I love the old folk tale, “The Eight-Cow Bride.” It’s the story of Johnny Lingo, a shrewd native businessman who was known for always getting the best deal. One day a visitor arrived on the island in search of a particular item and the villagers recommended that he go to Johnny Lingo. They would always recommend Johnny, and then an amused smile would cross their faces. Finally, the visitor asked why everyone smiled. They told him that even though the going rate for a bride was one or two cows—perhaps three for an exceptional bride—Johnny had paid eight cows for a very plain girl with nothing to commend her.
When the visitor arrived at Johnny’s house, he was greeted by one of the most beautiful and gracious women he had ever seen. Seeing that he was confused, Johnny asked him if he had heard about his wife. With some embarrassment, the visitor told him what he’d heard. Johnny explained how the villagers loved to gossip about the bride price and asked the visitor how he thought a woman might feel if she knew her husband thought she was only worth one cow.
“So you paid the eight cows because you wanted to make your wife happy?” “Yes. I loved her and I wanted her to be happy. But also, I wanted an Eight-Cow Bride.
Men, the message is clear: What kind of wife would you like to have? If you want a wife whose eyes sparkle and whose smile captivates you, treat her accordingly. In fact, you can try treating her like an Eight-Cow Bride.
Eight Cow Bride
