VINI-DER-PU, A Yiddish Version of Winnie-the-Pooh (Yiddish Edition) [Hardcover]

A. A. Milne (Author), Ernest H. Shepard (Illustrator), Leonard Wolf (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000

Add Yiddish to the thirty-one languages into which A. A. Milne's classic Winnie-the-Pooh has been translated. Follow our Bear as he climbs the tree in search of honey (Krakh! "Oy gevalt!") and as he sings "Cottleston Pie" (translated here Varshever, varshever, varshever tort). And savor Ernest H. Shepard's memorable black-and-white illustrations.

Longtime Pooh lover and noted Yiddish scholar Leonard Wolf has meticulously translated this British classic into the German-Jewish language that is alive and well and being reclaimed by young and old. Now fluent speakers and students alike can add the Best Bear in All the World to their Yiddish libraries.

Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: Yiddish (translation)
Original Language: English

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: Yiddish
• ISBN-10: 0525463380
• ISBN-13: 978-0525463382
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,519,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cute, August 20, 2000

By 

Larry Mark "editor of MyJewishBooks.com" (nyc) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: VINI-DER-PU, A Yiddish Version of Winnie-the-Pooh (Yiddish Edition) (Hardcover)

This is in TRANSLITERATION. Now you can add Yiddish to the list of 31 languages in which Pooh appears. Read about Vini-der-Pooh, Iya (eeyore), Khazerl (Piglet), and Kristofer Robin, as they munch on Varshaver Tort / Warsaw Cake (Cottleston Pie), and play near Khazerls Hoyz, Kangus Hoyz, Binenboym, Farfleytst Plats, Pu Bers Hoyz, and Hundert akordiker Wald. The book starts with a transliteration pronunciation page, but you really need to know Yiddish to proceed. Ten chapters follow. Each chapter begins with just a paragraph in Yiddish/Hebrew characters. This is followed by the story in Yiddish transliteration in English characters and Ernest Shepard's original illustrations. I was disappointed that there is no English translation, but one can easily just buy the English version also. The easy stuff is "Kristofer Robin hot gornisht gezogt, nor di oygn zenen im alts greser gevorn un des ponem alts Rozever" or when Vini der Pu says "Gut Morgn, and Kristofer Robin replies "Gut-yor, Vini dur Pu" But when Vini der Pu is a narisher alter Ber, and visits Kinigls (rabbit) and is a frayer and ferklempt and everyone must try to pull him out of the hole, the Yiddish is a tad harder. For example, "hot er ongekhapt Puen far di federshte lapes un kinigl hot ongekhapt Kristofer, un Kinigls, un Kinigls ale khaveyrim, un kroyvim hobn ongekhapt Kiniglem, un ale tsuzamen hobn zey getsoygn..." Translated by Leonard Wolf of NYU (Adjunct) and SFSU (Emeritus).

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting attempt, but uses transliteration, July 27, 2000

By 

George J. Fogel - See all my reviews

This review is from: VINI-DER-PU, A Yiddish Version of Winnie-the-Pooh (Yiddish Edition) (Hardcover)

An interesting attempt at creating a Yiddish translation of the beloved children's classic. This is an "official" version of the book, using the original illustrations. Unfortunately (and this is a major drawback) except for the first paragraph of each chapter, the book is entirely in transliteration: it does not present Yiddish using the Hebrew alphabet. While this might be a boon to some, it is a definite drawback to students of Yiddish and native speakers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I miss the Yiddish Letters, August 10, 2000

By 

S. Macht (Los Angeles, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: VINI-DER-PU, A Yiddish Version of Winnie-the-Pooh (Yiddish Edition) (Hardcover)

I agree with the previous reviewer. The book is quite lovely and a wonderful idea - to not only have one's childhood favorite but to have it in the language of one's parents and grandparents. The familiarity and nostalgia make it a heart-warming buy. But yes, the missing element is seeing and being able to read Yiddish as it was written. Having a transliteration was, I must say, a surprise when I received the book. Clearly, for so many of us who strain to decipher the Hebrew letters, it'd be wonderful to have both - the actual Yiddish and the transliteration, side by side. Nevertheless, a wonderful present for new parents and grandparents - even if just to hold in their hands....