Original subtitles

"Revenge of the Snakes"

We express our gratitude to Akçaköy, the village where Fakir Baykurt was born and raised, and from which thousands more Fakirs will emerge.

If the harvest is good, I'll buy a young ox to go with our pair of oxen, Ahmet.

You will brush and groom it nicely.

And I'll completely hand the cow over to you, Hatça.

Raise the calf, collect milk, make butter and yogurt, it's up to you.

If a flood doesn't wash everything away at harvest time,

all of this will come true.

It won't wash it away. I've strengthened the dams.

Even if a flood doesn't come, some other trouble always pops up.

I want my boots.

You can buy a strong pair this year.

I would have bought them last year,

but I thought it's better to wait one more year.

Why?

If I bought them before you grew up, you'd outgrow them too fast.

I am grown up now.

Won't you grow any bigger? Is this it?

Will you stay this size forever?

I won't. I won't, but if I get my boots, maybe I will stay like this.

Just focus on growing up.

Come autumn, I'll buy you boots, a hat, and a nice vest.

Ahmet will want a pocketknife then, too.

One with a bone handle and a chain!

And I will embroider a handkerchief for it.

- Really, Dad? Will you buy me a knife? - Of course I will.

We'll live a great life from now on!

I will also enroll you in the school in Akçaköy.

With boots on your feet, a nice hat, fine books, and a nice jacket.

You've dressed your son up nicely.

People will look and ask whose son he is.

We are the only ones left out.

I'll buy you a sash too. And along with the sash, we'll buy some printed fabric.

I don't want any fancy fabrics.

If you buy me four meters of canvas and a roll of cloth, that will be enough.

No, you've worn patched-up clothes for long enough.

That's it, from now on I'll buy you fine floral fabrics.

I will wrap you in silk. No more embarrassment.

These are in your hands now, Ahmet Chief!

Herd them well and keep them out of trouble.

Be very careful, son. Don't let our cattle fall into the ravine.

Have I never herded cattle before?

Get moving! Giddy up!

Don't buy me any sashes or fine clothes, Bayram.

I don't want printed fabrics either.

- Buy something else instead. - What should I buy, Hatça?

Buy a tub, a very large bathtub.

Big enough for a person to fit inside completely.

We'd bath in it during winter. Nice and warm.

- I can wash the laundry inside too. - They had showers in the military.

What is a shower, Bayram?

Ah! A shower! It's like a bathhouse.

You don't even know what a bathhouse is, how can I explain...

Look!

A pipe goes up like this. It has a nozzle like a watering can.

The water pours down from there.

It has two handles.

Turn one, it flows hot; turn the other, it flows cold.

You adjust it and step underneath. It never stops.

It flows all by itself.

Like it's sent by God.

Honestly, Hatça, you never want to step out from under it.

- Really? Does the water never run out? - Of course it doesn't.

- Who heats this water? - It's always warm.

But who warms it up?

It just pours from above.

- Well, who pours it? - It pours itself.

Oh! Good heavens! Is there a cauldron on the roof that it pours itself?

Not on the roof, the cauldron is down below. The water boils down there.

If it boils below, how does it get to the roof?

It rises, it's a powerful water system.

It shoots up with high pressure.

Bayram, look what I'm going to tell you.

Let's be patient for two years.

After that, go to Burdur and buy one of those showers for us.

- Do you think we can afford that, girl? - Yes, we can.

We won't buy anything else for two years.

How will you bring that cauldron from Burdur?

Won't a donkey do?

Of course not.

You'd need an oxcart to bring it.

Suppose you bought the cauldron and the pipes.

Where will you get the water from?

- We'll dig a well. - Without water pressure, it'll be a joke.

Well, if that's the case, let's just buy a tub.

I can carry water from the spring every day.

Once I put the tin can on the fire, it will heat up nicely.

I love water so much, Bayram.

I just want to lie down and bathe all day long.

It makes you feel like dying of bliss in that water.

What's wrong, Hatça?

How long has this been going on?

- Exactly three months, Bayram. - Very good!

What is best? A child, a child, another child?

I don't want another one. This will be the fourth.

Four children are too much for poor people like us.

A peasant family needs children. You don't understand these things.

In a village, an only man's work is pure slavery.

Let there be four, let there be five, let them be born!

Let them be born! So they can wander around with just 45 acres of dry land.

Don't worry. Let's have this one, and no more after it.

Father!

Father!

Father!

Snakes! Snakes, Dad!

Where? What snakes?

I saw two of them among the reeds. They slithered right past me.

Ahmet! Ahmet!

Which bushes did those snakes go into?

Into the bushes down there!

Wait, I'm coming down too!

Are you going to kill the snakes, Bayram?

No, why would I ever kill them? I'm going to invite them to dinner.

What harm have the snakes ever done to you?

Haven't you ever heard about this from my mother?

We are at war with the snake race.

Those bastards have always been our enemies.

They do great damage to the oxen.

If they find a chance, they show no mercy.

If that's so, let our child watch the cattle in the meadow.

They will come there too. If there is evil in their nature,

the snake race will follow you to the end of the world.

They don't falter. They hold a massive grudge against us.

Come here, you coward!

How can a man be so afraid of a snake?

Herd the cattle out in the open here.

Look, the bastards are hiding. If you see them, let me know quickly.

Don't be afraid. Just throw a stone at them.

Then run. There's no way they can catch you.

Come on, let's go and strengthen the dams again. Go, man!

Why is the snake race our enemy, Bayram?

Let me tell you, listen.

There used to be a Shahmaran in that pine grove over there.

He wouldn't let anyone take even a single branch from there.

He was the king of all snakes.

Surrounded by his whole tribe. They lived a life of great luxury.

You know, my father never followed the path everyone else took.

He had a stubborn streak.

He'd always find a flaw in what people thought was right.

One day, he went to that forbidden grove to cut wood for a plow.

The Shahmaran was coiled up under a small pine tree.

As they say: "Let the snake that doesn't bite me live a thousand years."

But it was as if my father was possessed.

He said, "Does everyone fear this bastard?" and drew his axe.

The snake was over twelve meters long.

He chopped it into pieces right there.

Dad, I killed the snake!

Father!

I don't know, brother, but Irazca is giving us a really bad look.

Why would she look at us nicely?

Who wants a house built right in front of theirs?

Well, if that's the case, let's give up on it.

No way! Let crazy Irazca glare all she wants.

We will do whatever we please.

Never mind Bayram,

but his mother's behavior is bad news.

I’ve always been wary of that woman.

Don't exaggerate.

Who dare oppose us Mad Mehmet’s sons, I'll show them what's what!

If we're done, let's leave. Move it, gather the stakes!

Thank God... Thank God...

- Selamun aleykum. - Aleykum selam.

You know, I'm really surprised by Hodja Beytullah.

Most of the time, he barely has the strength to take a step.

He never sees a decent amount of money.

His son won't listen to him, his wife won't even look at him,

yet he still keeps giving thanks to God.

Bite your tongue! You'll sin if you talk like that.

- What's new, Mother? - What could be new? Nothing at all.

You all go to the fields for the harvest,

while I stay home and deal with your brats.

We can take you with us if you want.

- Don't talk so bitterly. - I don't want to. I don't want to.

But until you fix these cursed stairs, you won't get me to come down from here.

Once the harvest is done, I'll fix them too.

In two days, I'll take Ahmet with me to the pine grove.

If you don't fix the stairs this time, don't you ever enter my sight!

If you make me angry, I'll swear an oath never to come down.

- Go on inside, and prepare the food. - Alright, Mother.

Mother, leave all that aside and ask what little chief Ahmet did today.

