Le Paysan Médecin

(based on a traditional French Folk Tale)

In the opening lines we learn that le Paysan is well-off, but he doesn’t have a wife « il n’a pas de femme ». This doesn’t worry him, as he explains to his neighbour (le Voisin), he has his mule (mon mulet) to talk to in the fields and his dog to keep his feet warm! But le Voisin doesn’t give up and searches far and wide for a suitable wife. Eventually he finds an impoverished elderly gentleman (un Chevalier) who has a beautiful young daughter of marriageable age, but because le Chevalier cannot afford to give her a dowry (une dot- pronounce the t) she has not yet found a husband. Le Voisin sets up an introduction and le Paysan falls in love immediately but le Voisin insists on negotiating. Here we learn the extent of le Paysan’s wealth “ douze vaches, un mulet, un cheval, trente six poules, deux coqs, douze canards, cinq oies et une grange pleine de blé”. Once the formalities are concluded le Paysan and the girl (la Fille) are married.

At first the marriage is totally happy but le Paysan begins to worry. Will his beautiful young wife stay faithful to him? He asks a friend for advice and the advice is strange indeed. Although no fault can be found with her behaviour he is advised “de bien la battre” for “les meilleurs gifles font les meilleures femmes”. That very evening he picks a quarrel with her and beats her. Later on he is repentant, but in the following days the pattern repeats itself.

La Fille is at her wits’end when two strangers arrive at her door looking for food and lodging . They are Messagers du Roi who have been sent in search of a doctor to cure the king’s daughter. The princess (la Princesse)has not been able to eat or drink for over a week because of a fish bone “une arête de poisson” stuck in her throat . If this goes on she will surely die. La Fille seizes the opportunity, telling les Messagers that her own husband is a very good doctor , but will only work when beaten. Delighted to have found a doctor so easily les Messagers go off to the fields, where the unsuspecting Paysan, after a sound beating, has no choice but to agree to go to the Court the next morning.

During the evening several neighbours call with advice on how to behave. Le Maître d’Ecole teaches him all the different formulae for addressing a king (leRoi). Le Boulanger teaches him to bow, to dance and to sword-fight and an old lady (la Vieille Dame)arrives with a terrible tale of how her son was brought to court and his ears chopped off!

Next day at the palace he is asked by le Roi to cure (guérir) la Princesse. He tries again to protest but les Messagers beat him. Relying only on his wits, he manages to make la Princesse laugh, and the bone is dislodged from her throat.

Le Roi is so grateful he lavishes presents on le Paysan and insists he stay at court. Le Paysan decides to try out his new skills of dancing and fencing. Unfortunately, the young lady (la Jeune Dame) he chooses to dance with is married to the best fencer in the kingdom. Saved in the nick of time by a messenger he discovers le Roi has a new challenge for him. He must cure all the ill noblemen in the realm. Once more he has to use his peasant cunning to succeed.

Le Roi finally allows him to return home, after showering him with presents of money and clothes. He is a rich man, better still, he was learned two things : how much he loves his wife and how little he likes being beaten.

But will his wife want him back ?