A R C H I V E S
| Johnny Lingo's 8-cow wife |
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| timbuktu |
| 10/01/04 at 10:40:37 |
| Condensed from “Woman’s Day” by Patricia McGerr, from Readers Digest March 1988 _____________________________________________________________________ When I sailed to Kiniwata, an island in the Pacific, I took along a notebook. After I got back it was filled with descriptions of flora and fauna, native customs and costumes. But the only note that still interests me is the one that says: “Johnny Lingo gave eight cows to Sarita’s father.” And I don’t need to have it in writing. I’m reminded of it every time I see a woman belittling her husband or a wife withering under her husband’s scorn. I want to say to them: “You should know why Johnny Lingo paid eight cows for his wife.” Johnny Lingo wasn’t exactly his name. But that is what Shenkin, the manager of the guesthouse on Kiniwata, called him. Shenkin was from Chicago and had a habit of Americanizing the names of the islanders. But Johnny was mentioned by many in people in many connections. If I wanted to spend a few days on the neighboring island of Nurabandi, Johnny could put me up. If I wanted to fish, he could show me where the biting was best. If it was pearls I sought, he would bring me the best buys. The people of Kiniwata all spoke highly of Johnny Lingo. Yet when they spoke they smiled, and the smiles were slightly mocking. “Get Johnny Lingo to help you find what you want and let him do the bargaining,” advised Shenkin. “Johnny knows how to make a deal.” “Johnny Lingo!” A boy seated nearby hooted the name and rocked with laughter. “What goes on?” I demanded. “Everyone tells me to get in touch with Johnny Lingo and then breaks up. Let me in on the joke.” “Oh, the people like to laugh,” Shenkin said, shrugging. “Johnny’s the brightest, the strongest young man in the islands. And for his age, the richest.” “But if he is all you say, what is there to laugh about?” “Only one thing. Five months ago, at fall festival, Johnny came to Kiniwata and found himself a wife. He paid her father eight cows!” I knew enough about island customs to be impressed. Two or three cows would buy a fair-to-middling wife, four or five a highly satisfactory one. “Good Lord!” I said. “Eight cows! She must have beauty that must take your breath away.” “She is not ugly,” he conceded, and smiled a little. “But the kindest could only call Sarita plain. Sam Karoo, her father, was afraid she would be left on her hands.” “But then he got eight cows for her? Isn’t that extraordinary?” “Never been paid before.” “Yet you call Johnny’s wife plain.” “I said it would be kindness to call her plain. She was skinny. She walked with her shoulders hunched and her head ducked. She was scared of her own shadow.” “Well” I said, “I guess there is just no accounting for love.” “True enough,” agreed the man. “And that’s why the villagers grin when they talk about Johnny. They get special satisfaction from the fact that the sharpest trader in the islands was bested by dull old Sam Karoo.” “But how?” “No one knows and everyone wonders. ..............." [i]want to read why Johnny Lingo paid 8 cows for a one-cow wife, go to the link below[/i] http://timbuktu58.blogspot.com/2004/10/johnny-lingos-eight-cow-wife.html |
| 10/03/04 at 01:06:09 |
| timbuktu |
| Re: an 8-cow wife |
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| timbuktu |
| 10/03/04 at 01:01:00 |
| [slm] [i]50 reads, and not one comment on this. Not even an objection to the buying a wife! :) to read the whole story, please click on the link below:[/i] :) http://timbuktu58.blogspot.com/2004/10/johnny-lingos-eight-cow-wife.html |
| 10/03/04 at 01:01:31 |
| timbuktu |
| Re: Johnny Lingo's 8-cow wife |
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| Kathy |
| 10/03/04 at 09:30:42 |
| [slm] It is a warm fuzzy story. It has many levels of perception and thought. I initially thought about how much I was 'paid' for. aka maher. Later I was thinking about the man and wondered if he had any brothers! Then I began thinking about how the whole dowry thing in life has spun out of control. As I was looking at different women at out masjid, I began to wonder how much they got! Which remeinded me of a time many years ago a bro refused to say how much he paid in maher and what a blow up it was in our community. Although she was no great catch... he 'paid' allllooooot. Says something about his personality, don't ya think? Also, reflecting on this story, I thought of how mean the town folk were, and how much fun prople make of the righteous. Another thought that entered my mind was of a beautiful sis i knew. When she got married a man described her as having the purest face he had ever seen. Her husband was an aloof, uncaring man, he only found time for his life and his buddies. Never a word of love or appreciation. Ya Allah, her beauty began to fade. i have also seen the reverse to..wear a nagging wife has beaten down her hubby. This man who gave 8 cows , he knew the secret..... So Bro, perhaps others are thinking the same things i am. To many times i will read a post wait a couple days after reflecting a bit, and then post. |
| Re: Johnny Lingo's 8-cow wife |
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| timbuktu |
| 10/05/04 at 09:57:10 |
| [slm] :) I feel somewhat silly. Don't know what I was thinking of when I posted that complaint. But it brought a beautiful review of the story. Thanks sis :) I have often wondered, it is so easy to bring out the best in people, so easy to spread happiness and contentment, yet we do the opposite, and make the lives of those we profess to love miserable - in the process making ours miserable too. why? |
| Re: Johnny Lingo's 8-cow wife |
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| Laila_Y_A |
| 10/06/04 at 18:06:28 |
| [slm] I just read the story, and I loved it. It even gives me a ray of hope to be an "eight cow wife" in my dotage! Thanks! [wlm] :-) Laila |
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