Tell me, what did he do?

He killed a snake in the reeds.

My brave boy, my pride!

He takes after his grandfather, of course he does.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

A wolf cub does what he learns from the pack.

My brave boy, my greatest pride!

I will kill the other snakes too, Grandma.

Daughter-in-law, come here!

Yes, Mother?

Go check the bottom of the jar.

If there's any butter left, scoop out a spoonful.

Boil the eggs from the salt bag too.

You'll boil them, but...

If Ahmet Chief kills a snake every day,

our butter and eggs won't last long.

The snakes came out because the heat has set in.

They should fear this little hero now.

Hello, Bayram! How are you, sister Irazca?

- Hello, Uncle Ak Ali. - How are you? Are you well?

Come over here, Bayram. I need to tell you something.

I'm coming, Uncle Ak Ali.

Do you ever listen to what's going on in the village?

I don't pay attention to any of it, Uncle Ak Ali.

Why, what's happening?

The headman sold a house plot right in front of your home.

A house plot?

Who bought it?

Haceli, from the village council.

Mad Mehmet's son, Haceli?

Yes, him.

- He already has a house down there. - So what?

Now he wants to expand.

Did he pay a lot of money to the village fund?

Probably. He’s been making mud bricks for two days.

Well, Uncle Ak Ali...

What should I do in this situation?

You must object, shout, and protest.

Take a firm stand against this insolence.

If necessary, complain to the governor.

I don't have time to chase after these things.

Think carefully, Kara Bayram.

By law, no man has the right to build a house

right in front of another man's home.

Besides, it will block the village road. Don't you ever accept this.

Alright, Uncle Ak Ali.

- I'll think of a way, for sure. - Be vigilant!

Don't back down! I'm right behind you like a stone wall.

Thank you, Uncle Ak Ali. Safe travels.

Goodbye, Bayram.

What were you and Ak Ali talking about, Bayram?

Just this and that.

Are you trying to fool a child? Tell me the truth.

Mad Mehmet's son, Haceli, is building a house in front of us.

He bought the plot from the village council.

Now I understand.

This afternoon, his brothers came and measured the plot.

I wondered what they were doing. But I couldn't figure it out.

So, that's what it was for.

Well, what's going to happen now?

Ak Ali says he can't build it. He says it's against the law.

Of course he can't!

If he builds it, I’ll tear it down! I’ll ruin him!

- Sister! - Shh...

- Sister! - Who's that?

Sister Irazca!

That's my aunt.

Aunt Sultan.

Bayram!

Bayram, are you dead or alive? I've been shouting for so long.

What's wrong, Auntie? What happened? We are eating, come inside. Come inside.

What is it, sister? What happened again?

You scared us to death.

I saw a snake! There's a snake in our house!

The snakes are attacking again.

They do this every four or five years.

Sit down, Auntie. I'll go and look.

Let me come with you, Father.

Come along then. You've turned into a chief snake catcher on us.

Will you take me to the pine grove, Father?

What is there in the pine grove?

Maybe I'll see the Shahmaran's son.

Maybe his mother-in-law is there too! Aren't you a little jester?

Why do you want to see the Shahmaran's son?

- Just to see him. - You better not, he's scary.

I won't be scared! Please take me.

- Alright, we'll go. - When will we go, Father?

- I don't know. We'll think about it. - Think about it right now!

- My mind is troubled now. - Who troubled your mind?

- Haceli did. - Why did he do that?

How should I know? He is digging in front of our house.

If he does, we will fill it back up.

- We will fill it, right, Father? - We will.

Will your mind be fine then?

- It will. - Then let's go fill it right now.

It didn't fly away, it must have crawled into a hole.

Hurry, Ahmet Chief, block the holes.

Well, Bayram, did you find that cursed creature?

No, Auntie, we searched everywhere, but it's not there.

It must have escaped somewhere. I'm still afraid it might come back.

Don't worry so much.

Besides, we blocked all the holes, it won't come back. Don't be afraid.

Let's go, Ahmet Chief, walk ahead of me.

Goodbye, Auntie.

Safe travels.

Don't worry at all, Auntie. After all, the snake breed is afraid of us.

We are afraid of them too.

But what can we do, we have to fight this war.

In the cities, people go to bed only at midnight. Is that true, Mother?

That's true, my girl.

How strange.

But when do they get enough sleep?

City people wake up late in the morning.

They make up for the night during the day.

It escaped.

We searched everywhere but couldn't find it.

A snake never stays in one place.

Who knows which hole it crawled into.

We blocked all the holes anyway.

But I am so sleepy.

We really got tired today, it seems.

What will happen with Haceli building a house in front of us?

We will do whatever we can.

We must do even what we cannot.

Stand firm, Kara Bayram! This matter is not as easy as you think.

You must strike your enemy with all your might.

Of course, we have a plan too, Mother.

Stop it now, don't worry about this.

No, you must always be alert against your enemy.

Strike before he hits you.

We will strike when the time comes, of course.

Don't you worry.

Bayram! Hatça!

Bayram!

Where is brother Haceli? Can't he just come in time and start his job?

If you’re going to build a house, you’d better get to work fast.

Leave him be! Our brother is always like this.

He needs to come right away and hit the first dig.

Your man can't leave his wife!

Fatma. Fatma. Wake up, already!

Wake up, slouch! Stop dawdling!

I’m going to the site. We will dig the foundation.

And you will prepare food! Don't be late, okay?

Leave the meadow work today, mother.

If we don't stop this Haceli pig, this will be very difficult for us.

Don't get involved for now. I am enough for him!

- Haceli is not afraid of you, mother. - He doesn't fear you either!

I'll scare him.

Like a pack of dogs, there are relatives!

Just listen to me and go to the meadow.

But leave Ahmet with me. Just in case.

Maybe I'll give you some news.

Whatever you say, mother.

Come on, sir. This is okay. We measured and cut.

We are waiting for you to hit the first pickaxe.

Won't you shed blood on the foundation?

I don't have anything right now. I'll do a sacrifice when we put u pthe roof.

At least sacrifice a rooster.

That won't do! Can't have people saying "Haceli sacrificed a rooster."

Doing no sacrifice is better than that.

If so, take the pickaxe and strike. May it be blessed.

Bismillah.

Welcome, mother Irazca.

We are your neighbors. We are building a house.

Of course, you show your neighborliness.

It is necessary to help the house builder and the wedding party.

Thanks to you, we can get rid of the mud of the lower neighborhood.

Bismillah!

What the hell are you doing!

Get away from me!

Don't take me away from my job!

Instead of me retreating, you withdraw!

Shame on you!

Do you think you are in the mountains, or in the village?

Look to your left and right,

is there anyone around who is building a house in front of a house? Stupid guy!

Take your pickaxe and shovel, get out of here!

Unless I die, you can't build a house here!

Come on now, use your pickaxe if you want. Congratulations!

Don't keep quiet! Say something, man!

Use the pickaxe!

Are you really going to change your path just because of what others say? Strike!

If trouble comes, let it come! If you don't strike, I will!

Ahmet.

Come here, my boy.

Here you go, grandma.

Go and tell that Haceli. Say: "Uncle Haceli!

My grandmother says you should think twice before digging the foundation."

- Alright. - So, what do you say?

I'll tell him: "Hey listen, Uncle Haceli!

My grandmother says you'd better think twice before building a house here."

Well done, go on then!

Uncle Haceli!

My grandmother says you'd better think twice before building a house here.

She said: "He needs to learn who I really am!"

Get out of here before you get into trouble! Beat it!

Choke on your damn digging!

The moment is right. Let the foundation be that bastard's grave!

