Let’s see what Belgium has to offer by way of folk tales. Belgium, is a country in Western Europe and has distinctive regions including Dutch-speaking Flanders to the north, French-speaking Wallonia to the south and a German-speaking community to the east. Brussels is its capital.
In a small village in Belgium lived an old man and his wife. They fought with each other all the time, and they were both known to be stubborn. Everyone in the village knew them for what they were.
One day, the old man said, “Woman, I am hungry. Go make me some porridge.”
The woman replied, “If you are hungry, go make it yourself!”
“What?” exclaimed the man in anger. “You will not make porridge for me?”
“That is what I said. But if you want to know why, I will tell you.”
“I didn’t ask you why you wouldn’t make me porridge.”
“All the same, I shall tell you. I do not want to make porridge today as I do not want to wash the pot tomorrow.”
“Well, I am not washing it either.”
They argued for a long time. Finally, the old woman was so hungry that she made the porridge. But, after they had eaten both of them refused to wash the pot. Once again, the argument broke out and they quarrelled till it was time for bed. Before they dozed off, they agreed that the first person to talk would be the one to clean the pot.
No talking game
Early the next morning, the rooster crowed the breaking of a new day. The old couple woke up and sat in bed glaring at each other. Both of them refused to talk or get out of bed. The hours fled past, and soon they heard the clock strike 12.
The neighbours thought it was unusually quiet and they began to worry. Finally, they knocked on the back door. But as the old couple were not out of bed, nor talking to each other they did not answer the door. Now, the neighbours were alarmed. So they broke down the door. They found the old couple in bed, glaring at each other. They refused to answer any of the questions.
Exasperated, the neighbours called in the priest. But, even he was not of any help. No matter what he said, the old couple refused to talk.
Unable to get through to them, the priest decided to leave. Before leaving, he asked one of the neighbours to stay and take care of the old couple. She agreed but said she would not do it for free, and needed to be paid.
The priest said, “They do not have much money, but you can take the old woman’s coat to the market and sell it.”
The old woman sat up immediately. She glared at the neighbour and said, “You take your own things to the market and sell them. Keep your hands off my coat.”
The old man cackled loudly and said, “Aha! I knew you would be the first to talk. Now go and wash the pot!”
Retold by NIMI KURIAN
