It was a quiet afternoon at the family gathering when the riddle was introduced, almost as if by chance. The guests were lounging around, sipping tea and catching up on old memories, when a wise, elderly relative decided to entertain the group with a puzzle. “I have a riddle for you all,” he said, a twinkle in his eye. “But this one is not as easy as it seems. It’s called The Wife Riddle. Can you solve it?”
The room fell silent as everyone’s curiosity piqued. No one could resist the challenge, and they all leaned in, eager to hear what came next.
The elderly man began:
“A woman has two husbands. One of them she married because of love, and the other she married because she was forced to. One of these husbands lives far away, and the other is in her house. The husband she married out of love is wealthy, and the one she was forced to marry is poor. However, the woman does not choose her husbands based on wealth or proximity. She spends more time with the one who is far away, while the one who lives with her is often neglected.
Here’s the question: Who is the real husband?”
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. The riddle seemed simple enough at first, but the deeper they thought about it, the more complicated it became. Could there be more to the question than just choosing between the two men? Why was there such a focus on the distances and wealth of each? It was clear that the key to solving this riddle wasn’t just in the facts, but in the underlying meaning.
As the group pondered the problem, a few theories began to surface.
“Well,” said one guest, “It seems like the riddle is speaking about the woman’s emotional attachment. Maybe the man who lives far away is the one she truly loves, even if she’s married to the one who’s physically present.”
Another guest chimed in, “But the man who lives far away is wealthy—so, maybe the wealthy one is the one who holds more power in the relationship, even though she spends time with the other?”
Everyone was stuck in their own interpretations, debating and theorizing. The elderly man smiled at their efforts, clearly enjoying the confusion his riddle had sparked.
Finally, he revealed the answer: “The real husband,” he said, “is the one she loves the most—the one who is far away. The riddle is symbolic. The two husbands represent two aspects of her life: the love and the obligation. While the one at home represents the daily, sometimes burdensome responsibilities, the one who is far away represents her desires, her dreams, and her heart’s true wishes. She may be with the one who is nearby, but her heart belongs to the one who is far away.”
There was a stunned silence in the room as everyone took a moment to digest the profound meaning behind the riddle. It wasn’t about literal husbands or even about physical proximity. The riddle revealed a deeper emotional truth about the nature of relationships, about love versus duty, and the complexities of the human heart.