Listen to me Ahmet, come here.

Now, listen carefully.

You will go to Haceli again.

But don't call him uncle or anything this time.

Speak tough!

Tell him: "Haceli! Know my grandmother well,

things will end badly for you," she says.

Come on, say it again.

"Haceli, Haceli! Know my grandmother well. Keep your eyes wide open...

You've bitten off more than you can chew!" says my grandmother.

That's my boy! Come on, run along.

Uncle Haceli, my grandmother says... Well...

Shut up, you little brat!

God damn you and your grandmother!

Why did you stop? If only you hadn't stopped!

What else was I supposed to do but stop?

You should have hit me!

What are you so afraid of? You should have hit me!

If only you had split my head open and killed me!

Stop digging and shoveling, all of you! Don't you dare dig!

I just told you. I only have three years left to live in this world.

But you have a whole life ahead of you. Kill me!

I'll go to the grave, and you'll go to prison!

Mother Irazca, listen, I'm talking to you respectfully.

Why are you coming to me like this? You have a son, isn't he a man?

- He should come out! - He won't come out!

I'll come out!

I will die! He will live!

If he dies, you'll go to prison, and your land will be left in ruins.

I don't give a damn about your land!

If you kill me and go to prison, Bayram will take your wife!

Do you understand now why my Bayram never comes?

I want to spit right in your face, you piece of trash!

Maybe I'm just waiting for you to walk away without spitting.

Come on, drop your tools and pack it up!

Let's go home and have some food.

Sometimes I feel like throwing a punch right at that big broad's face.

I feel like beating her to death!

But damn it, my hand just won't lift!

Suddenly, a plot of land worth six thousand liras appears before my eyes.

And I think about the long, grueling years of debt ahead.

All I want is a house with lots of windows

and walls plastered with white earth.

Then, all at once, this dream just vanishes.

Replaced by a long, endless prison term. Years of pain weigh heavy on my heart.

Let alone killing her, I can't even lay a finger on Irazca!

Go home and wait, I'll go speak with the village headman at once.

We must absolutely find a lamb, First Councillor.

Let's host a proper feast for Mr. District Governor.

We'll find one, headman, we'll find one-but it's a very tough job!

I wonder who even has a lamb right now?

Kara Bayram does. A beautiful yearling.

Kara Bayram? Well, I like the sound of that.

Selamun aleykum.

Aleykum selam. Come on in, Haceli.

But I have bad news for you.

The District Governor is arriving in a few days.

So we will need to collect the money for your house plot immediately.

Well, I have bad news for you too!

That bitter old Iraz, Kara Bayram’s mother,

keeps throwing herself right in front of my pickaxe!

I can't even lay down the foundation!

She tells me, "Shoot me, kill me, and only then can you build your house."

Where is Kara Bayram? Does he have nothing to say?

He just says, "For now, my mother will do the talking."

He’ll probably get involved in this later.

Tonight, I will call a village meeting.

We will settle things with Bayram there.

For now, you go back and keep digging that foundation.

Hi.

Aleykum selam.

Looks like you're almost done with the foundation, Haceli Effendi.

Almost. No thanks to you.

Haceli Effendi, look at me, brother...

In this village of Karatas, how many neighbors have houses situated like mine?

Have you ever counted them?

What if I have?

Nothing, just tell me.

Well, you have about twenty neighbors.

Yet out of all those twenty neighbors,

you choose to build a house right in front of mine.

Did you think I was the only fool around here?

The board has a decision. I deposited 700 liras into the chest.

Apparently, the council thinks just like you do.

You all assumed that Bayram would just take it and wouldn't make a sound!

Look at me, Bayram. If you think

your rights are being violated, go and complain!

Deal with me yourself, stop hiding behind your mother!

Stop playing these sneaky mind games with me!

Get your mother out of the way and face me yourself like a man!

Oh, that will happen too!

I will face you!

Don't you rush me!

Just keep doing your job for now! Dig your foundation.

We will certainly think of something.

Don't be late then! Come quickly!

How are you, mother?

What could possibly happen, Bayram? Everything is fine.

So, what were you doing out there with Haceli all evening, mother?

What was I doing? I was walking back and forth, putting the fear of God into him.

Oh, come on, look at him!

He hasn't given up on digging that foundation.

Looks like he's not even scared!

He is scared, he is! It's just his sneaky politics, he won't let it show!

I won't leave him alone!

You won't leave him alone, mother, but...

Where is all this eventually going to lead?

I just ran into him at the site. I went right at him!

He didn't even give me a nasty reply.

Or it'd be trouble.

Don't let him goad you.

I will handle him!

If I can't, then it'll be up to you.

Pff! What good will my worrying do when it's already too late?

We should go and report this to the headman right now!

Don't be foolish! Let him be the one to sue us!

When the headman calls you, just say:

"I don't know, my mother does" and you'll be off the hook!

Hear ye, hear ye! Don't say you didn't hear!

Tonight, after the night prayer...

...one man from every household...

...must come to Nuri's coffeehouse...

...there will be a meeting!

Hear ye, hear ye! Don't say you didn't hear!

If the headman brings up the matter of Haceli's house plot...

...don't you answer him yourself!

Say exactly what I told you!

Just say: "My mother is the one handling that business!"

Let's see if that's really why they're calling us.

Maybe there's some other lecture to sit through!

The headman just came back from the district center yesterday!

Whatever the case, go and be present...

...and if they start coming at you, reply just like I said!

Now go on, off with you!

There's no rush!

Those conferences won't start until after the night prayer anyway.

You'll have time to drink some tea and get settled! Now, move it!

Alright, I'm on my way.

Come on, daughter-in-law, get ready!

Ahmet! You move it too!

We are going out!

Did something happen, mother? Where are we going?

Just do as I say! Don't ask questions!

Ahmet! Grab the shovel by the hearth!

And you, take that other shovel over there!

Come on, act! Go!

- Keep moving! Come on! - Come on!

Come on.

Come on, you two! This way! Hurry up! Move it, move it!

Be quick.

Start digging! And work as fast as you possibly can!

Let's see what you got, Ahmet Chief! Bragging about a blind snake is easy!

Prove yourself right here!

The snake wasn't blind! It had two eyes, round like chickpeas!

Stop talking and dig! Work, and then we'll see!

Alright, neighbors! Listen up!

Those playing games, put them away.

Nuri! Turn off that radio, will you?

Now, Bayram...

We always thought you were a wise, sensible man!

Gentle, decent, quiet, minding your own business!

You can keep thinking that. I haven't changed.

So, it's true then? Your heart can't accept Haceli digging his foundation?

Whenever Haceli digs,

you send your mother to lie right in front of his pickaxe!

Are you trying to start a blood feud in this village?

I want no part in any blood feud!

And I don't send my mother there. She does it of her own free will!

For now, I am staying out of Haceli's business.

Then why don't you stop your mother?

How can I stop a sixty-year-old woman

who doesn't want a house built right in front of her house?

What do you mean "in front of her house"?!

That land is public village property!

There are twenty people with houses in this village.

Yet out of all twenty, the council decided to sell

the plot right in front of my house!

Well, if you're so unhappy, buy it yourself for the same price!

I don't need a house plot!

Besides, I can't afford that kind of money.

See! Now you're speaking the truth!

Since your pockets aren't deep enough, let someone else buy it!

The village treasury needs the revenue!

Otherwise, I'll have to levy a public tax for the new monument!

And I'm sure the other villagers won't like that one bit!

No matter what you do, I won't accept this! That's my final word!

So that's how it's going to be, huh?

That's how it is!

