According to the concept of reincarnation, what would a man hope to return as in the next life?
a cow
a woman
an elephant
a ghost

That would depend on the religion ( reincarnation was not limited to one religion). In Jainism for example one can reincarnate as hell-beings, humans, animals and super-humans, and i assume that from the options above the woman would be best.

On the other hand, reincarnation as a woman (as opposed to man) was seen as a punishment for not being brave enough.

It depends on what you believe, if you’re christian that you would have been told that the first humans were created by god and that we’re all decedent's from adam and eve but scientist say otherwise