Mr. and Mrs. Motvall had an argument. They always did argue about everything, but this particular day, they were in each others’ hair about how to cut the oats and separate the chaff. The Mr. argued that one should cut it with a knife, whereas the Mrs. claimed that one should use scissors.

Of course, the stubborn wife wouldn’t budge and the rabid husband wrestled her to the ground and pulled her to the water where he pushed her under the surface. I guess he figured that a bit of good ol’ waterboarding would make her change her mind. I guess he believed that he was defending democracy or something.

Not in a lifetime. The wife still didn’t yield and eventually her movements slowed down as her life escaped her. Nevertheless, she didn’t give up the fight: The last sign of life from the woman was when she clipped with her fingers like scissors and showed her murderous husband exactly how the oats should be cut.

Nice story huh?

Anyway, to be motvalls, or be a Motvalls Käring (Motvall’s Shrew or why not Motvall’s Bitch? I honestly don’t know what’d be the best translation.) is a Swedish idiom that describes a contrarian. Although the original anecdote hardly describes a very palatable character in the not so jolly Mrs. Motvall, most of the time, to be motvalls, is generally at least half a compliment that is used to describe someone who isn’t mainstream. But, surely, a pain in the ass.