Keep doing your work, Haceli! No one will dare lay a finger on you!

And you heard my words, Bayram!

Now go and tell your mother exactly what I said!

I'll tell her... But if she doesn't listen, it's out of my hands.

Don't you worry about her listening, we'll make her!

Furthermore, you'd better watch your step in this village from now on!

Fine... We'll see about that!

We should have crushed the snake's head while it was still small!

How could we have known?

Keep digging that foundation, Haceli! I've got your back, carry on!

I lost it, grandma!

What did you lose, Ahmet?

I dreamed of the mate of that snake I killed!

I grabbed a stone...

...and ran after it, but I missed!

It slithered away and vanished into a hole!

Oh, Ahmet Chief! You've turned into a real snake hunter!

We're going to the pine woods with dad tomorrow, right, grandma?

You are!

Wake me up early!

Okay. Come on, sit over there for now and watch for Haceli!

I'll go make you a buttered bread.

If crazy Haceli storms the house, stand at the top of the stairs and hit him...

...right on the head with this!

On his head? With this?

Bring it down on him with all your might!

Nice! Don't you worry about a thing, grandma!

Grandma, crazy Haceli is coming!

This is pure hostility!

Outright enmity, that's what this is!

No real man would ever do such a thing!

That rock-hard earth wasn't easy to dig!

Hold tight, Ahmet!

I'll talk to him first.

But if he doesn't clear out, hit him right on the head with that stick!

May Allah curse you all! Damn you all!

Stop right there, Haceli! Or things will end badly for you!

I will smash your skull right here at the bottom of these stairs!

And I'll get away with it, because you're trespassing!

Let's talk, auntie! Aren't we supposed to use words?

I didn't come here to shed blood!

If you're not here for blood, why are you screaming in my yard?

I have nothing to say to you!

Get the hell out, or I'll smash your brains out!

My God! When did you even fill in the foundation?

Is Bayram really such a coward, auntie?

Bayram had no part in this! Ahmet and I filled it in ourselves!

While you were hosting your late-night conferences!

Didn't you feel any pity for us, auntie?

Did you care about building in front of my house?

We could have been neighbors. Why did we suddenly become enemies?

I don't want you as a neighbor! Stop talking!

Stay here any longer, and you'll get your head split open!

Unload those stones already! What are you waiting for?!

Don't waste your time with those stones, Haceli! Don't even bother.

I will never let you build a house there!

That plot will become your grave!

I'll bury you right there before I let you build anything!

What if I go and try to talk to Irazca myself?

Go!

What should we do with this one, grandma?

Leave her be, let her come. Sit back down!

- God bless your labor, Auntie Iraz! - Welcome.

Have a seat.

Auntie, kill me if you want, but I’d never raise a hand against you!

Heavens no, girl, I’m no murderer. Why on earth would I kill you?

I came to talk to you, auntie.

Why is Ahmet glaring at me like that? Tell him to stop staring daggers!

What can I do, girl? You can't force someone to be kind.

Ask him to step away from us for a bit.

Auntie, aren't you going to send Ahmet away?

Let the boy sit here! Say whatever you have to say.

Otherwise, go away and stop distracting me from my work!

You keep right on working, Auntie!

Just send the boy away so we can talk in private.

Ahmet, go check on your brothers for a bit.

If they wake up, bring them out here.

Come on, Ahmet, I told you to go!

Auntie, judge me or mock my misery if you want!

But I have to say it.

Locked inside me for so long... I'll die if I don't say it!

Fine then, speak your mind.

I so wanted to be your daughter-in-law! But it wasn't meant to be.

Let me at least be your neighbor, auntie!

Hatça proved sharper than me... She came and took her place in your house.

While I was cast down to the worst man of the lower ward.

That crazy Haceli was the one who crossed my path.

It was my fate, I guess. I endure it, but it is so deeply painful!

I’m bound to a wicked man.

Spring never came to my heart.

My youth is slipping away.

I beg of you, don't be so heartless! Just let us be your neighbors!

Otherwise, I’ll die just staring at your home from afar.

If you want to be a good neighbor,

tell your bastard of a husband to clear out of here.

There are plenty of ruins and abandoned plots around us!

Let him take one, clear the rubble, and build his house there!

And stop coveting my son!

Whether you burn or wither inside, can it be helped now?

What's done is done, the ship has sailed.

This is my destiny...

But can a woman truly live out her days with that madman, auntie?

Don't repeat these words to anyone!

Not to Bayram, and absolutely never to Hatça.

And even if a fight breaks out, don't tell Haceli.

Your husband has unloaded the wagon! Get up and don't come back here!

Tell that Haceli of yours to stop resisting! Tell him to back off!

I am a total stranger in this village of Karatas. No one understands my pain.

At least you should understand me, dear auntie!

Poor Fatma...

Ill-fated Fatma...

What sin did she commit to be given to that madman Haceli?

What did she say?

Irazca has a will of iron! There is no changing her mind!

She says to take an abandoned plot and build there.

What is Irazca even hoping for? How can she stop me?

I will fight this to the bitter end!

If I back down, I'm no real man!

I'll start digging that foundation again right now!

They'll just come back at night to refill it!

Let's just drop this dead-end business!

Bah! Damn it all!

Turns out I’ve harbored a snake in my bosom!

Get on the wagon right now and go to where the mud bricks are drying!

Check if they're dry, and bring them straight back to the site!

They are all dry, grandma!

So they are, Ahmet...

These bricks themselves regret being made.

Haceli's bricks would gladly become a good home and a warm hearth.

But this time, they take no joy in it.

Bricks in the field should just welcome the clouds...

...and wait for the pure rain to wash over them!

But look at these!

Haceli's labor is clinging to the dirt out of sheer shame!

Ah, I wish I had a stick as long as a poplar tree...

I would swing it high and smash it right across that shameless Haceli's back!

Sister Iraz, why are you staring at Haceli's mud bricks?

Brother Ak Ali, you know exactly why I'm looking at them.

Seeing if they are dry yet...

See well, sister Irazca!

May it only fuel your resolve!

Smash Haceli to dust! Break him, destroy him!

Do what we, the men, failed to do!

Do I have a choice, Ak Ali?

We must strike Haceli from every side.

The headman is with him. They have money and power.

But your wrath is far stronger!

Your invincible will, your desperate courage...

...as long as you have all this inside you...

...no one can ever defeat you. No one can!

Thank you, Ak Ali.

The way you stand up for us, how you protect us like a stone wall...

...we will never, ever forget it.

Think nothing of it. We are just following our conscience.

Come on, let's leave this place.

It's not right for you to be seen near his bricks.

Let's go, Ak Ali. Let's go and let our anger burn even hotter!

Ahmet, come here. Let's go, my boy!

Where on earth is my mother?

She told me she’d be right back, but she must be delayed.

- What business could she have? - I don't know.

Forget about mother for now. Just look at those two!

No house built yet, but they're already gloating in front of us!

Don't worry, they'll choke on that food!

I'll put shelves all over the room.

We'll put our finest coffee sets on them.

And we'll have a horse in the stable. We'll be living large!

What good is all that if we can't live there in peace?

Building this house doesn't look that easy to me.

Irazca is going to give us a hard time.

She can't beat us! I'll handle her myself!

Even if we build it, what comes next?

A person wants to get along with their neighbors!

Let them be bitter if they want. It’ll only be worse for them!

If old Irazca or Bayram push me, I’ll give them a rough time!

Where on earth have you been, mother? We were getting worried.

Haceli's mud bricks are completely dry.

That means they'll start building right away!

How are we going to make him drop this whole thing?

Haceli's mud bricks are completely dry.

