"Wear the pants" という決まり文句がこのジョークのキーワードです。「ズボンを履く」という字面の意味の他に、「主導権をにぎっている」という意味にもなります。"My wife wears the pants" などと女性を主語にすると、「かかあ天下」です。そういう奥方と連れ添っている旦那は、"He is a hen-pecked husband" 。「女房の尻にひかれている」ということですね。でも、「メンドリにつつかれている」とは、日本語では形容しません。
"Jack and Jill" という決まり文句がでてきます。これは「太郎と花子」に相当します。 ---------------------------------------- Jack was going to be married to Jill, so his father sat him down for a little fireside chat.....
He said "Jack, let me tell you something. On my wedding night in our honeymoon suite, I took off my pants and handed them to your mother, and said, 'Here, try these on.'
"So, she did and said, 'These are too big, I can't wear them.'
"I replied, 'Exactly. I wear the pants in this family and I always will.'
"Ever since that night we have never had any problems."
"Hmmm, "said Jack. He thought that might be a good thing to try. So on his honeymoon, Jack took off his pants and said to Jill, "Here, try these on."
So she did and said, "These are too large, they don't fit me."
Jack said, "Exactly. I wear the pants in this family and I always will, and I don't want you to ever forget that."
Then Jill took off her pants and handed them to Jack and said, "Here, you try on mine."
So he did and said, "I can't get into your pants."
Jill said, "Exactly. And if you don't change your smart ass attitude*, you never will."
-------------------------------------- smart ass attitude*=偉ぶる態度