conflict.