(From the Silician Folk Lore Dialect: E. C.: For Short Stories.)
Once upon a time there was a carter; he married, and took to wife a
pretty girl. The wedding over, and the newly married pair alone, the
carter turned and said to the bride:
“See, Rusidda (says he) now we are husband and wife. What happiness!
Now I will buy me a horse, I will make me a cart, and so I will go with
loads and we shall get bread. But there is this about it: When I come
home, I will not work any more. Then, see, my little Rusidda, from now
henceforth when I come home, you take the horse, unharness him from
the cart, lead him in and water him; in short, care for him, for I am
tired.” The girl began to shrug her shoulders and says, “I won’t do
it!” “What do you mean? Then who is to lead the horse in, I?” “I don’t
know how to do such things.” “Well,” says the young man, “I will teach
you.” “No, I am not used to such things. At my home I was not taught in
that way.” “Well, I will teach you now, little by little.” “No, I won’t
lead the horse in!” “But what is to be done if you must lead him in?”
“And I won’t lead him and I won’t lead him in!” “And I tell you, either
you will lead him or you will come out badly.” “No, no; neither now or
ever!” At this the young man arose in a rage, and unbuckled his leather
belt. “Now I tell you either you lead the horse in, or I will set on
you with my hands.... Go lead the horse in!” “No, I will not lead him
in!”--“Ah, what is that?... Go lead the horse in” ... and he took her
with a great blow of the strap on her shoulders. What would you expect
of the girl? She began to scream like one burnt. “Alas, I’m dying ... I
won’t lead the horse in! I won’t lead him in!” “Go, lead the horse in,
I told you!...” and here blows with the strap that took off the skin.
And “Go, lead the horse in,” and “I won’t lead him in!” The neighbors
came running. “Children, children, what is it? You are just married and
begin the quarrels! What is it? About the horse? Come off, we will lead
him in.... Where is the horse?” “But,” says the young man, “It was talk
... we have yet to buy the horse.” “An apoplexy take you! For a talk,
you make all this disturbance!” And the whole village fell upon them.