They were husband and wife and walked every day from the forest to the market to sell firewood. each carried a bundle of wood; one of the bundles was sold, the other was taken home. They earned a few cents that way. Then that day the man met the governor of the city and he asked him, 'What are you doing with those pennies?'
The man answered him, 'I have no money. I have my expenses too, you know. The money goes to many things.' 'O? And what are those things then?'
“You see, part goes to new debt. Part to old debts. I bury part. Another part I throw into the river and the last part I give to my enemy to calm them down.'
The driver could not solve these five riddles and started asking questions. "So what are those old and new debts?" “Old debts is taking care of my parents. New debts is the concern for my children. What I throw into the river is my food: I eat and it's gone. Nothing comes back. What I bury is what I give to the temple. And with the last part I keep my enemy calm.'
'Your enemy? Do you have an enemy then?' "Well, my wife, to name a few." 'How can you call your wife an enemy? I do not believe it! Man and woman love each other to death. How can she be your enemy?'
The driver doesn't believe it but he repeats 'Wait a minute! You will see.' But the driver has other plans. “As for these riddles, don't tell them to anyone else. If you do, you're dead! Then I'll chop your head off, understand? I post these five riddles on the city gate; whoever is correct gets a thousand gold pieces. But if anyone hears them from you, I'll have you executed. Understood?'
Too difficult, unfortunately….
They were pasted, the five riddles. Old debts, new debts, money in the water, money buried and keep your enemy quiet. Underneath it was the reward and everyone wanted it but no one knew the right answer.
The man told his wife what had happened and she wanted to know the answers. 'Don't tell anyone! What then will I be beheaded! No doubt about it!' But his wife looked at those thousand gold pieces with greedy eyes and went to the driver…
And he was going to ask some questions. 'Where do you live? Where do you come from? Where is your house? What's your husband's name?' Then it came true and her husband had to come to be killed… He was allowed to say his last word….
'Look, driver, I said my wife is my enemy, but you didn't believe me. I told her not to reveal the riddles to anyone, but she did anyway. So she doesn't care if I'm dead or not. You see, she is my greatest enemy! Do you believe me now?'
He was allowed to live. The driver believed him because it is true. Your own wife is just your worst enemy…..
Source:
Titillating tales from Northern Thailand. White Lotus Books, Thailand. English title 'My wife is my enemy'. Translated and edited by Erik Kuijpers. The author is Viggo Brun (1943); see for more explanation: https://www.thailandblog.nl/cultuur/twee-verliefde-schedels-uit-prikkelende-verhalen-uit-noord-thailand-nr-1/