Let them dry, mother! We need to find a real solution to this.

Look, Haceli is already guarding the plot with a shotgun!

Let him guard it! He'll be waiting a long time! The man has no brains.

I won't let him build a house in front of my home!

I don't care about his shotgun, let him bring cannons against me...

...I will never let him build that house.

Mother, let's just eat now.

Mother...

Let them guard their plot tonight.

We are going to smash their mud bricks!

Mother, you’re starting to scare me! What kind of crazy plan is this?

Once the village goes quiet, we’ll all go together!

We'll reduce Haceli's bricks to dust!

Let’s see what he does after that!

Haceli will completely lose his mind!

What if he brings his brothers and comes after us?

Then we’ll stand and face them together!

You, me, Bayram, Ahmet... even Serife and Osman are with us!

Isn't that enough?

A person needs a brave heart, a real heart!

This is how the world works.

We cannot love them now, because they are building an house in front of ours.

But if they drop this whole thing, we will love them again.

I don't know... Could we really love them?

We can, we can.

We must. We must.

People in this world are meant to love one another.

Without love, the days drag on forever.

Without love, you won't even realize you're alive.

If you scowl and your neighbor scowls, what flavor is left in this life?

Humans are born to live in love and harmony.

- Selamun aleykum. - Aleykum selam.

The headman is calling for you, Haceli Efendi.

Right now?

Yes, right now. He’s calling you and Irazca too.

So, there’s a meeting.

You know best. My job is just to deliver the message.

Alright, get ready. I’ll go and tell Irazca.

Mustafa's arrival is not a good sign.

The headman must have sent word.

I don't know, it seems so.

- God bless your meal, Auntie Iraz! - Come, join us!

I’ve already eaten, thanks.

The headman is calling for you.

- Did he call Haceli too? - Yes, I just informed him, as you saw.

Let me walk you there, mother.

I'll go alone.

I'll just take Ahmet with me.

Just hurry up, Auntie Iraz! Don't let Haceli get there before you.

I'll be right there, don't worry.

- Goodbye then. - Safe travels.

I'm leaving now.

Clean up the table, girl.

Alright, mother. I'll just wash the baby first, then I'll clear everything away.

Shh, come over here!

Look at me, Bayram! Listen to me very carefully now!

Keep your eyes wide open!

Those heartless fools might try some dirty trick again!

But you have the shotgun! Don't be afraid, shoot at any shadow!

Stop talking nonsense! Do you want to make me a murderer? Just go!

And don't sleep until I get back!

Remember, wait until it's completely dark! And keep your eyes wide open!

Did you get all that?

Look at me, Irazca!

Whether you agree or not, this house will be built.

So you'd better agree and give in right now!

Otherwise, tomorrow or the next day, you will snap like a dry twig!

Don't worry, we are already broken, headman!

You’d better watch out for yourself!

No one is building a house in front of my home!

Is that your final answer?

You've gone way too far with your woman's mind!

And you will pay dearly for this!

Haceli, you have my full permission! If anyone gets in your way...

...during construction - strike them down, kill them!

Don't be afraid! I am right behind you!

Go on then! If you fail to build it, you’re not even men!

But as long as there is life in this body of mine, I spit on all of you!

- Damn, what a stubborn old hag! - Tell me about it, headman.

Don't you worry, Haceli. Just keep working.

I won't let anyone push you around!

But right now, we have a delicate matter to handle. Let's focus on that.

Good news I hope.

Not exactly good, but let's hope for the best.

We need to slaughter a prime lamb for the district governor!

And only Kara Bayram has a prime lamb like that.

And? What do we do now, headman?

You are going to take care of this!

Headman, explain the plan so Haceli knows his part!

- What am I supposed to do? - Listen carefully!

Under the cover of all this chaos,

we are going to take and slaughter Kara Bayram's prime lamb!

I cannot live away from you anymore, Bayram!

And if you can't, what then? It's not like we can be together.

Take me away! Run away with me!

Lock me in your barn if you want!

None of that is possible. Stop daydreaming, face reality!

Then just let us be neighbors! At least we'll be close!

Tell your husband to clean up one of the abandoned plots and build there!

- He is stubborn, he won't back down! - That's his choice.

I beg you, do this for my sake!

I couldn't have you, but at least don't be out of my sight!

You stay out of this, Fatma.

Don't turn me away, accept me!

No. I won't let your husband build a house here!

Shh! Someone's coming!

Haceli will be here any minute. I'm leaving!

Don't leave me alone, Bayram! At least see me from time to time! Or I'll die!

The moment you give me a sign, I'll be here.

Fatma!

Where the hell are you, damn!

Shh, stop shouting like that!

I just climbed down into the pit for a moment. Tell me, what happened?

How should I know? I got worried when I didn't see you.

I'm going home. Don't forget to bring the bedding back!

- Why don't you stay here? - Are you crazy?

Do you want the whole village laughing at us?

It's our land, isn't it?

Who cares what anyone thinks!

What took you so long? That crazy Haceli almost ran into you!

Hurry up, we are going to smash the bricks!

I'm ready! Get Hatça and Ahmet sorted, and let's go.

But first, tell me what you discussed with the headman!

Ahmet is ready, I just need to wake Hatça.

While I do that, get the hoes and shovels ready!

I’ll tell you tomorrow what the headman said.

Fine, fine.

Ahmet! Come out to the porch, my boy. Your father is waiting!

Wake up, Hatça, my poor girl! This is no time to sleep!

What's the matter, mother?

We are going to shatter our enemies' bricks!

Not a single one must stay whole!

Mother, we'll only cause trouble!

Don't be afraid! No one can do anything to us! Get up!

Take this! And we'll give these tools to grandma and your mother.

Are we going to break all of Haceli's bricks, father?

If he gets in our way, we’ll break his skull too!

Let's do it, father!

Hand over our "weapons"!

Lead the way, Bayram. Let's go in a single file line.

Keep your distance from each other! Move, move!

No work today, my girl. Why are you up?

You should have stayed in bed and rested a bit!

I'm already up, no use going back to bed.

What's this? You're up too, Bayram?

Go back to sleep, my boy!

Get a good sleep for once!

I've slept enough, mother. Hatça...

- Is the water jug outside? - Yes, it's outside, Bayram!

I'll just go and let the chickens out.

Have you lost your mind? Have you gone completely crazy?

- Shut up! - Get off me! Let me go!

Let me go!

I think I'm going to faint!

Get the hell out of here! Go away and don't come back!

I don't want to see your face!

If you're going to sleep, just sleep! I don't need your pawing!

Aren't you my wife? I'll do whatever I damn well please!

You can't force love!

Where?

I said let go!

Let me go, for God's sake!

Don't go!

Is something wrong, girl?

No, nothing, dear.

You just looked at me as if you were calling me.

That's why I followed you.

Perfect for the feast!

Well, Haceli... You’re actually useful for once in your life.

I just hope Irazca and Bayram don't start a huge fight over this lamb.

Come on... We'll say it was a mistake and find a way out of it.

Or we'll buy him off with pennies!

No matter what, Bayram will never accept this!

First, you build a house before his.

Then you steal and calmly slaughter his prime lamb...

...just to throw a feast for the district governor!

Auntie, don't make us look like common thieves! It was just a mistake!

Hurry, Haceli! Come quick!

Your bricks are ruined, destroyed! They smashed them all to pieces, go look!

Oh, damn it all! They hit me right where it hurts!

Run, quick, find Mustafa! Before this turns into disaster!

Out of the way, you beasts! They are savages, animals!

Is this how you treat people?!

Do these people have any heart at all?!

May Allah curse you all!

