XIV NUIT
by Unknown · from Les mille et une nuits - Tome premier
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, there was a man. He loved his wife very much. One day, The Man had to go away. He wanted to know about his wife. He bought a parrot. This parrot could talk. It could tell him things. The parrot was green and smart. It sat in a cage. The Man trusted his parrot. He asked the parrot to watch his wife.
The Man came home. He asked. The parrot told secrets. It told him bad things. The parrot spoke clearly. It saw many things. The Man was very angry. He looked at The Woman. The Man's face grew red. He felt hot with anger. He did not like what he heard.
The Woman knew. The parrot told The Man. She was not happy. She wanted to trick the parrot. She wanted to make it look wrong. She thought for a long time. Her plan was very tricky. She smiled a small smile. She would fool The Man. She made a clever plan. She would make the parrot lie.
The Man went away again. The Woman called her helpers. "Make loud noises," she said. "Make big splashes." The helpers worked hard. They banged pots. They threw water. They did this all night. Near the parrot's cage. The parrot could not sleep. It was a scary night. The parrot heard it all.
The Man came back. He asked the parrot, "What happened?" The parrot spoke of a storm. It heard loud noises. It heard much water. The parrot shivered a little. It remembered the sounds. It spoke with a shaky voice. It thought it was true. The parrot was very scared. It told The Man everything.
The Man knew. No storm came. He thought the parrot lied. He got very, very angry. The Man's eyes were dark. His hands shook with rage. He did not think clearly. He broke the parrot's cage. The parrot cried out. The parrot flew far away. It was hurt and scared. It flew high in the sky. It never came back.
Later, The Man talked to friends. They told him things. His friends spoke softly. They knew the truth. "The parrot was right," they said. "The Woman did bad things." The Man felt bad. The Man's heart sank. He felt a deep sorrow. He had made a mistake. He listened to his friends.
The Man was very sad. He was so sorry. He was angry too fast. He did not check first. He often looked at the empty cage. He remembered the parrot's voice. He wished he could go back. He wanted his friend back. He missed his talking parrot. He wished it was still there. He learned a lesson. Do not be angry. Do not act fast. Always ask and check first. Be kind and think before you act.
Original Story
XIV NUIT.
«Ma soeur, s'écria Dinarzade sur la fin de la quatorzième nuit, si vous ne dormez pas, je vous supplie, en attendant le jour qui paraîtra bientôt, de reprendre l'histoire du pêcheur; vous en êtes demeurée à l'endroit où le roi grec soutient l'innocence du médecin Douban, et prend si fortement son parti. - Je m'en souviens, répondit Scheherazade; vous allez entendre la suite:»
Sire, continua-t-elle, en adressant toujours la parole à Schahriar, ce que le roi grec venait de dire touchant le roi Sindbad piqua la curiosité du vizir, qui lui dit: «Sire, je supplie votre majesté de me pardonner si j'ai la hardiesse de lui demander ce que le vizir du roi Sindbad dit à son maître pour le détourner de faire mourir le prince son fils.» Le roi grec eut la complaisance de le satisfaire: «Ce vizir, répondit-il, après avoir représenté au roi Sindbad que sur l'accusation d'une belle-mère, il devait craindre de faire une action dont il pût se repentir, lui conta cette histoire:
HISTOIRE DU MARI ET DU PERROQUET[13]. «Un bonhomme avait une belle femme qu'il aimait avec tant de passion, qu'il ne la perdait de vue que le moins qu'il pouvait. Un jour que des affaires pressantes l'obligeaient à s'éloigner d'elle, il alla dans un endroit où l'on vendait toutes sortes d'oiseaux; il y acheta un perroquet, qui non-seulement parlait fort bien, mais qui avait même le don de rendre compte de tout ce qui avait été fait devant lui. Il l'apporta dans une cage au logis, pria sa femme de le mettre dans sa chambre et d'en prendre soin pendant le voyage qu'il allait faire; après quoi il partit.
«À son retour, il ne manqua pas d'interroger le perroquet sur ce qui s'était passé durant son absence; et là-dessus, l'oiseau lui apprit des choses qui lui donnèrent lieu de faire de grands reproches à sa femme. Elle crut que quelqu'une de ses esclaves l'avait trahie; elles jurèrent toutes qu'elles lui avaient été fidèles, et convinrent qu'il fallait que ce fût le perroquet qui eût fait ces mauvais rapports.
