For the rolls:
1 cup warm water
3 packages dry yeast
½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
3 eggs
1¼ teaspoons salt
6½ to 7 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:
2 cups melted butter
3 cups dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons cinnamon

1. Stir the warm water with the yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and allow it to stand undisturbed for 5 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan until it is scalding, that is, until it is almost boiling, but not quite. Take the milk off the heat and stir in the butter, then stir in the eggs, one at a time, and the salt, whisking well after each addition. The butter and the eggs should cool the milk to a warm room temperature. Add yeast mixture.
   
3. Stir in six cups of the flour, one cup at a time. The first two or three cups may be stirred in with a wire whisk; the mixture will resemble a smooth cake batter. Subsequent cups should be stirred in with a wooden spoon, and the mixture will become a sticky dough that leaves the sides of the bowl.
   
4. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the remaining flour on a smooth board or a countertop and turn the dough out of the bowl onto the flour-covered surface. Knead the dough by folding it over and over itself until it is smooth, satiny and resilient, almost springy. Sprinkle on more of the flour as needed to keep it from sticking to the board or your hands.
   
5. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large, well-buttered bowl, turning it once to coat the top of the ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until it is doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
   
6. Make the filling by whisking the melted butter, the brown sugar and the cinnamon into a glossy syrup. After the dough has risen, turn it out of the bowl onto a floured board and roll it out into a rectangle, 24 by 20 inches. Spread the entire surface of the dough with the filling and roll it up, starting on a long side and ending with the seam on the bottom.
   
7. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 16 equal portions. Place the rolls in two well-buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pans. Cover the pans with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they are doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
   
8. When they are risen, bake the rolls until they are nicely browned and the filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Immediately invert the pans onto serving platters or cookie sheets, brush any extra syrup from the pan onto the rolls.