The Brave warrior who feared no wife until he got married 

Once upon a time, a king issued a bold challenge: any warrior who could prove he was unafraid of his wife would be rewarded with a magnificent black horse. For a long while, no one dared to step forward until one day, a brave man finally did. True to his word, the king bestowed upon him the prized black horse, celebrating the arrival of such a fearless warrior. However, just a few hours later, the man returned to the king with a request. "My wife dislikes the black horse; she demands a beautiful, gentle white horse that matches her tastes." With a resigned smile, the king replied, "Unfortunately, I must honour my queen's command; I can only offer the black horse." Somehow, this remarkable historical incident contributed to shaping men's minds, encouraging them not to get married and avoid being crippled early.

There is a famous Bengali song that goes, "Bondhu Jokhon Bou loiya amar chokher shamne diya, Rongo koira haitta jay bukta faitta jay," meaning "Whenever my friend walks past me with his wife, laughing and joking, it feels like the heart is breaking."

While this song captures the heartache of seeing a friend married, it also reflects a deeper resolve among men. Despite the emotional turmoil, they remain determined to preserve their freedom and independence.

The reluctance of some men to get married is quite intriguing. A curious freshman asked his university senior, Mohammad Imran, a graduate of Dhaka University, "Vai, biye korben kobe?" which translates to "Brother, when are you going to get married?" Brother replied, "Korbonah, tor kih?" meaning ", I'm not getting married, is that a problem for you?" "No, it shouldn't. Yet there's something in his eyes that he's been forcibly concealing in his heart.

With a soothing voice tinged with deep pain, he recounted, 'After a long day at the office, dealing with the boss's endless complaints, a man comes home only to be greeted by his wife's first question, "If I turned into a worm, would you still love me?"

It sounds very romantic, but men will only understand it once they marry. There might be many reasons for not getting married. For instance, a man only takes five minutes to get ready but then patiently waits an extra three hours for his wife.

And after all that, he faces the ultimate question from her, 'Do I look good?' Another reason could be when he's busy outside, and his wife calls to ask, 'Why did you give five love reactions on your boss's story but only three likes on my photo?' Well, this is a scary puzzle to solve.

After a shopping trip where he's lugged around ten bags with both hands, his wife tries on another dress and asks, "Do I look bad in this?" Even if he gives a positive answer, she'll retort, "Why should I care about some random person's opinion? It's how you feel about me in this dress that counts! This is a serious one.

A man's first love used to be his pillow, but he ends up with neither a pillow nor a blanket after marriage! However, the freshman will be able to understand the plight of his senior. Though these are all assumptions, it is said women will never understand men.

An old Bengali saying in our village, "Taka na kamaile boure khawabo kih," translates to, "If you don't earn money, how will you feed your wife?" Such pearls of wisdom often echo from the hallowed halls of the father-in-law's house, adding a delightful layer of pressure that makes the journey of marriage for men feel like a never-ending obstacle course.

So, while it may seem like men are dragging their feet, they're just trying to ensure that they won't end up in a circus juggling responsibilities when they tie the knot.

Financial stability may be the most unique requirement society demands nowadays. Reactions to this can be mixed. However, very few Choudhury Shahebs are willing to marry off their daughters to a handsome guy with no job.

It's beyond imagination. So, men need to find a firm footing before thinking about marriage. Anyways, floors are always strong enough. Men engage in profound budgetary meditation before diving into the grand theatre of "Chadnatola," known as the formal marriage function. Nowadays, wedding planning can compete with a low-budget country's fiscal policies.

Naturally, this only applies to some, not Ambani, who could bankroll a small nation's economy just by hosting a tea party. It's all sunshine and roses until the wedding bells stop ringing. Then, the real challenge kicks in. Men suddenly find themselves on relentless shopping missions for their wife's cousin who conveniently lives in North America, as if the wedding vows included a hidden clause about becoming an international personal shopper.

These are the things men need to consider before getting married. Anyway, life goes on, and who cares? Men hide emotions. It's not about being afraid of getting married because of women; it's all about meeting society's ever-growing list of demands. It's almost like an Olympic event. "Can you clear the financial stability hurdle? How about the job security jump?" Who knew marriage required such athleticism?

mdimran-2020512459@ir.du.ac.bd