The Eight Cow Wife
I first saw this story, a longer version, in the Reader’s Digest many years ago. I was impressed by it and would have used it many times in lessons on family life, but I misplaced my copy and did not see it again till this condensed version was seen in a church bulletin. It seems to have been copied from one bulletin to another many times and and attributed to no special author. As I recall, the principals in the Reader’s Digest version were Korean. LAM
The custom on an isolated Pacific island was for a young man to announce his intention of marriage to the entire village. After the announcement the young man and the whole community went to the young woman’s home. Her father would come outside and then the father and the suitor would barter, the whole community acting as witnesses.
The main item of value on the island was the cow. Therefore a suitor would offer the father a certain number of cows for his daughter. The average bride was worth two cows, perhaps three if she was unusually bright or attractive. The all-time record was four cows.
The most eligible bachelor on the island was Johnny Lingo, who was both handsome and wealthy. The women of the island were extremely excited when Johnny announced that he had selected a wife. But everyone was shocked when he announced that his choice was a girl named Lisa. Not even in the top ten of young women who might have been selected, Lisa was regarded as plain and frightfully shy. Jokers in the crowd suggested that Lisa’s father might offer Johnny a cow or two to take her.
But when the community gathered at Lisa’s house for the bartering an even greater shock came over the crowd when they heard Johnny’s opening bid for Lisa. Eight cows! Her father almost fainted, but managed to accept. That evening Johnny and Lisa were married, and then departed for their home on an adjacent island.
No one saw the couple for a full year. On their first anniversary Johnny and Lisa returned to visit their parents. From the moment they arrived at the dock, the news spread. “Come and see Johnny and Lisa!” someone exclaimed. “You won’t believe it!”
Everyone came, but no one noticed Johnny. All eyes were on Lisa. She had been transformed! She was poised, warm, friendly, and confident. When someone inquired of Johnny with regard to the amazing transformation in Lisa, Johnny had a ready answer: “I will explain it. From the time Lisa was born she had been treated as though she was not worth much. She had begun to believe it about herself. But I announced to the community that she was an eight cow wife, and I have treated her that way ever since. She has become that vision of herself that she sees in my eyes every day.”
The moral of the story is: If you want an eight cow wife, treat your wife like one. Give it a year and see what happens.
“Husbands, ... giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being joint heirs of he grace of life ...” (First Peter 3:7).