«Prévenue de cette opinion, la femme chercha dans son esprit un moyen de détruire les soupçons de son mari, et de se venger en même temps du perroquet; elle le trouva. Son mari étant parti pour faire un voyage d'une journée, elle commanda à une esclave de tourner pendant la nuit, sous la cage de l'oiseau, un moulin à bras; à une autre de jeter de l'eau en forme de pluie par le haut de la cage; et à une troisième, de prendre un miroir et de le tourner devant les yeux du perroquet, à droite et à gauche, à la clarté d'une chandelle. Les esclaves employèrent une grande partie de la nuit à faire ce que leur avait ordonné leur maîtresse, et elles s'en acquittèrent fort adroitement.
«Le lendemain, le mari étant de retour, fit encore des questions au perroquet sur ce qui s'était passé chez lui; l'oiseau lui répondit: «Mon maître les éclairs, le tonnerre et la pluie m'ont tellement incommodé toute la nuit, que je ne puis vous dire ce que j'en ai souffert.» Le mari, qui savait fort bien qu'il n'avait ni plu ni tonné cette nuit-là, demeura persuadé que le perroquet ne disant pas la vérité en cela, ne la lui avait pas dite aussi au sujet de sa femme. C'est pourquoi, de dépit, l'ayant tiré de sa cage, il le jeta si rudement contre terre, qu'il le tua. Néanmoins, dans la suite, il apprit de ses voisins que le pauvre perroquet ne lui avait pas menti en lui parlant de la conduite de sa femme, ce qui fut cause qu'il se repentit de l'avoir tué…»
Là s'arrêta Scheherazade, parce qu'elle s'aperçut qu'il était jour: «Tout ce que vous nous racontez, ma soeur, dit Dinarzade, est si varié, que rien ne me paraît plus agréable. - Je voudrais continuer de vous divertir, répondit Scheherazade; mais je ne sais si le sultan, mon maître, m'en donnera le temps.» Schahriar, qui ne prenait pas moins de plaisir que Dinarzade à entendre la sultane, se leva, et passa la journée sans ordonner au vizir de la faire mourir.
Story DNA
Moral
Do not act on suspicion without verifying the facts, lest you regret your hasty actions.
Plot Summary
Scheherazade continues her tale, recounting a story told by a vizier to a king about a husband who buys a talking parrot to monitor his wife during his travels. The parrot truthfully reports the wife's infidelity, but the wife, realizing this, devises an elaborate scheme with her slaves to simulate a storm around the parrot's cage. When the parrot describes the 'storm' to the husband, who knows there was none, he believes the parrot lied and rashly kills it. Later, the husband learns from his neighbors that the parrot had been telling the truth, leading to profound regret for his hasty actions.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suspicion to regret
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This is a frame story from One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights), where Scheherazade tells stories to Sultan Schahriar to delay her execution. The nested story reflects common themes and social structures of the era.
Plot Beats (14)
- Dinarzade asks Scheherazade to continue the story of the fisherman, specifically about the Greek king defending the physician Douban.
- Scheherazade explains that the Greek king's mention of King Sindbad piqued the vizier's curiosity.
- The vizier asks the Greek king what Sindbad's vizier said to dissuade him from killing his son.
- The Greek king recounts the story of the husband and the parrot.
- A man, deeply in love with his wife, buys a talking parrot to monitor her during his absence.
- Upon his return, the parrot reveals his wife's infidelity.
- The wife, realizing the parrot is the source of her husband's accusations, plots revenge.
- While her husband is away for a day, the wife instructs her slaves to simulate a storm (grinding, water, flashing mirror) around the parrot's cage at night.
- The next day, the husband questions the parrot, which describes the 'storm' it endured.
- Knowing there was no storm, the husband believes the parrot lied about his wife and angrily kills it.
- Later, the husband learns from his neighbors that the parrot had been truthful about his wife's conduct.
- The husband is filled with immense regret for his hasty action.
- Scheherazade stops as day breaks, and Dinarzade praises her story.
- Sultan Schahriar, entertained, spares Scheherazade for another day.
Characters
Scheherazade
Slender and graceful, with features considered beautiful in the Arabian tradition. Her movements are composed and deliberate, reflecting her intelligence and inner strength.
Attire: Luxurious silk robes (thobe or kaftan style) in rich jewel tones like sapphire blue, emerald green, or ruby red, often embroidered with gold or silver thread in intricate geometric or floral patterns. She wears a delicate gold necklace and bracelets, and sometimes a sheer veil draped over her head, though often her hair is uncovered within the private chambers.
Wants: To survive each night and ultimately save herself and the other women of the kingdom from the Sultan's decree by captivating him with her stories.
Flaw: Her life is constantly at risk, dependent on the Sultan's fickle pleasure.
