FatE- taking storytelling to the Edge

Festival at the Edge

FatE is one of the oldest oral storytelling festivals in Britain. Each July it brings together storytellers from all over the world to share their tales. This year I was thrilled to hear the stories of one of my favourite tellers, Shonaleigh Cumbers. It was at this festival, many years ago now, that I heard a teller explaining that it was possible that Shakespeare manipulated some of the traditional oral stories that were told, rather than written down, to use in his plays.

The Taming of the Shrew

There was a ballad called, “ A Shrewde and Curste Wyfe “, that Shakespeare could have heard for the plot of The Taming of the Shrew. In folktales, there is a story type which I would like to retell briefly now. It is an amalgamation of several similar folktales from around the world.

The Most Obedient Wife

Just to give a warning, this story does have unpleasant elements which young children and some adults might be upset by.

Once, there was a widower who had three daughters. He indulged them in their youth and learned to regret this as they grew up to become the most aggressive and bad-tempered of women. The eldest daughter was the worst and grew more so as she saw her two younger sisters get married. One day, a stranger arrived who searched for the widower and offered to marry his eldest daughter. The father felt it only right to warned him of his daughter’s behaviour but the stranger was undeterred.

On the day of the wedding, everyone arrived to see what kind of man would marry her and what would happen. When the groom eventually arrived, the bride was incandescent at the way he was dressed.

Immediately after the ceremony, they mounted his horse and instead of making for the reception, he rode in the direction of his home. There was a stony silence for most of the journey. He began to tell her about his many horses at home but the one they rode was his favourite one. She said nothing but was thinking it sounded like he was a rich man.

Just before they crossed a stream, he said to his horse. “You must take us across without getting my new wife’s dress dirty.” This was impossible as the bank was churned up with mud and sure enough her bridal dress became caked in it. They both dismounted. He removed the saddle and gave it to the confused bride to hold. He said to the horse, “ I told you not to get my wife’s dress dirty. You have disobeyed me!” To the wife’s utter shock and surprise, he drew his gun and shot the horse dead!

They continued the journey on foot. The stunned bride carrying the saddle.

Before she had time to recover, her husband told her about the dog which accompanied them. He had many dogs but this was his favourite one. As she stumbled along, she dropped one of her gloves. The husband told the dog to pick it up but the dog hadn’t heard him. Again he took his gun and shot the animal dead! To her look of astonishment, he simply told her the dog had disobeyed him.

By now the bride was in a state of utter fear. Her husband cut off a whip of nearby willow and fashioned it into a hoop. He gave this to her with the instruction she was to keep it with her always. Shaking, she took it and put it in her pocket.

When they reached his home, all his servants raced around to tend the new couple’s every need. He was indeed as wealthy as she had suspected but she wanted to return to her home and be with her family. Everytime she suggested visiting them, her husband would agree, have the carriage made ready and head out. He would make some observation such as seeing the white ravens. As soon as his wife corrected him, without a word, he would turn the carriage round and go home. This happened many times.

It was her wish to visit her father as her two sisters and their husbands would be visiting also. On the journey there her husband tested her but she said nothing and they arrived at her father’s house. While the sisters were in another room, the father said he had a large amount of money for the husband who could prove he had the most obedient wife.

They agreed that the simplest proof would be the wife who responded the fastest to her husband’s call. The husbands of the younger sisters called and they arrived but in their own good time. Then it was the eldest daughter’s turn. Her husband called and she arrived the swiftest to the amazement of all the men except her husband. She wanted to know why he had called. He asked her for the willow hoop which she always carried with her.

The husband then challenged the father. Taking the willow hoop, he asked the father to straighten it without breaking it. The father tried but it was impossible. The husband agreed and said that he had given it it’s form when it was still green.

The eldest daughter was given the winnings and she and her husband returned home, where they lived happily ever after.

Thank you for reading my August Blog.