DAY-DREAMING
by Joseph Jacobs · from Europa's Fairy Book
Adapted Version
Once there was a young man named Alnaschar. He had some money.
The young man got money from his father. It was not much money, just a little. He had one hundred coins. The young man wanted to be rich. He wanted many nice things. He wanted a good life. This money was his chance to get them.
The young man bought glass pots. He bought glass bowls. He put them on a big tray. He sat down to sell them. He sat by a wall. He waited for people to come and buy.
The young man started to dream. He closed his eyes. He saw many things in his mind. "I will sell this glass," he thought. "I will get more money. I will buy more glass. I will sell it again. I will get much, much money. So much money!"
He saw a big house. It had many rooms. He saw nice clothes. He saw fast horses. He would be a great man. All people would know him. He would have many good things. This was his big dream. A very big dream.
He dreamed of a princess. She was very pretty. "I will marry the princess," he thought. Her father was rich. He was a great man. The young man would be great too. He would be happy with her. So happy.
The young man was very happy in his dream. He felt so excited. He thought of dancing. He thought of kicking a ball. He moved his foot up. He moved his foot down. He kicked his foot out. It was a big, happy kick. A very strong kick.
His foot hit the tray. The tray fell down. All the glass fell down. Crash! Smash! The glass broke. Pots broke. Bowls broke. Many small pieces were on the ground. All the glass was broken. Nothing was left whole.
The young man opened his eyes. He saw the broken glass. His money was gone. His glass was gone. His big house was gone. His princess was gone. All his dreams were gone. The young man was very sad. It is good to dream. But be safe with your things. Be safe with what you have.
Original Story
DAY-DREAMING
Now there was once a man at Bagdad who had seven sons, and when he died he left to each of them one hundred dirhems; and his fifth son, called Alnaschar the Babbler, invested all this money in some glassware, and, putting it in a big tray, from which to show and sell it, he sat down on a raised bench, at the foot of a wall, against which he leant back, placing the tray on the ground in front of him. As he sat he began day-dreaming and said to himself: "I have laid out a hundred dirhems on this glass. Now I will surely sell it for two hundred, and with it I will buy more glass and sell that for four hundred; nor will I cease to buy and sell till I become master of much wealth. With this I will buy all kinds of merchandise and jewels and perfumes and gain great profit on them till, God willing, I will make my capital a hundred thousand dinars or two million dirhems. Then I will buy a handsome house, together with slaves and horses and trappings of gold, and eat and drink, nor will there be a singing girl in the city but I will have her to sing to me." This he said looking at the tray before him with glassware worth a hundred dirhems. Then he continued: "When I have amassed a hundred thousand dinars I will send out marriage-brokers to demand for me in marriage the hand of the Vizier's daughter, for I hear that she is perfect in beauty and of surpassing grace. I will give her a dowry of a thousand dinars, and if her father consent, 'tis well; if not, I will take her by force, in spite of him. When I return home, I will buy ten little slaves and clothes for myself such as are worn by kings and sultans and get a saddle of gold, set thick with precious jewels. Then I will mount and parade the city, with slaves before and behind me, while the people will salute me and call down blessings upon me: after which I will go to the Vizier, the girl's father, with slaves behind and before me, as well as on either hand. When the Vizier sees me, he will rise and seating me in his own place, sit down below me, because I am his son-in-law. Now I will have with me two slaves with purses, in each a thousand dinars, and I will give him the thousand dinars of the dowry and make him a present of another thousand dinars so that he may recognize my nobility and generosity and greatness of mind and the littleness of the world in my eyes; and for every ten words he will say to me, I will answer him only two. Then I will return to my house, and if any one come to me on the bride's part, I will make him a present of money and clothe him in a robe of honour; but if he bring me a present I will return it to him and will not accept it so that they may know how great of soul I am." After a while Alnaschar continued: "Then I will command them to bring the Vizier's daughter to me in state and will get ready my house in fine condition to receive her. When the time of the unveiling of the bride is come, I will put on my richest clothes and sit down on a couch of brocaded silk, leaning on a cushion and turning my eyes neither to the right nor to the left, to show the haughtiness of my mind and the seriousness of my character. My bride shall stand before me like the full moon, in her robes and ornaments, and I, out of my pride and my disdain, will not look at her, till all who are present shall say to me: 'O my lord, thy wife and thy handmaid stands before thee; deign to look upon her, for standing is irksome to her.' And they will kiss the earth before me many times, whereupon I will lift my eyes and give one glance at her, then bend down my head again. Then they will carry her to the bride-chamber, and meanwhile I will rise and change my clothes for a richer suit. When they bring in the bride for the second time, I will not look at her till they have implored me several times, when I will glance at her and bow down my head; nor will I cease doing thus, till they have made an end of parading and displaying her. Then I will order one of my slaves to fetch a purse, and, giving it to the tire-women, command them to lead her to the bride-chamber. When they leave me alone with the bride, I will not look at her or speak to her, but will sit by her with averted face, that she may say I am high of soul. Presently her mother will come to me and kiss my head and hands and say to me: 'O my lord, look on thy handmaid, for she longs for thy favour, and heal her spirit,' But I will give her no answer; and when she sees this, she will come and kiss my feet and say, 'O my lord, verily my daughter is a beautiful girl, who has never seen man; and if thou show her this aversion, her heart will break; so do thou be gracious to her and speak to her.' Then she will rise and fetch a cup of wine, and her daughter will take it and come to me; but I will leave her standing before me, while I recline upon a cushion of cloth of gold, and will not look at her to show the haughtiness of my heart, so that she will think me to be a Sultan of exceeding dignity and will say to me: 'O my lord, for God's sake, do not refuse to take the cup from thy servant's hand, for indeed I am thy handmaid.' But I will not speak to her, and she will press me, saying: 'Needs must thou drink it,' and put it to my lips. Then I will shake my fist in her face and spurn her with my foot thus." So saying, he gave a kick with his foot and knocked over the tray of glass, which fell over to the ground, and all that was in it was broken.
