This is post #28 of my penance after I have been blacklisted by Hivewatchers for plagiarizing.
No need to upvote this post, as the payout has been declined.
But comments are welcome. I will continue to upvote all meaningful comments.

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THE BASTARD

Source

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The bedroom was full of little creatures, who had come we don't know how, and who remained at rest, without even moving their lips or their eyes. Suddenly there was a loud noise in the fireplace.

“Bastard, will we fall, or will we not fall?"

"Fall, if you want. Don't fall, if it pleases you. I don't care about it like you do. Just try to let me sleep in peace."

The Bastard had not finished speaking when five left legs fell from the chimney into the room. The five left legs danced while singing:

“Let’s dance on Monday. Let's dance on Monday."

Then five straight legs fell from the chimney into the room. The five right legs and the five left legs danced while singing:

“Let’s dance on Monday. Let's dance on Monday. Let's dance on Tuesday. Let's dance on Tuesday."

Then five left arms fell from the chimney into the room. The five left legs, the five right legs, and the five left arms danced while singing:

“Let’s dance on Monday. Let's dance on Monday. Let's dance on Tuesday. Let's dance on Tuesday. Let's dance on Wednesday. Let's dance on Wednesday."

Then five straight arms fell from the chimney into the room. The five left legs, the five right legs, the five left arms, and the five right arms danced while singing:

“Let’s dance on Monday. Let's dance on Monday. Let's dance on Tuesday. Let's dance on Tuesday. Let's dance on Wednesday. Let's dance on Wednesday. Let's dance on Thursday. Let's dance on Thursday."

Then five bodies with their heads fell from the chimney into the room. Immediately the legs and arms adjusted themselves to these bodies, and formed five men who danced and sang:

“Let’s dance on Monday. Let's dance on Monday. Let's dance on Tuesday. Let's dance on Tuesday. Let's dance on Wednesday. Let's dance on Wednesday. Let's dance on Thursday. Let's dance on Thursday. Let's dance on Friday. Let's dance on Friday."

While these five men were dancing, the little creatures who filled the room, and who had come who knows how, stood still, without even moving their lips or their eyes. The Bastard was bursting with laughter, and looked at the five men who were dancing and singing:

“Let’s dance on Friday. Let's dance on Friday."

And they always danced and sang like this, without being able to name the other two days of the week. At last, the impatient Bastard jumped out of bed and began to dance, singing:

“Let’s dance on Saturday. Let's dance on Saturday. Let's dance on Sunday. Let's dance on Sunday."

Then the little creatures who filled the room, and who had come who knows how melted into mist, and the Bastard saw only the five men, who were no longer dancing or singing.

“Bastard, you know the seven days of the week. The first five are for Soulless Bodies like us. Saturday is for Jews, and Sunday is for Christians. Stay with us. You will be the master here. All the people of the Soulless Bodies will obey you."

"No. I have urgent business, and I do not want to be king of the people of the Soulless Bodies. Get baptized. Baptism will make you Christian. Then you will celebrate Sunday, and not Friday, which is a day of misfortune. In the meantime, make this castle a hospital, for the poor and passers-by.

"Bastard, we will obey you in everything, and those we command will do as we do. To pay you for your good advice, we will teach you the finesse of those who have the power to change themselves into all kinds of things."

"With pleasure, my friends."

Then the five men taught the Bastard the finer points of those who have the power to change themselves into all kinds of things and wished him good night.

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Source: Le Bâtard, from the French book Contes populaires de la Gascogne, tome 1, published in 1886

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Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Part 5

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Hello, my name is Vincent Celier.

I am writing translations of folk tales that I found in public domain French books, so that people who do not understand French may enjoy them too.

The Bastard had a strange night in this inhabited castle. He learned something that will probably help him later: the finer points of those who have the power to change themselves into all kinds of things

Once again, we have repetition here for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The Soulless Bodies said that Saturday is for Jews and Sunday is for Christians. And the Bastard says that Friday is a day of misfortune, but he did not mention that it is for Muslims. This is probably because at this time there were almost no Muslims in France, which is no longer the case.

Today was the birthday of Gabi (Gabriella), the youngest sister of Kati. So, we celebrated it with a dinner in a restaurant, with the members of the family that live in Pécs. We were 10.

With this group of people, we always go to the same restaurant, the "Fiaker".

Fiaker is the Hungarian word for the French fiacre: a horse-drawn four-wheel carriage that you could hire by the hour.

There are still some fiacres in Paris, but they are only a tourist attraction.

Why these carriages are called "fiacres" is an interesting story:

In the middle of the XVII^th century, a French guy started a business hiring by the hour such horse-drawn carriages. He established his business at the Hôtel de Saint Fiacre, rue Saint-Martin in Paris. As his carriages had some success, they were nicknamed "fiacre".

Saint Fiacre was an Irish monk, who immigrated to France where he founded a monastery. Because of the names of the hose-drawn carriages named "fiacre", he is said to be the patron saint of the taxi drivers, but this is not recognized by the Catholic Church.

-- Vincent Celier