The Bucket Rider

This story really resonated with me for a number of reasons. Right from the beginning Kafka had me entertained, especially when the narrator began explaining that "[his] mode of arrival must decide the matter, so [he] rode off on the bucket." I see many children today, at the beach or in a sandbox, sit upon a bucket and hold the handle like it is the reins of a horse. I even vaguely recall doing this myself back when I was small enough to sit upon a bucket. Secondly, I loved that the coaldealer was able to hear the narrator coming and shouting, even though his wife could not. He was willing to give some coal to whoever was in need of it, and this I liked. His wife threw me off, however. I did not understand why she was so greedy, and why she felt a need to commit such a rude act.