Story DNA
Moral
Do not count your chickens before they hatch, and beware of pride and arrogance.
Plot Summary
Alnaschar, a young man, invests his inheritance in glassware and sits down to sell it. Instead of focusing on his task, he begins an elaborate daydream, envisioning himself becoming immensely wealthy, marrying the Vizier's daughter, and treating everyone, including his new wife, with extreme arrogance and disdain. Lost in his fantasy, he acts out a gesture of spurning his imaginary bride, accidentally kicking over his real tray of glassware. All his goods shatter, instantly destroying his investment and all his grand, prideful dreams.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hopeful anticipation to sudden despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects a pre-industrial society with specific social hierarchies, customs around marriage, and economic practices common in the Middle East, likely during the Abbasid Caliphate period (8th-13th centuries) when Baghdad was a major cultural center.
Plot Beats (12)
- Alnaschar, the fifth son of a deceased man, inherits one hundred dirhems.
- He invests all his money in glassware and sets up a stall to sell it.
- He begins to daydream, imagining selling his glass for double the price and repeatedly reinvesting to amass great wealth.
- He envisions buying a grand house, slaves, and luxurious items, becoming a powerful and respected figure.
- He decides he will marry the Vizier's beautiful daughter, even if he has to take her by force.
- He plans to treat the Vizier with condescension, giving him a dowry and a gift to show his own generosity, but answering him sparingly.
- He imagines his wedding night, where he will deliberately ignore and disdain his bride to assert his haughtiness and seriousness.
- He envisions his bride's mother pleading with him to acknowledge her daughter, but he will remain silent.
- He imagines his bride offering him a cup of wine, which he will refuse to take, further demonstrating his pride.
- In his daydream, he decides to shake his fist and spurn her with his foot to show his dominance.
- He acts out the kick, knocking over his tray of real glassware, which shatters on the ground.
- His entire investment and all his grand dreams are instantly destroyed.
Characters
Alnaschar the Babbler ★ protagonist
A man of average height and build, likely with a lean physique from his humble beginnings. His features would be typical of a man from Bagdad, with a sun-kissed complexion. No specific scars or distinguishing marks are mentioned, suggesting an ordinary appearance.
Attire: Simple, functional clothing befitting a small merchant in Bagdad. He would wear a loose-fitting cotton tunic (thobe) in a muted color like off-white or light brown, perhaps with a simple sash around his waist. Practical sandals on his feet. His clothes would be clean but not luxurious, showing signs of wear.
Wants: To become incredibly wealthy and powerful, marry into a prestigious family, and gain immense respect and deference from everyone around him, particularly his imagined wife.
Flaw: His fatal flaw is his extreme detachment from reality and his overwhelming pride. He is so consumed by his elaborate daydreams that he loses touch with his actual circumstances, leading to the destruction of his only assets.
He begins as a hopeful, albeit naive, merchant. His arc is one of self-destruction through fantasy. He starts with a small fortune and ends with nothing, having learned nothing about practical business or humility.
Imaginative, arrogant, ambitious (in fantasy), self-important, detached from reality, prone to grandiosity.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young man of average height and lean build, with a sun-kissed complexion and dark, slightly unkempt hair. He has dark brown eyes that appear unfocused, lost in thought, and a face that shows a mix of earnestness and self-importance. He wears a loose-fitting, light brown cotton tunic (thobe) with a simple sash around his waist and practical brown leather sandals. He is seated on a low, raised bench, leaning back against a plain stone wall. In front of him, on the ground, is a large, overturned wooden tray, with numerous shards of broken glass scattered around it. His expression is one of dawning realization and dismay. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Vizier's Daughter ○ minor
Imagined by Alnaschar as 'perfect in beauty and of surpassing grace.' She would be slender and elegant, with features considered ideal in Bagdad culture.