She begins as a woman facing certain death but gradually transforms into a beloved and indispensable figure to the Sultan, ultimately securing her life and position.
Intelligent, resourceful, captivating, resilient, and strategic. She uses her storytelling prowess to survive and entertain.
Dinarzade
Smaller and younger than her sister, with a delicate build. She is often depicted as innocent and eager.
Attire: Simpler but still fine silk robes (thobe or kaftan style) in soft pastels like rose pink or sky blue, less ornate than her sister's, suitable for a younger noble girl within the palace.
Wants: To hear more stories from her sister and to help Scheherazade survive by prompting her at the crucial moment each night.
Flaw: Her youth and lack of power make her dependent on her sister's success.
Remains a constant, supportive presence, her role primarily to facilitate Scheherazade's storytelling.
Curious, supportive, innocent, and appreciative. She acts as Scheherazade's prompt and audience.
Schahriar
A powerful and imposing figure, likely with a strong build befitting a sultan. His presence commands authority, though his initial demeanor is stern and hardened by past betrayals.
Attire: Opulent and regal Arabian attire: a flowing thobe or kaftan made of rich, heavy silk in deep colors like royal purple or crimson, often adorned with intricate gold embroidery and precious jewels. He wears a jeweled turban (imamah) on his head and a wide, ornate belt with a large buckle.
Wants: Initially, to prevent future betrayal by executing each new wife. Later, to be entertained and to find solace or distraction from his past trauma.
Flaw: His deep-seated mistrust and vengeful nature, which led him to his cruel decree. Also, his susceptibility to captivating stories.
Begins as a tyrannical and vengeful ruler but gradually softens and becomes captivated by Scheherazade's stories, eventually revoking his decree and falling in love with her.
Initially cruel, vengeful, and distrustful due to past betrayal, but also intelligent, curious, and ultimately capable of being swayed by beauty and wisdom.
The Husband
A man of average build, perhaps a merchant or a well-to-do commoner, reflecting his ability to afford a parrot and slaves. His appearance is not particularly striking, as his character is defined by his actions.
Attire: Practical but respectable Arabian attire, such as a simple linen thobe or tunic in earthy tones like beige or light brown, possibly with a simple sash. He would wear sandals.
Wants: To ensure his wife's fidelity and to maintain his honor. Later, to understand the truth.
Flaw: His impulsiveness and readiness to believe false evidence, leading to rash actions.
Starts as a loving husband, becomes suspicious and vengeful, then realizes his error and feels deep regret.
Loving, trusting (initially), possessive, impulsive, and ultimately regretful. He is easily swayed by appearances and quick to anger.
The Wife
Described as beautiful, suggesting graceful features and a pleasing figure. Her movements are likely elegant and perhaps a little cunning.
Attire: Elegant but not overly opulent clothing, perhaps a fine silk dress or kaftan in pleasing colors, suitable for a wife of a well-to-do man. She might wear delicate jewelry.
Wants: To pursue her desires, to avoid detection, and to take revenge on the parrot for exposing her.
Flaw: Her infidelity and her vindictive nature.
Remains unfaithful and successfully deceives her husband, leading to the parrot's death, but her true actions are later revealed to the husband.
Beautiful, unfaithful, cunning, vengeful, and resourceful. She is determined to protect her reputation and punish those who expose her.
The Parrot
A vibrant, colorful parrot, likely a species known for its talking ability, such as a grey parrot or a macaw, but with a more exotic, perhaps Arabian-inspired, plumage. Its feathers are bright and distinct.
Attire: None, but its plumage is its most striking feature.
Wants: To truthfully report what it observes to its master.
Flaw: Its inability to distinguish between real and simulated events, making it vulnerable to deception.
Begins as a trusted informant, is deceived and discredited, then killed, only to be posthumously vindicated.
Observant, truthful, intelligent (in its ability to recount events), and ultimately a victim of human deception and impulsiveness.
Locations
The Merchant's House - Parrot's Chamber
A private room within a wealthy merchant's home, likely adorned with rich textiles and cushions, where a parrot in a cage is kept. The room is large enough for slaves to manipulate objects around the cage to create illusions.
Mood: Deceptive, tense, conspiratorial
The wife orchestrates an elaborate deception to discredit the parrot's testimony to her husband.
The Bird Seller's Market
A bustling marketplace stall where various birds are sold, likely in a vibrant Arabian city. The air would be filled with the sounds of birdsong and merchant calls.
Mood: Lively, commercial, bustling
The merchant purchases the talking parrot, unaware of the future complications it will bring.