- Summary: In this story, a husband has two wives and two children, one from each wife. The husband decides to go into the Bush to trade for six months. Before leaving, the husband had one request, that neither of his children were hurt and that they were cared for properly. The two wives and two children got along well, and when it was about time for the husband to return, the two wives decided to go fish for him so they could make him a proper meal when he returned. Remembering what he said, they knew they could not leave the children alone, so first, the elder wife went to fish while the younger wife stayed and watched the children. After the elder wife returned, it was the younger wife's turn to fish. While the elder wife was watching the children, she became very jealous, as the younger wife's child was better looking and more intelligent, so she decided to murder the child. SHe sharpened a razor blade and intended to kill it that night. That night she went to the place where the children slept and killed the younger wife's child, while her own went running to the neighbors home for refuge. The next morning, when the mother went to admire her handy work, she discovered that she had accidently killed her own child, so distraught, she ran into the bush with her child lifeless body. When the husband returned home, he missed his elder wife, and since the only proof of her wrong doing came from a child, he did not believe it. The husband and his friend went into the woods in search for his wife. When they found her, they saw the child's lifeless body and killed the wife, using casca, out of rage.
- My idea: This story was very gruesome and intense, unlike the typically stories I read. For this story, my idea to change it is to make the younger wife jealous of the attention everyone else gets. So my idea is to make the younger wife kill or send away the entire family. I know it is extremely gruesome, but I more than likely will use the send-away scenario or maybe even have her take them prisoner, so that way it is more humane than killing the entire family. From previous stories I have read this semester, I want to bring in a story within the story and maybe even fool the husband for a while. Maybe the younger wife can tell the husband an elaborate story about how something killed them all or maybe even how some bandits kidnapped the entire family. Anyway, I want to keep the ending to be sad(ish) so maybe the younger wife will end up dying and the family will end up rescued.
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| Photo where casca is being used to kill someone: Hathi Trust |
- Bibliography:
- Dennet, Richard E. Notes on the Folklore of the Fjort. Congo Unit: The Jealous Wife. 1898.
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