Attire: Imagined in the finest silks and brocades, adorned with gold and jewels. She would wear a richly embroidered kaftan or a layered dress of vibrant colors, possibly with a delicate head covering (tarha) and elaborate jewelry.
Wants: In Alnaschar's fantasy, her motivation is to win his favor and affection, despite his imagined coldness.
Flaw: Her imagined vulnerability is her longing for Alnaschar's approval and her fragile heart, which he believes would break from his aversion.
She has no real arc, existing only as an object in Alnaschar's fantasy, where she is imagined to be humbled and submissive by his arrogance.
Imagined as beautiful, graceful, and ultimately submissive to Alnaschar's will, though he anticipates her initial resistance.
Image Prompt & Upload
A beautiful young woman with an oval face, dark almond-shaped eyes, and long, dark, lustrous hair adorned with delicate gold and pearl ornaments. She has fair skin and a graceful, slender build. She wears a richly embroidered kaftan of deep emerald green silk, adorned with gold thread and small pearls, with a matching delicate head covering (tarha). She stands with a pleading expression, holding a small, ornate golden cup of wine in her hands. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Vizier ○ minor
Imagined as a man of authority and wealth, likely portly or well-fed, with a dignified presence befitting his high office in Bagdad.
Attire: Imagined in the opulent attire of a high-ranking official in Bagdad. He would wear flowing robes of fine silk or brocade, possibly in deep blues or purples, with intricate gold embroidery. A jeweled turban would adorn his head.
Wants: In Alnaschar's fantasy, his motivation is to secure a good match for his daughter and to be impressed by his son-in-law's nobility.
Flaw: His imagined weakness is his susceptibility to displays of wealth and generosity, which Alnaschar believes will make him subservient.
He has no real arc, existing only as a character in Alnaschar's fantasy, where he is imagined to be humbled and impressed by Alnaschar.
Imagined as initially proud and powerful, but ultimately deferential and impressed by Alnaschar's imagined wealth and generosity.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dignified, middle-aged man with a full, dark, well-maintained beard and wise, dark eyes. He has a slightly portly build, indicating prosperity. He wears flowing robes of deep sapphire blue silk, intricately embroidered with gold patterns along the cuffs and hem, and a magnificent white turban adorned with a large, sparkling ruby. He is seated with a respectful, slightly deferential expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Raised Bench at the Foot of a Wall
A simple, raised bench situated at the base of a sturdy wall in Bagdad. The ground in front is where Alnaschar places his tray of glassware. The setting is likely a public thoroughfare or market area, suggesting the bustling atmosphere of a medieval Arabian city.
Mood: Initially hopeful and mundane, quickly becoming a stage for extravagant daydreams, then abruptly shattered and desolate.
Alnaschar sits here to sell his glassware and begins his elaborate day-dream, which culminates in him accidentally destroying his entire stock.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sun-drenched, rough-hewn stone bench sits against a textured, ochre-colored mud-brick wall, typical of Abbasid-era Bagdad. In front of the bench, a large, dark wooden tray laden with an assortment of delicate, clear and colored glass vessels lies on the dusty, uneven ground. The light is bright and direct, casting sharp shadows. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Alnaschar's Imagined Grand House
A lavish, imagined house in Bagdad, befitting a wealthy merchant. It features a brocaded silk couch, cushions, and a richly decorated bride-chamber. The architecture would be in the Abbasid style, with intricate geometric patterns, possibly muqarnas vaults, and luxurious textiles.
Mood: Opulent, haughty, and filled with imagined social drama and displays of power.
This is the setting for Alnaschar's imagined wedding night, where he plans to assert his dominance over the Vizier's daughter.
Image Prompt & Upload
An opulent interior of an Abbasid-era Bagdad mansion, featuring a low, wide couch draped in rich, patterned brocaded silk with large, embroidered cushions. The walls are adorned with intricate geometric tile mosaics and possibly muqarnas vaults overhead. Soft, warm lamplight illuminates the luxurious textiles and polished surfaces. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Imagined City Streets of Bagdad
The bustling, imagined streets of Bagdad, where Alnaschar parades as a wealthy and respected figure. The streets would be lined with traditional Abbasid-era buildings, possibly with souks and busy crowds.
Mood: Triumphant, celebratory, and filled with imagined admiration and respect.
Alnaschar daydreams of parading through the city, receiving salutations and blessings from the people, showcasing his newfound wealth and status.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, sun-drenched street in Abbasid-era Bagdad, bustling with people. The street is paved with uneven cobblestones, flanked by multi-story mud-brick buildings with small, latticed windows and wooden balconies. Date palms occasionally break the skyline. The air is bright and clear, with long shadows cast by the buildings. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
