Stories About Stubbornness is a collection of tales that explore the consequences of obstinacy and the journey to overcome it. These stories are divided into themes of defiance, persistence, and wisdom learned the hard way.
In the theme of defiance, The Story of Flying Robert follows Robert, who stubbornly ignores the warnings of others and goes outside during a storm, only to be carried away by the wind. Similarly, in The Taming of the Shrew, Katharine resists her marriage to Petruchio, who employs unconventional methods to “tame” her strong-willed nature, ultimately bringing harmony to their relationship.
Stories of persistence include How They Brought Hairlock Home, where young Boots and his mother try various strategies to retrieve their runaway goat, Hairlock. After several failed attempts with different animals, they finally succeed by using a yoke crafted by a joiner. In The Magic Corn, a peasant’s son attempts to improve corn yields through modern methods but learns the value of traditional wisdom and experience from his mother.
Under the theme of wisdom, The Tailor’s Question presents a clever tailor who exposes a king’s foolishness after the ruler disregards his counselors’ advice, showing that humility often accompanies true knowledge. This collection demonstrates the complexities of stubbornness and the diverse outcomes that arise from it.
Imagination over knowledge
