Story - The Assertive Woman: The Cloth of Pembe Murui

Amadi loved his wife Fatima with great devotion. Fatima for her part felt very lucky to have so kind and good a husband, and praised him highly in talking to her neighbors.

The neighboring women spoke among themselves about the wonderful Cloth guarded by the dragon, Pembe Murui, and began to tease Fatima about it.

"Well," they said, "if Amadi is so good to you, maybe he could slay the dragon and bring you the wonderful Cloth." Fatima frowned. "What an idea!" she said. "It is much too dangerous for anyone to tangle with that dragon."

The neighboring women gave each other knowing looks. Maybe Amadi really was not as devoted as Fatima claimed.

This bothered Fatima. What to do? She did not want Amadi to take unnecessary risks. On the other hand, she was upset that the women didn't believe her about Amadi's love. She walked home sadly thinking about this problem. Seeing her, Amadi immediately knew something was wrong. First Fatima did not want to talk about it. But when she saw how unhappy that made Amadi, she told him. (1) Amadi said, "If you really want the wonderful Cloth, I will get it for you, even though I don't know what it is or how to find it." And before Fatima could stop him, he was gone. (2)

Amadi traveled for many days asking people he met about the Cloth. They all knew about the fierce dragon but not where to find him or how to get the Cloth away from him. Finally Amadi met an old woman who gave him some magic instructions and sent her cat to show him the way to the dragon. Amadi had to overcome many difficult obstacles - dangerous steep mountains, deep lakes, treacherous storms. Finally at the dragon's doorstep he almost lost his life until he remembered the old woman's magic instructions. He then was able to outwit the dragon, snatch the wonderful Cloth, and escape. On the way back, Amadi stopped to thank the old woman and show her the wonderful Cloth. When he left for home, she wished him well and added, "Please remember me to your lovely wife, and tell her it is wise to be content with what one has."

Fatima greeted Amadi with great joy. "How wonderful to have you back! I was so sad, and I worried about all kinds of dangers." Amadi was glad to see her concern. He hugged her as he handed over the wonderful Cloth. "You know Fatima," he said, "it was pretty awful. If not for the old woman and her magical instructions, I might never have made it." Fatima shuddered at the thought.

"Did you see her on the way back?" she asked. "Of course," he said. "You know, I practically owe her my life." Then he added quietly, "She gave me a message for you."(3)Fatima looked very serious. "You don't have to tell me," she said. "I think I know." After a moment, she whispered, almost to herself, "No more do I care about idle gossip." She looked at him with great love. "It is enough that inside my heart I know what a wonderful husband you are!"(4)

1. The Assertive Woman lives in a society that does not require strict adherence to male dominance/female subservience.

2. The Assertive Woman has the freedom to express herself directly and honestly without fear of antagonizing her husband or the community.

3. The Assertive Woman is similar to the woman in courtship stories. She and her husband care for each other, are not in conflict nor determined to control the other one.

4. They strive for harmony in problem solving and in overcoming obstacles.