Reading Diary B: Jewish Fairy Tales

(The Fairy Frog found here)

The Sleep of One Hundred Years:

• Jersulaem had been destroyed. Onias wept and wished that it would be rebuilt.
• He fell asleep for 100 years and over that time Jerusalem had been restored.
• He did not believe it and thought it was a dream. It was then explained to him.
• Eventually he asked his grandson to lead him to his permanent resting place.

King for Three Days:

• Leader of the Crusades, Godfrey de Bouillon, hated Jews.
• His troops slaughtered a large number of Jews, but wanted the blessing of a rabbi.
• Rabi says he will be king for three days, Bouillon says if he is king for more he will put the rabbi to death.
• The Rabbi's prophecy came true and he became true but the hardships also happened. Bouillon was certain that the Rabbi was wrong. 

The Higgledy-Piggledy Palace:

• Collecting taxes on riches, Sarah was a rare jewel.
• "Come," said the king, "be not foolish. I cannot be angry with a creature so fair as thou art. But it is not meet—nay, it is not wise—to utter threats to one who wears a crown."
• A plague was brought upon the king and he accused Sarah of being a witch. 
• Sarah is Abraham's wife, and he tells them that the plague will hit again (like the one mentioned in the bible)

The Rabbi's Bogey-Man:

• Rabbi was troubled and needed a servant on Sabbath
• He built a man, which children were scared of and called the Bogey-man.
• The Bogey-man turned into a monster because he didn't want the rabbi to control him.
• He wanted to kill all the Jews.
• Rabbi killed him and now the story is told at the Synagogue.

The Fairy Frog:

• Hanina, the only son, visits his dying parents and is told to go to the market place and buy the first thing sold to him.
• He buys a silver basket that can only be opened by him on passover.
• It was a frog.
• They fed it and because they were kind to it, it returned the favor.
• Turns out that the frog is the fairy child of Adam and can assume any form.

• Hanina and his wife made their way home with their treasures. They became famous for their wealth, their wisdom and their charity, and lived in happiness with all peoples for many, many years.