Don't you have any conscience left?!

How could you commit such a low, dirty trick?!

I won't let any of you live!

If I don't gun down that Kara Bayram...

...don't ever call me Crazy Haceli again!

Speak up, you heartless witch!

How could you smash it all?!

No! Don't hit me!

Stop it! Help!

Help, Bayram! Come quick! Are you dead or alive in there?!

- He's going to kill your wife! - Bayram!

He's killing my daughter-in-law! He's beating her to death!

Bayram!

Hit him! Hit him!

Kill him! What are you waiting for?! Since he dared to come to our home.

Hit him! Hit him!

Hit him!

Kill him!

Separate them! He'll kill him!

Let me go! Let me go!

I will wipe your entire family out of this village!

Don't hold me back, let me go! For God's sake, let me go!

Uncle Ak Ali, please let go! Let me finish this coward!

I'll destroy your whole bloodline!

Say your prayers, Kara Bayram!

I'll show you!

You don't have a shred of manhood! Weren't you ashamed to beat a woman?!

You're the one who should say your prayers!

Let's see who comes out on top!

Haceli's brothers are coming!

Let me go, let me go!

Freeze! Anyone who takes a step forward gets their skull smashed!

Uncle Ak Ali, stay out of this! Get out of our way!

No! I won't allow a bloodbath in my village!

Fine, have it your way. If not today, we’ll finish this tomorrow!

Hey, Kara Bayram, don't you worry! We will make you pay for this!

Let me go! Don't hold me back, let me go!

Don't hold me back! Let me go!

Let's go!

My mud bricks are gone!

They didn't leave a single one whole.

Without them holding me, I’d have killed that godless Bayram!

Shut up for a moment, will you?! It’s our turn to attack now!

I’ll show them who I am!

Mustafa, go get Haceli's brothers right now.

Tell them to come straight here without wasting time!

After that, station a lookout on the hill!

He must warn us early when the governor arrives.

And finally, summon Kara Bayram to me!

- Move it, right now! - Yes, sir!

Why are you up?

I'm washing the laundry myself! Go back upstairs and rest!

I'm completely fine, mother. The pain is gone.

It just aches a little...

- ...but that will pass too! - Do as I tell you!

Pregnancy is no joke! You must take good care of the baby inside you!

Don't you worry, mother.

How are you, Auntie Iraz? Is Bayram inside? The headman wants him.

He's upstairs. Just call him down.

Bayram! Bayram! Look out for a moment, brother!

What is it, Mustafa? What happened this time?

The headman wants to see you urgently. You must come right away!

Haceli must have filed a complaint already!

The world is upside down! The guilty party screams the loudest!

Instead of us complaining about him, that madman goes and complains about us!

Look, Mustafa, what if I don't come?

You'll just make me walk back here again, that's all!

Since he summoned you, go and see what it's about.

If you don't go, you'll be the one to blame.

He's just going to shout and bark at me now!

He'll demand: "Why did you smash the bricks? Why did you beat Haceli?"

Good! Go and give him a piece of your mind!

Tell him he had no right to build a house in front of ours.

Tell him how he trespassed and beat your wife!

We need to report this headman to the district governor!

But we must catch the governor before he gets there!

Before he drinks their raki, eats their food,

and sleeps in their bed, we must tell him the truth!

If we have to, we will do exactly that! First, just go to the headman.

After that, we'll have every right to complain to the governor!

Let's go, Bayram! Don't make me come after you again!

Let's go, Mustafa, let's go.

Now go upstairs and lie down! What a stubborn woman, you never listen!

Mother, tell her to drop this work and go upstairs.

As if anyone forced her to do the laundry!

I told her, but she won't listen!

Go on now, I'll send her upstairs.

Go on, Hatça, go on, my gentle daughter-in-law!

- Go upstairs! Go on, my dear! - Alright, mother.

Forgive me.

I must be just tired...

Of course you are, why on earth did you start washing! Go upstairs now!

Oh!

Are you fainting, my girl?

Hatça! My daughter-in-law!

Bayram! Neighbors!

What am I supposed to do?! Oh Lord!

Blood! Blood! There's blood everywhere!

My girl is losing her baby!

Neighbors! Neighbors!

Wake up, my girl! Come to your senses, my dear!

Come out here, quickly! Neighbors!

Come inside, midwife. Look what they've done to my daughter-in-law!

See what they did to this poor girl!

May the hands that struck you wither and rot!

You stay here. I'm going to run and check on my Bayram.

My heart aches with fear. I pray nothing happens to him too!

What's this? Who on earth is this?

Good Lord, there is a man lying on the floor!

Why, it's our Bayram, you guys!

Look at you, Bayram! What happened to you?

Well... they beat the living daylights out of me.

How did you let them tie you up like this? Get up, my brave lion, get up!

I can't get up!

Look at me, Bayram!

Now listen to me carefully!

First, you filled in Haceli's foundation pit.

Then you went and smashed his mud bricks.

On top of that, you dragged him to your yard and beat him black and blue!

Haceli filed an official complaint against you, brother!

So, what's my punishment then?

The law will decide your punishment!

But if you compensate him for the bricks, we won't need to involve the law.

Otherwise, I will ruin your entire life!

And doesn't your law speak for us too?

They beat my wife and assaulted me! Does the law say nothing?

Man, what kind of fool are you? Do people throw stones at the Sultan's dog?

Do you have any brains at all?

Will your stubbornness win you anything?

You're wasting your youth, I pity you! Just drop this nonsense!

That rotten, lowlife scoundrel!

Have you turned into bandits in broad daylight?! You are ruining our lives!

Where is that Crazy Haceli? Where is the man they call the headman?

What's wrong, Irazca?

Why are you so obsessed with Haceli?

If Mad Mehmet's boys unite and come after you,

they’ll scatter you all like chicks!

I spit on their entire bloodline!

And that lowlife husband of yours is right there with them!

Watch your mouth! Speak with some respect!

How is my husband a lowlife?

He’s the most shameless crook in this village!

If your vile husband weren't in league with them...

...Crazy Haceli wouldn't dare speak against us!

What is this, you thieving dogs?! What is this?!

This is our lamb! Our prime lamb!

You shameless woman, we knew your husband was the headman,

but we didn't know he was a thief!

Do you understand now why he is a lowlife?

Where is that rotten scoundrel? Tell me where he is!

He's upstairs, isn't he? I'll show him right now!

Don't you worry! I'll handle that mother myself.

We gave you an inch, and you took us for cowards!

Where is that rotten headman? Where is that bandit leader?!

My Bayram! What have they done to you, my boy?

They wrecked me, mother!

Cruel monsters! You tortured my brave boy!

God’s wrath upon you!

Shameless, lowlife bastards!

You lamb thieves! Murderers!

My boy’s wife is losing her baby!

I will throw you all behind bars!

I will shame you before the whole world!

Get up, Bayram, get up, my dear boy! Let's go!

- Hold me, mother... hold me... - May you go blind! Curse you all!

May your names be erased! May the earth swallow you whole!

You tyrants, executioners!

Spawn of devil!! Bastard scoundrels!

Shameless! Dishonorable! Scum!

You utter filth!

If the miscarriage case goes to court... it's over for us, headman!

Haceli will definitely end up in jail! We never considered this!

And if that happens, we'll go down right along with him!

Oh, headman! This house has ruined me!

Get lost! Are you only just starting to realize that now?!

You thieving dog!

You bandit leader!

You're the headman, but what's it worth if you're no human being!

Stooping so low as to steal a lamb!

Hear this, neighbors! Listen and know the truth!

You only dare drag a tied man inside and have him beaten!

