John makes terms with his wife that which of the two eats first of a soup which she has brought in, or speaks the first word, shall have a beating. William, of whom the husband is jealous, comes to offer his company to go to a fight which is to come off. Man and wife will neither eat nor speak, and he thinks them possessed. He takes the woman by the hand, and she goes with him. John cries out, Let my wife be! She says, John, you have spoken and lost. (Ayrers Dramen, ed. von Keller, III, 2006-08.)
A man who has been taunting his wife as a cackler is challenged by her to a trial at silence. A tinker comes in asking for kettles to mend. He can make neither of them open their mouth, and, as a last resource, offers to kiss the woman. The husband cannot contain himself; the wife says, You have lost! and remains mistress of the house, as she had been before. (Farce d’un Chauldronnier, Viollet Le Duc, Ancien Théâtre François, II, 109 ff.)[87]
A
a. Herd, The Ancient and Modern Scots Songs, 1769, p. 330. b. [Pinkerton], Select Scotish Ballads, 1783, II, 150.
1
It fell about the Martinmas time,
And a gay time it was then,
When our goodwife got puddings to make,
And she’s boild them in the pan.