Grimm's Household Tales

There was once a tailor who was a quarrelsome fellow, and his wife, who was good, industrious, and pious, could never please him. Whatever she did, he was not satisfied but grumbled and scolded, knocked her around, and beat her. When the authorities at last heard of it, they had him summoned and put in prison to reform him. He was kept for a while on bread and water and then set free again. He was forced, however, to promise not to beat his wife anymore but to live with her in peace and share joy and sorrow with her, as married people ought to do. All went well for a time, but then he fell back into his old ways and was surly and quarrelsome. And because he did not dare to beat her, he would seize her by the hair and tear it out. The woman escaped from him and sprang out into the yard, but he ran after her with his yardstick and scissors, chased her about, and threw at her the yardstick, the scissors, and whatever else came his way. When he hit her, he laughed, and when he missed her, he stormed and swore. This went on so long that the neighbors came to the wife’s assistance. The tailor was again summoned before the magistrates and reminded of his promise. “Dear gentlemen,” he said, “I have kept my word. I have not beaten her but have shared joy and sorrow with her.” “How can that be,” said the judge, “when she continually brings such serious complaints against you?” “I have not beaten her. Because she looked so strange, I simply wanted to comb her hair with my hand; she, however, got away from me and left me quite spitefully. Then I hurried after her, and to bring her back to her duty, I threw at her, as a well-meant admonition, whatever came readily to hand. I have shared joy and sorrow with her also, for whenever I hit her, I was full of joy and she was full of sorrow, and if I missed her, then she was joyful and I was sorry.” The judges were not satisfied with this answer but gave him the reward he deserved.