It's not just Haceli to blame! It's that lowlife, shameless headman!

Let me go and check on them.

What happened, Bayram? Irazca, why is he like this?

It's bad, uncle! We fell into the headman's trap, and they beat me!

Brother Ak Ali, they slaughtered our prime lamb!

They're throwing a feast for the governor!

But we already paid him for the hosting expenses!

We paid too! But look what they did!

They shouldn't push it too far! This will end badly!

They don't have a shred of conscience!

Hear me! Look! Look and bear witness!

See what they've done to my Bayram!

Oh, merciful God... How is Hatça?

The baby is 3 and a half months old. She hasn't miscarried yet, thank God.

But the bleeding is very heavy.

Your daughter-in-law is in grave danger, it's uncertain if she'll make it!

But let's not lose hope... I will do everything I can.

If I don't destroy their entire bloodline, shame on me!

I'm going straight to the governor right now!

I beg you, please stay here by her side!

The riders are in sight, headman!

The governor is coming! The gendarme commander and Osman are with him!

- Are they close? - They're flying this way like the wind!

Good, excellent! Get up, my friends!

Move it, don't just stand there!

Once the governor appears by the orchards strike up the welcome march!

Play it with passion! Make it touch his very soul!

Don't worry, headman!

When he gets within 15 meters, make sure to take off your hats!

He'll greet us, and we must all shout "Thank you!" in unison!

Next, he will ask how you are doing.

Don't you dare say "Good!" Just reply "Thank you!" again!

Of course he already knows we are doing fine.

He's studied in schools for years! He's the governor!

He knows it, but he has to ask! It's just proper etiquette!

You won't find a headman like me, even if you advertise on the radio!

See how much I've taught you in such a short time?

The inspection begins in 2 minutes!

Show him your headman is good and the administration is hardworking!

We greet the district chief in Igdeli... The corporal in Egret...

But the governor must be welcomed right here!

If the party leader came, we'd go further down the road!

But for the governor, this exact spot is perfect!

Perfectly suitable!

Stop!

Stop, my governor! Please don't just pass us by!

Go ahead, mother. Do you have something to say?

My boy, welcome to our village of Karatas.

The headman has lined up the locals and is coming with drums and flutes!

But I have a grievance to tell you!

Let them wait. I am listening to you.

Speak as freely as you wish.

Good, let's walk together then.

- We can walk while I explain it all. - Let's go then, mother.

Look, my governor...

You were born from a mother too!

You have a mother of your own!

And mothers surely love their sons!

The headman treacherously summoned my Bayram...

...and had him severely beaten this morning!

My son can barely take a step now!

And that Crazy Haceli...

...raided our yard and beat my daughter-in-law!

My poor girl lost her baby at 3 and a half months.

And they even stole our prime lamb! Shame on them!

Do you know what the headman did with that lamb? He slaughtered it!

To serve it to you for dinner tonight!

On top of that, they forced every household to pay money.

They called it "raki money for the governor"!

Look at the vile thing that scoundrel did! This is downright banditry!

You didn't forget my words, did you?!

Never say "Good!" Just keep shouting "Thank you!"

Say it exactly like that and make a good impression.

Don't take sides!

Just be fair.

Just don't indulge the headman, so he doesn't grow bolder!

If you are honest, I’ll meet you on your way back!

But if you are one of those corrupt people whose favor can be bought...

...I will never take a step toward you or even look at you again

Now ride your horse ahead! Let no one see us together.

Alright, mother, don't worry. I will handle this matter.

May Allah protect you for your parents and your children!

But don't you worry yourself too much.

We are used to it, my boy, we are patient.

You shouldn’t worry, mother.

And don't fear, I won't let anyone hurt you.

- Goodbye for now! - Farewell, my boy! Farewell!

Line up, stand properly!

Those with newer clothes, step to the front!

Those with rags and patches, to the back!

Attention! Take off your hats!

Beat the drum! Play with all your might, move it!

Have a look at this headman's vain display.

Look at these drums and flutes.

And look at this crowd!

He lined up the people like a flock of sheep!

Yet these are our people, this is our nation.

People accustomed to centuries of suffering.

Hollow, escaping eyes.

Sunburned, unwashed faces.

Silence! Stop the music!

- Peace be upon you! - Peace be upon you!

- Hello, how are you? - Thank you!

We're fine! Seeing you made us feel better!

- Hello, how are you? - We are thankful!

- Hello! - Bless you, we pray for you!

- Hello, little one! Hello! - Thank you.

- Hello. - Thank you.

You have disgraced me! May you be punished! All of you!

What is happening, Osman Efendi? Is the world upside down?

Everything is perfect, Osman Efendi! The prime lamb and raki are ready!

- You're a sly fox, headman! - I know my way around!

Let me kiss your hand, my dear sir!

Bless you. Thank you.

Good Lord, is there no one with a grievance? Is everyone doing fine?

It's just a habit of speech, governor. Don't take it to heart.

Enough ceremonies! Let's walk into the village.

Please! Please, step inside!

How is the village construction, headman?

- Thanks to you, my lord! - I asked how it's going!

Thanks to you, new houses are being built, my lord!

- This is a foundation pit, isn't it? - A house foundation, sir!

Haceli, our council member, is building it.

Good. Did Haceli inherit this land from his father?

- No, sir, he bought it! - From where, and from whom?

This is actually the village's common land, sir.

We put it up for sale by council decision, and Haceli won it.

Do you plan to sell more public land?

Our council will sell more, sir. We need money for a monument!

Forget about the monument for a moment!

You don't necessarily have to sell village land for that!

You will find other ways to fund the monument!

Answer me now... Is there an official decision for these lands you sold?

Yes, sir, we are taking it!

Does my office approve it?

We will present it to you for approval soon, sir.

You will cancel this decision!

Selling land within the village is forbidden!

Those who need new houses must buy ruins and build there!

Lieutenant, please give orders to the station.

- They must handle this matter! - Yes, sir!

- You understand me, headman? - I understand, sir. I understand.

In that case... bring our horses, we are leaving.

I beg you, sir, we made all the preparations!

We killed a lamb, at least stay for some soup!

You eat that yourself, headman!

My brave lion, my champion, you are a unique governor!

May Allah bless your work! My hawk, my falcon!

Wait, I have one more complaint for you!

Tell me, mother, go ahead! Explain it freely.

What about the assault? What about my boy's wife losing her 3.5-month baby?

Go straight to the public prosecutor!

Show witnesses and proof, and take them to court! The punishment is severe!

Goodbye! I hope we meet again!

Farewell, governor!

Goodbye, governor.

May Allah clear your path!

True mothers give birth to such men! Thank the Lord!

Alright, let's go to my place!

Couldn't you find another time to cough?! Or are you mocking me?!

I wouldn't dare do such a thing... I swear, I just caught a cold!

Welcome, my friends!

At least let's throw a feast for ourselves!

Sit wherever you like, no formalities!

Open it up, Mustafa! Pour the raki!

Huseyin, play something for us, brother!

Strike up a Zeybek tune to cheer our souls!

Is this how you treat the headman of a whole village?!

There is a proper way for everything!

First, he was supposed to come and shake hands with the headman!

And only after that, say hello to the villagers!

Just "Peace be upon you" and that's it?!

We made such massive preparations for him!

A governor in a village must absolutely eat lamb!

He didn't touch our food, he didn't even drink our coffee!

Instead, he went along with whatever that old hag said!

Damn it, Haceli! All this happened because of your stupid head!

You don't trespass into a household in broad daylight!

They said the daughter-in-law is in bad shape. Any news on how she is?

It's still very bad, headman!

