There was once a quarrelsome tailor whose good, industrious, and pious wife could never please him. Whatever she did, he was dissatisfied, grumbling, scolding, and beating her.
When the authorities heard of this, they summoned him and put him in prison to reform him. After being kept on bread and water, he was released but forced to promise not to beat his wife anymore, to live in peace with her, and to share joy and sorrow as married people should.
For a time, all went well, but he soon fell back into his old ways. Unable to beat her, he would seize her by the hair and tear it out. She escaped into the yard, but he chased her with his yard-measure and scissors, throwing whatever came to hand. He laughed when he hit her and stormed when he missed.
This continued until the neighbors intervened. The tailor was again summoned before the magistrates and reminded of his promise. "Dear gentlemen," he said, "I have kept my word. I have not beaten her but have shared joy and sorrow with her."
"How can that be," asked the judge, "when she brings such heavy complaints against you?"
"I have not beaten her," the tailor replied. "I merely wanted to comb her hair because she looked strange, but she spitefully got away. I hurried after her and, to remind her of her duty, threw things as a well-meant admonition. I have shared joy and sorrow: when I hit her, I was joyful and she sorrowful; when I missed, she was joyful and I sorry."
The judges were not satisfied with this answer and gave him the punishment he deserved.