A rare gem of a book, this bilingual (English and Hebrew) volume makes available the Sefer Mesholim (Book of Fables), a Yiddish anthology of fables published in Germany in 1697 by Moses ben Eliezar Wallich. The 34 fables, derived mainly from Greek (Aesop) and Arabic sources as well as medieval Hebrew and German tales, feature both human and animal characters. Typical are an adulterous young wife who is blackmailed by her lover and a wealthy man who gorges on food while a supplicating beggar nearly starves. Irony, humor, trenchant social observation and vivid description of Jewish custom and daily life pervade the stories, which flail greed, false piety, deceit, sloth and hypocrisy. In one, a stork prepares kreplech (boiled dumplings) and other Jewish delicacies for his guest, a wily fox. Katz's literal, lively translation, though it abandons the rhyme and meter of the Yiddish texts, conveys their yeasty, conversational flavor. Included are 115 facsimiles of the original pages, which feature charming woodcut illustrations and beautiful typography. Katz, a translator of I.L. Peretz's stories, provides a scholarly introduction establishing the social setting and linguistic framework of the stories in this volume.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
The Safer Meshalim (also known as the Kuhbuch) has been the most popular collection of Yiddish fables in Europe since it was first published in the late 17th century. Although a German translation appeared in 1926, this is the first English translation of these 34 wry, witty, and utterly charming tales. Most of the fables are Aesopian in nature, featuring sly foxes, hungry wolves, cats, dogs, mice, and other familiar creatures; others feature unfaithful wives, lazy servants, and other familiar humans. All are based on Jewish belief and daily life. This is an extraordinary piece of scholarship by Katz (emeritus European American studies and linguistics, Sonoma State Coll.), a careful yet lively translation (presented along with the original Yiddish), and a most delightful and instructive book, with wonderful wood-cut illustrations. Highly recommended for scholars as well as general readers of all ages.
Marcia Welsh, Guilford Free Lib., Ct.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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