Week 1 Story: Run Away Wife

January 13th, 2017

Week One Story: Run Away Wife

I DOUBT, I doubt, my fire is out;

My little wife isn't at home;

I'll saddle my dog, and bridle my cat,

And I'll go fetch my little wife home.

(Love and Matrimony Nursery Rhyme)

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Long ago, in a winter town called Nasha, there was a strong young man named Timmy. Timmy was a handsome gentleman and lived a good simple life. He lived on a nice plot of land given to him by his father, had a darling dog named Daisy and a cuddly cat called Curt. Timmy worked in a factory in Nasha’s city center making machine equipment and was good at what he did. Every day was the same for young Timmy. He would wake up at the crack of dawn to feed Daisy and Curt. Then, Timmy took a piping hot shower, dressed, ate a bowl of oats with a tablespoon of honey, put on his winter boots and heavy coat, and headed on foot to where he worked, the factory, just 2 miles from home. Timmy worked hard all day crafting equipment, got paid, and made his trek home. Once home, Timmy always greeted his sweet Daisy and Curt, headed outside to cut firewood, and came inside to enjoy a toasty fire with his dearest pals. Timmy enjoyed his life and his daily routine very much. One day Timmy’s whole routine was thrown for a loop when he received a call from his father, Gary. Gary told Timmy that he had found a young woman for him to marry. Timmy assured his father he was fine without a wife, but Gary told Timmy he had already made an arrangement with the young lady’s father, and if Timmy wanted to keep his comfortable life on his father’s plot of land he would marry the young woman.

(Chimney with Smoke)
Source: Wikimedia

Two weeks later Timmy was married to the woman. Her name was Sheryl. Sheryl realized Timmy lived a very routine life and found it boring and dull compared to her previous life, but she did not complain. Timmy did change one thing about his daily routine after marrying Sheryl. Before Timmy left for his hike to work, he started the fire to keep the winter cold away and Sheryl warm.

Day after day, Sheryl would stay home with Daisy and Curt stoking the fire and cleaning the house. Night after night, Timmy would come home and sit by the fire with Sheryl and the animals unwinding from the day of hard work. Timmy grew to love his obedient, soft spoken, kind wife in a way. He looked forward to the hike home from work each and every day because the entire two-mile trip, he could follow the smoke from the chimney to his quaint home where he would find his little wife stoking the fire and prepping his dinner.

One day Timmy’s routine was ruined by a major misfortune. The day started like any other. Timmy woke up at the crack of dawn to feed Daisy and Curt. He took a shower, dressed, and ate his oats. He started the fire thinking of Sheryl, and then put on his winter coat and headed to the factory. Timmy worked hard all day, got paid, and began his trek home. 

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I DOUBT, I doubt, my fire is out;

My little wife isn't at home;
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When Timmy took his first steps out the factory door, he looked for the chimneys smoke, but this time, he did not see it. He doubted his fire was out. Sheryl always kept the fire burning for him. He continued his walk home confused and doubtful that his fire was not burning. Once home, Timmy walked through the doors expecting to find Sheryl asleep, because that could explain why the fire had ceased burning. To his dismay, Sheryl was nowhere to be found, but the house was clean, the pets were lounging in the front room, and a note was laying on the fire mantel. 

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I'll saddle my dog, and bridle my cat,

And I'll go fetch my little wife home.
_________________________

The note said,
“I can’t keep this fire burning –Sheryl”

Timmy was very angry. He called his father in a panic. Gary insisted he go get her back because he needed to honor the commitment he had made with Sheryl’s father. Timmy did not want to fetch his wife for she had left him, but he didn’t want his father to think of him as disobedient, and he didn’t want his father to take back the land he was living on. So, Timmy gathered the little he had, including his dog Daisy and his cat Curt, and he headed off on foot to find his little wife Sheryl…

The End.

Authors Note.

In the original story, a man doubted his fire had stopped burning. His wife was not home, and he was going to use any means necessary to get her back, even if the meant saddling up his animals. This fable instantly reminded me of the story of Hosea and his wife Gomer in the Bible in which a man is living his life is called by God to marry a promiscuous woman. Out of obedience Hosea does, and he and Gomer begin a family, but later Gomer runs away returning to her previous life. When Hosea becomes aware, the Lord tells him to go buy his wife back. I wanted there to be some parallels with the Hosea and Gomer story as well as be unique in that the love in the story is the fire and while it is keeping Timmy warm, it is a lot of work for Sheryl. 

Bibliography

This story is based on the nursery rhyme "I DOUBT, I doubt" in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang.