CXLVI NUIT
by Unknown · from Les mille et une nuits - Tome premier
Adapted Version
Once there was a tailor named Bacbouc. He was a good tailor. He worked very hard. Bacbouc made clothes for The Miller. He made shirts and pants. Bacbouc wanted money for his work.
The Miller called Bacbouc. He wanted to pay Bacbouc for his work. The Helper Girl was there. She looked at Bacbouc. She shook her head no. Bacbouc was confused. He needed the money. But he did not take it.
Bacbouc had no money. He had no food. He was very hungry. He ate only a little porridge. Bacbouc was sad. He needed money to live.
Bacbouc went to The Miller again. The Miller gave him more work. Bacbouc did the work. The Miller wanted to pay him. The Helper Girl was there. She looked at Bacbouc. She shook her head no. Bacbouc did not take the money. He felt very confused.
Bacbouc made a robe. He gave it to The Miller. The Miller offered money. Bacbouc said no. He went home. Bacbouc was hungry. He had no money. He was very sad.
The Miller's Wife saw Bacbouc. She was a greedy woman. She saw Bacbouc work for free. She wanted more free work from him. She talked to The Miller. She told him what to do next.
One night, The Miller asked Bacbouc to eat. The food was not much. The Miller said, "Stay tonight." He gave a bed.
It was the middle of the night. The Miller woke Bacbouc. "My mule is sick," he said. "I need help. He needed to grind wheat. It was a trick.
Bacbouc was a kind man. He wanted to help The Miller. Bacbouc agreed. The Miller made him push. It was very heavy. Bacbouc pushed and pushed.
The Miller made Bacbouc work very hard. "Push faster!" The Miller said to him. Bacbouc was surprised. He was very sad. He worked very hard.
Bacbouc was tired. He wanted to rest. The Miller told him to keep pushing. "Do not stop!" The Miller said. Bacbouc was very tired. He was very sad. But he kept working.
Bacbouc was very sad. He learned a lesson that day. Always get paid for your hard work. Be careful of people. They might ask you to work for free.
Original Story
CXLVI NUIT.
«Mon frère, continua le barbier, eut du travail pour cinq ou six jours à faire vingt chemises pour le meunier, qui lui donna ensuite une autre pièce de toile pour en faire autant de caleçons. Lorsqu'ils furent achevés, Bacbouc les porta au meunier, qui lui demanda ce qu'il lui fallait pour sa peine, sur quoi mon frère dit qu'il se contenterait de vingt drachmes d'argent. Le meunier appela aussitôt la jeune esclave, et lui dit d'apporter le trébuchet pour voir si la monnaie qu'il allait donner était de poids. L'esclave, qui avait le mot, regarda mon frère en colère, pour lui marquer qu'il allait tout gâter s'il recevait de l'argent. Il se le tint pour dit; il refusa d'en prendre, quoiqu'il en eût besoin et qu'il en eût emprunté pour acheter le fil dont il avait cousu les chemises et les caleçons. Au sortir de chez le meunier, il vint me prier de lui prêter de quoi vivre, en me disant qu'on ne le payait pas. Je lui donnai quelque monnaie de cuivre que j'avais dans ma bourse, et cela le fit subsister durant quelques jours. Il est vrai qu'il ne vivait que de bouillie, et qu'encore ne mangeait-il pas tout son saoul.
«Un jour il entra chez le meunier qui, était occupé à faire aller son moulin, et qui, croyant qu'il venait lui demander de l'argent, lui en offrit; mais la jeune esclave, qui était présente, lui fit encore un signe qui l'empêcha d'en accepter, et lui fit répondre au meunier qu'il ne venait pas pour cela, mais seulement pour s'informer de sa santé. Le meunier l'en remercia et lui donna une robe de dessus à faire. Bacbouc la lui rapporta le lendemain. Le meunier tira sa bourse. La jeune esclave ne fit en ce moment que regarder mon frère: «Voisin, dit-il au meunier, rien ne presse; nous compterons une autre fois.» Ainsi cette pauvre dupe se retira dans sa boutique avec trois grandes maladies; c'est-à-dire, amoureux, affamé et sans argent.
«La meunière était avare et méchante; elle ne se contenta pas d'avoir frustré mon frère de ce qui lui était dû, elle excita son mari à tirer vengeance de l'amour qu'il avait pour elle, et voici comme ils s'y prirent. Le meunier invita Bacbouc un soir à souper, et après l'avoir assez mal régalé, il lui dit: «Frère, il est trop tard pour vous retirer chez vous, demeurez ici.» En parlant de cette sorte, il le mena dans un endroit du moulin où il y avait un lit. Il le laissa là et se retira avec sa femme dans le lieu où ils avaient coutume de coucher. Au milieu de la nuit le meunier vint trouver mon frère: «Voisin, lui dit-il, dormez-vous? Ma mule est malade, et j'ai bien du blé à moudre. Vous me feriez beaucoup de plaisir si vous vouliez tourner le moulin à sa place.» Bacbouc, pour lui marquer qu'il était homme de bonne volonté, lui répondit qu'il était prêt à lui rendre ce service; qu'on n'avait seulement qu'à lui montrer comment il fallait faire. Alors le meunier l'attacha par le milieu du corps, de même qu'une mule pour faire tourner le moulin, et lui donnant ensuite un grand coup de fouet sur les reins: «Marchez voisin, lui dit-il. - Eh! pourquoi me frappez-vous? lui dit mon frère. - C'est pour vous encourager, répondit le meunier, car sans cela ma mule ne marche pas.» Bacbouc fut étonné de ce traitement; néanmoins il n'osa s'en plaindre. Quand il eut fait cinq ou six tours il voulut se reposer; mais le meunier lui donna une douzaine de coups de fouet bien appliqués, en lui disant: «Courage, voisin; ne vous arrêtez pas, je vous en prie; il faut marcher sans prendre haleine, autrement vous gâteriez ma farine.»
Scheherazade cessa de parler en cet endroit, parce qu'elle vit qu'il était jour. Le lendemain, elle reprit son discours de cette sorte:
Story DNA
Moral
Be wary of those who offer kindness with ulterior motives, and do not let infatuation blind you to exploitation.
Plot Summary
Bacbouc, a tailor, falls for a miller's slave girl and repeatedly refuses payment for his work, swayed by her subtle signals, despite his growing poverty. The miller's cruel wife, noticing Bacbouc's infatuation, conspires with her husband to exploit him further. One night, after a meager supper, the miller invites Bacbouc to stay, then ties him to the millstone like a mule and whips him, forcing him to turn the mill. Bacbouc, astonished and afraid, endures the brutal treatment without complaint.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is an excerpt from 'The Arabian Nights' (One Thousand and One Nights), specifically part of the 'Story of the Hunchback' or 'The Barber's Tale of His Sixth Brother'. The framing device of Scheherazade telling stories to the Sultan is central to the collection.
Plot Beats (11)
- Bacbouc, a tailor, makes shirts and breeches for a miller, expecting twenty silver drachmas.
- When the miller offers payment, his young slave girl signals Bacbouc not to accept it, which he obeys despite his need for money.
- Bacbouc, now penniless, borrows copper coins from his brother to survive on meager porridge.
- Bacbouc visits the miller again, who offers money, but the slave girl's signal again prevents him from accepting, so he pretends to only inquire about the miller's health.
- Bacbouc makes a robe for the miller, and again refuses payment when offered, returning to his shop lovelorn, hungry, and broke.
- The miller's avaricious wife, noticing Bacbouc's infatuation, instigates a plan with her husband to take revenge on Bacbouc for his love for her.
- The miller invites Bacbouc to a poor supper and then offers him a place to sleep in the mill.
- In the middle of the night, the miller wakes Bacbouc, claiming his mule is sick and he needs help grinding wheat.
- Bacbouc, eager to please, agrees to help, and the miller ties him by the waist to the mill like a mule.
- The miller whips Bacbouc, forcing him to turn the mill, explaining that it's to 'encourage' him.
- Bacbouc is astonished but dares not complain, and when he tries to rest, the miller whips him again, ordering him to continue without stopping.
Characters
Bacbouc
A man of average height and build, likely appearing somewhat gaunt due to malnourishment. His hands would be calloused from his trade as a tailor.
Attire: Simple, worn cotton tunic (thobe) and trousers, possibly a vest (sadriya) over the tunic, in muted, earthy tones. His clothes would show signs of wear and mending, reflecting his poverty. He might wear a simple head covering like a kufi or a small turban.
Wants: To earn an honest living as a tailor and repay his debts, and to win the affection of the young slave girl.
Flaw: His gullibility and unrequited love for the slave girl make him easily exploited. He is too timid to assert himself or demand fair treatment.
He starts as a hopeful tailor seeking payment and affection, but through the story, he becomes a victim of exploitation, growing increasingly weary and disillusioned, though still unable to stand up for himself.
Naïve, good-willed, diligent, easily manipulated, submissive.
The Miller
A robust, strong man, likely broad-shouldered from his work at the mill. His hands would be large and powerful, possibly dusted with flour.
Attire: Practical, sturdy working clothes suitable for a miller in an Arabian setting: a thick, durable cotton thobe, possibly a heavy vest, and sturdy trousers, all likely dusted with flour. Colors would be earthy and muted. He might wear a simple turban or headscarf.
Wants: To exploit Bacbouc for free labor and to punish him for his affection towards the slave girl.
Flaw: His greed and cruelty ultimately define him as a villain.
He remains consistently cruel and exploitative throughout the narrative, showing no change.
Deceptive, avaricious, cruel, manipulative, opportunistic.
The Young Slave Girl
A young woman, likely slender due to her status as a slave, but with a graceful bearing despite her circumstances.
Attire: Simple, modest, and practical attire for a household slave in an Arabian setting. A plain, long-sleeved cotton dress (thobe) in a muted color like grey or undyed linen, possibly with a simple head covering (hijab or headscarf). Her clothes would be clean but unadorned.
Wants: To obey her master's unspoken wishes, likely out of self-preservation or fear, and to avoid any trouble for herself.
Flaw: Her enslaved status makes her vulnerable and limits her agency.
She remains a silent, enigmatic figure, her actions consistently serving the Miller's interests.
Observant, cunning (or perhaps simply obedient to her master's unspoken commands), enigmatic.
The Miller's Wife
Likely a woman of sturdy build, reflecting her avaricious and strong-willed nature.
Attire: Modest but well-maintained clothing, perhaps a dark, durable cotton or wool abaya or thobe, reflecting her status as a miller's wife but also her avarice (not spending on luxuries). Colors would be practical and dark.
Wants: To deny Bacbouc his rightful payment and to punish him for his perceived transgression of loving her, or simply out of malice.
Flaw: Her greed and wickedness are her defining flaws.
She remains consistently wicked and instigating.
Avaricious, wicked, manipulative, cruel, instigating.
The Barber
A man of average build, likely well-groomed due to his profession, though perhaps showing signs of weariness from his own life.
Attire: Clean, respectable attire for a tradesman in an Arabian city: a neat cotton thobe, possibly a vest, and a practical turban or head covering. His clothes would be modest but well-kept.
Wants: To recount his brother's unfortunate tale and to offer what little help he can.
Flaw: He is unable to significantly alter his brother's fate, only to observe and narrate it.
He serves as the narrator, his character remaining consistent as the empathetic observer.
Observant, empathetic (towards his brother), a good storyteller, somewhat resigned to life's misfortunes.
Locations
The Miller's House and Mill
A functional mill building, likely constructed from sun-dried mud bricks or rough-hewn stone, with a flat roof typical of a rural Arabian setting. Inside, there's a main milling area dominated by large grinding stones and machinery for processing grain. There's also a separate, humble sleeping area with a simple bed where guests might stay.
Mood: Initially transactional and somewhat tense due to the unpaid debts, later becomes sinister and oppressive during Bacbouc's forced labor.
Bacbouc delivers clothes, is repeatedly denied payment, and is later tricked into operating the mill as a mule.
The Barber's Shop/Home
A modest, functional space, likely a room within a larger dwelling, serving as both the barber's place of business and his living quarters. It would feature simple furnishings and tools of the trade, reflecting a humble existence in an Arabian town.
Mood: Supportive and familial, but also tinged with the brother's desperation and poverty.
Bacbouc visits his brother, the barber, to borrow money for sustenance after being unpaid by the miller.