A Treasury of Jewish Fables

Abstract

Here is the second of two extra copies of this paperback book. This paperback facsimile replica of the 1917 hardbound edition published in London by Robert Scott, Roxburghe House, contains eight stories. They often involve magic and miracles. There are two Elijah stories. Three stories are of most interest to fable researchers. The Two Jewels (43) is a fable within a longer story, like Nathan's story for David. King Pedro asks Ephraim the Jew to give an honest opinion of whether Christianity or Judaism is better. Ephraim, on the day on which he is supposed to give his answer, comes agitated and tells this story. His friend, a jeweler, gave a jewel to each of his two sons. The sons brought the jewels to Ephraim for assessment. When he advised that they ask their father to assess the jewels, the sons abused him. King Pedro claims that they should be punished, and Ephraim admonishes him to listen to the words of his own mouth. In The Clever Wife (69), the loving husband will divorce the wife for her sake, for they have no children, and will allow her to take one thing from the household. She gets him sleepy and drunk and takes him! The last story is FC (87), acknowledged as the thirteenth fable in R. Berachyah's Fox Fables. There are five simple illustrations (listed on viii), including one for FC (86).