The Wicker Husband -The Plot of the Story

by Ursula Wills-Jones
                                                                            retold by Rudi Brata (summary)
The Plot of the Story

To my point of view, the plot that flows in the story is completely foreshadowing because after reading the whole story, I can see that it begins with the exposition by telling the physical features and the characteristics of the main character in that story. The author doesn’t write the name of the main character instead the author just writes about her physical features that she is ugly, short and fat. She has legs that one of them is  a little bit shorter so that she doesn’t walks smoothly, and she has eyebrows that meet in the middle. Then the author describes that she works as fish gutter or someone who takes out the intestines and other internal organs of fish before cooking it to earn some money. Because of her job, her hands smells fish and her dress is covered in scales. She doesn’t have parents, brothers and sisters. or any friends. She lives in a bad condition house which is located on the outskirts of the village. But one thing for sure, is that she is happy for what she has, therefore she never complains about her life. Then, one by one, the girls in that village get married with the local young men. At the weddings, the ugly girl always stands at the back of the church, smelling slightly of brine.  The women in that village also gossip about the ugly girl. They wonder about what she does with the money that she has earned because they rarely see that the ugly girl spends her money. Actually, she spends her money to pay the famous old basket-maker to make a wicker husband for her. And she pays for six gold coins to the old basket-maker in order to make a wicker husband for her.

The raising action in the story starts when the villagers begin to notice a change in the ugly girl’s life after getting married with the wicker husband over the weeks. For examples, if one of her legs is still shorter than the other, her hips move with a swing that doesn’t pleased them. If she still smells funny, she sings while she guts the fish. She buys a new frock and wears flowers on the hair. Her eyebrows are no longer meet in the middle because the wicker husband has pulled them cut with his strong, withy fingers. The villagers also see her house has been repainted, the window sparkle and the door is fixed.  These changes make the village become jealous. Because the women the village demand their husbands help and obey to the wives just like the wicker husband does to his wife. And the husbands are annoyed by their wives expectations. Because of it, they blame each other. But secretly, in their hearts, they blame the ugly girl and her husband. However, the ugly girl doesn’t realize all of the jealousy because she is busy enjoying her marriage life.

The climax in the story happens when one day at night, the wives and husbands of the village all agree - for once - that something drastic must be done. Then a few days later, the villagers come to the famous old basket-maker in order to ask him to make a baby made by wicker. And they pay a bag of gold to the old basket-maker for doing it. Then, on a dusky day in autumn, the ugly girl is sitting by the fire, when there is a knock on the door. The wicker husband opens it. Outside, stand the villagers. The tailor’s wife carries a bundle in her arms, and the bundle contains a baby made of wicker.  Later, they blame the wicker husband that he has done adultery with other women and the result or proof is the baby. Unfortunately, The ugly girl just believes to what the villager say. Therefore, She is angry to her husband very much. She throws a lamp and flings it straight at her husband. The wicker husband gets burned and finally he runs away to the river to save his life and put out the fire. However, After this happening, the villagers leave the ugly girl alone just like that. Because they think that their evil mission is done successfully.

The resolution is when The basket-maker gives an announcement to the villagers that he wants to retire from his job. He tells them that he wants to make his masterwork that is a woman made of wicker before he is retired. Then he tells them that if they want to have her, they must bring him a gift for his retirement. Whoever brings the best gift can have the wicker woman, said the old basket-maker. When the day comes, the old basket-maker comes to town. And the villagers bring their gifts. The tailor brings a luxurious coat, the miller brings twelve sacks of grains, the baker makes the most extravagant cake, the carpenter brings a table and chairs, the carter gives a strong horse, the blacksmith’s wife gives a big size cheese, the tailor’s wife gives a bag of gold, then the butcher brings the best and the most outstanding ones, he brings two oxen, four cows and a dozen sheep. And finally, the prize goes to the butcher. However, other gifts are non returnable. Therefore, the old basket-maker keeps all the gifts with him. But when the butcher sees the wicker lady, he was surprised and shocked. Because the wicker lady is short of stature and twisted of limb, her face is dark and rough. And the worst is that from head to foot, she is covered with thorns. As the result, the butcher and other villagers feel betrayed. Because they expect to get the good wicker lady as good as the wicker husband. So they are angry to the old basket-maker. Then they chase him into his house in the dark of night until dawn. But unfortunately, when the villagers arrive at his house, the old basket-maker, the wicker husband, the ugly girl and the baby, as well as the villagers gifts, have already gone.