The Bonhomme Janvier (January Man), who came all the way from the infinity of space to Earth on New Year’s day, is welcomed by Pierrot. It is his first visit since the capture of Carthage, and he notices a lot of changes. Later, Pierrot’s clever uncle Gorgibus arrives. He talks to the Bonhomme Janvier with a lot of irony and contempt. He tries to hit him with a stick but fails: Janvier uses a magic trick and Gorgibus ends up frozen for the eight first days of the year. Shortly after, two children, Arlequin and Léandre, arrive. Pierrot and the Bonhomme Janvier make themselves invisible to listen to their conversation. The two boys complain about the useless and outmoded presents they were given. Pierrot and the Bonhomme Janvier reappear at this very moment. Janvier decides to take back all their presents to teach them a lesson. Paulin, Jacques Labor’s son, arrives. Invisible again, Pierrot and the Bonhomme Janvier listen to him talk about New Year. Unlike the others, Paulin expresses hope and enthusiasm regarding the year to come; the Bonhomme Janvier is surprised. Paulin’s father joins him and shares the same thoughts. Touched by the wisdom of the child, the Bonhomme Janvier promises to reward him. As for the other children, he decides to cancel their presents for the following year.

Glove-puppet

Young audiences

des Essarts Emmanuel

France

Paris

Printed

Party

Gift

Magic

Invisible

Child

Revenge

Fantasy

Edifying

Alfred des Essarts, illustration for Le Bonhomme Janvier, 1863.

French

Father Christmas

Pierrot

Savant

Arlecchino

Artist

Aside

Invisible character

Blow-with-a-stick

Magical formula

Le Bonhomme Janvier

The January Man

The Conteuse (female narrator), with the help of the Voix Off (voice over), narrates the story of the Roi de Panelange (King of Panelange) who loves to change clothes. One day, two Tisserands (weavers) offer to create a fabric that only intelligent people would be able to see. In return, they ask for as many gold coins as there are ants in the kingdom. The Tisserands work in the dark in a big isolated barn, around a big loom. The Roi (King) sends his Prime Minister to check on their progress, but when he gets there, he is unable to see the fabric. He pretends otherwise to the Roi, so that he is not seen as “the First Imbecile of the Kingdom”. The Roi then sends his Cuisinier en chef (head chef), and another person to check on the Tisserands’ work. The fabric is invisible to their eyes, but they all pretend otherwise. The Roi himself goes to see the result of the Tisserands’ work, but the fabric is also invisible to his eyes. He pretends he is able to see it, so that he seems intelligent in front of his court, and he announces that he will wear the fabric for the next procession. When that day arrives, he undresses and puts on the fabric. He awards an honorary distinction to the Tisserands, and starts parading the streets of the kingdom. The fabric remains invisible to the crowd, who only sees a man in his underpants. They all pretend they can see the fabric, except for a child who admits to not seeing anything. The crowd admits the same thing, and says that they can only see their king half naked. To not lose any of his authority, the discombobulated Roi continues to parade as if nothing had happened.