- Go ahead and bring news quickly. - Yes, sir!

I've done all I can, sister Irazca!

The rest is in Allah's hands now!

If there is any trouble, let me know and I'll come right back!

Tell me the truth, sister Havali! How is Hatça?

Only Allah knows that!

If only this bleeding would stop, it would be so much better!

I see!

If it doesn't stop by morning, we will lose her!

Oh, my poor, poor girl!

I feel like strangling or killing someone right now!

I can barely contain myself! We can't even go to court in this state.

If we go later, won't it be too late?

Why would it be too late? Of course not!

Even if you go to the government in 6 months, they'll still accept it!

The whole village is a witness, we all saw it!

Are we supposed to tell the truth only in the afterlife?

The world feels like a dungeon to me! I just want to have a long, bitter cry!

Dark days don't last forever! Those in distress won't stay in trouble for good.

Goodbye, neighbor, I'll visit again soon! Stay safe!

Thank you, sister Havali, farewell!

Auntie Irazca! Auntie Irazca!

Don't blame the messenger! I'm just delivering the headman's words!

How is Hatça? He is waiting for an official answer from you!

That shameless headman's pants are on fire now, aren't they?

I'll show him!

If you wanted revenge, do it in the dark!

Hold the fire with tongs or you'll burn your hands.

Who strikes a pregnant woman with a stone in broad daylight?!

How could I've known she's pregnant? I couldn't see anything past my rage.

If anything happens to Hatça, you'll find out what's what.

Stop coughing and speak! I'm almost dying of suspense here!

- It's very bad, headman. - Is it so bad? - Indeed.

Things are looking grim for you, my boy Haceli.

Irazca is shouting that they will seek bitter revenge!

We must find a solution to this right away, Haceli!

Otherwise, it will end in disaster!

Oh, Haceli! You turned out to have no brains at all!

You trapped yourself and dragged us down with you!

I swear by Allah, headman, it's your turn to think!

If I had any brains, would I ever end up in this situation?

Brother, get me out of this swamp!

The only way out is to make peace! There is no other option!

Don't think the law will let you off the hook!

To make peace, you must first fill in the foundation!

Next, you pay for the lamb!

What about our hard work that went to waste? What about that?

Your work went to waste, but the woman didn't miscarry!

Your house wasn't raided!

Legally, you are completely in the wrong now!

- Headman, you are burning us alive! - You burned yourself, not me!

You are! You are! You are!

Headman, don't pressure us so hard!

You started this mess, and now you're backing out!

You never had the brains for this! Step back and shut up!

You step back! From now on, we do the talking!

Haceli, you haven't learned your lesson.

You're still seeking advice from the headman!

The time for talk is over!

Just say it, and we'll burn their house down right now!

If you dare to do that, you'll have to face me first!

I am completely on Bayram's side, and remember that once and for all!

There's always someone stronger, Uncle Ak Ali! Don't talk down to us!

When the Mad Mehmet's boys set their minds on something, they do it!

- Mark my words! - We'll meet again!

Oh, we will! And very soon!

Listen, Haceli, don't follow those fools!

Their path leads straight to prison!

Before it's too late, agree to a settlement!

Stop your brothers before they do something stupid!

Mustafa!

Take my horse and ride like hell to the medic!

Find the medic Shakir! Make him come here one way or the other.

- Go, right now! Move! - Right away, sir!

Change your mind!

Stop being so stubborn! Otherwise, you'll end up losing badly.

You don't have a drop of sense! They don't call you Crazy Haceli for nothing!

It’s hard to fill in the foundation you dug, headman.

This is like death for Crazy Haceli, but what choice did we have?

Bayram's side won this case. We had to find a compromise.

- Hello, Haceli! - May your work come easy.

Oh, hello, headman! Try doing it yourself if it's so easy!

- Welcome, Shakir Efendi! - Good to be here!

How are you, Aunt Irazca? May we enter?

I brought medic Shakir to you!

Come on in.

- Peace be upon you. - Sorry for your trouble..

Welcome, please come in!

You are not a man worth looking at, headman.

But look, my son still welcomed you!

I know it's wrong to complain in front of a guest, but...

My heart is filled with agony!

We didn't come to listen to your whining! I mean you no harm!

Let the patient recover, then you can do whatever you want!

Go on, Shakir Efendi. We'll let you focus on your work.

You beat an innocent, helpless poor woman!

What right did you have to hit her with that huge stone?

You cold-hearted, son of a madman!

I hope Hatça recovers!

If she lives, I'll gladly crawl on my knees at Bayram's doorstep!

Be quiet! Shut the hell up!

What is her general condition?

Good! We must continue the injections for a few more days!

Don't worry about the injections, Irazca!

We'll make Haceli pay for it all!

Fine, but what about our lost child, headman?

And who is going to pay for our beating?

Better we had died than to see this day, brother Haceli!

The honor of Mad Mehmet's boys is stained!

The most dangerous enemy pretends to be weak!

Look how the headman caved in too! We are defeated!

You should have listened to us!

Tell us to kill, we’d kill! To strike, we’d strike!

But you stubbornly did everything your own way!

Don't talk like that! Get out of here!

Don't play with fire near gunpowder! What's done is done.

Keep out of this with your woman's logic!

If I were him, I'd give you a good beating right here in public!

Look over there!

See whose side the headman has taken now?

See the truth and listen to me. Stop being a coward!

Don't shame the name of Mad Mehmet's sons!

Peace be upon you, brothers!

Today is Friday. The noon call to prayer is about to start.

Leave the work, let's go to the mosque. We shouldn't miss the sermon.

After that, we'll think hard about what to do next.

Alright, let's go.

O congregation of Muslims!

O brothers in faith!

Our sermon today is about trust in Allah!

Never attempt to return evil for the evil done to you!

Is our Almighty Lord unable to correct the injustices of this world?

In letting things take their course,

He has profound purposes and goals

that we mortals cannot fathom!

Rest assured with all your soul that no evil will go unpunished!

Whether in this world or the next is unknown!

In the eyes of Allah, there is no virtue greater than patience,

and nothing more blessed than moderation!

This is the last injection. Get well soon!

Thank you, may your hands never know pain!

Oh, Shakir Efendi! Now that things have come to this, what should we do?

Should we take them to court or settle with the headman? Give me advice!

Well, it is up to you.

If you go to court, both Haceli and the headman will be punished.

But those men are very cunning.

Do you really think you can defeat the headman?

Suppose Haceli goes to prison. What will you gain from that?

He will get out eventually and always be breathing down your neck!

It would be better to end this matter right here.

Fine, but what about our beating?

Who will answer for what they did to Hatça?

No one.

Courts are a dead end. In a village, you must handle things yourself.

So, fearing a fox, must we guard the hen house every night?!

Yes, Aunt Irazca, no other choice.

Hurry! Drop everything, Bayram!

Help, Uncle Bayram! A snake bit my mother!

Shakir Efendi, let's go, brother! Help us there!

Let me grab my bag, and we go!

Hurry!

- Where is the wound? - Oh, my brother!

Prepare some hot water immediately! Boil the metal tongs.

Let them boil thoroughly.

Find a rope and tie the leg immediately!

Even snakes, being just snakes, never leave an injury unavenged!

Yet we, as human beings,

stand submissive and cowering before our enemies!

We couldn't even match the snakes! Shame on us!

This is beneath human dignity!

A person must know their enemy!

And never let an insult go unpunished!

We will file a formal complaint!

Neither Haceli nor the headman, can stop us from doing this!

Get ready, Bayram! Tomorrow we are going to town!

Straight to the State Prosecutor!

The End