In another thread Pedro suggested that I open a thread of these stories. It sounds as a good idea, so I retell here the first story I told there - translate it from the book this time.
These are Jewish stories about the town/village of Helem and the Wise Men of the town. They are approached by the people of the town (or the village) and asked to solve problems. And then they do.
The first several stories will come from a book of poems by by Ovsey Driz, a Jewish poet who wrote a lot of wonderful children stories and beautiful poetry - but I read them in Russian translation, as I can't speak Yiddish. My family, sadly, lost it with my great-grandmother, didn't pass it on from fear of the Soviets.
I shall translate the stories of some of the poems, and look some more up, sure. Perhaps my son's school has a book in Hebrew.
Helem traditions (loosely translated from Ovsey Driz)
From times immemorial there were mice in Helem.
Not one, not two, not a thousand - but perhaps, a million.
There were mice in the streets,
There were mice on the thresholds,
There were mice on the steps,
In the attics, on the stoves,
On the benches, on the beds,
In the wash-tubs and the baskets,
Such trouble,
Truly great trouble!
And so, they say, there was a tradition in the town:
Everyone were given three bush twigs for every meal -
For soup, for meat and for compote (stewed fruit), to chase away the mice.
And when the bushes around have all run out,
People started to think, to argue - there was something behind this.
There are different people everywhere. Some are foolish, others - smart.
But, as everyone knows, in Helem town only wise people lived.
Wise people in the streets,
Wise people on the thresholds,
Wise people on the steps,
Wise people on the stoves,
On the benches, on the beds,
In the wash-tubs and the baskets.
Such luck,
Truly great luck!
And so the seven Oldest and Wisest Men convened,
To decide: what to do? No getting away from the mice!
They discussed, and debated and thought seven nights.
Then they have decided: cats will save us from mice.
Cats in the streets,
Cats on the thresholds,
Cats on the steps,
In the attics, on the stoves,
On the benches, on the beds,
In the wash-tubs and the baskets.
Such a wise decision,
Truly great wisdom!
As of that day in Helem, everywhere you looked,
There were cats, cats, cats. Only cats everywhere.
And so, they say, there was a tradition in the town:
Everyone were given three whips for every meal -
For soup, for meat and for compote, to chase away the cats.
For a hundred-miles around all the branches were broken off.
Again the seven Oldest and Wisest Men convened to hold council.
They said: There's no peace from these cats for anyone!
Long they discussed, and debated and finally decided thus:
To be free of cats we should get dogs.
As of that day in Helem, everywhere you looked,
There were dogs, and here were dogs. Everywhere they ran about.
Dogs in the streets,
Dogs on the thresholds,
Dogs on the steps,
In the attics, on the stoves,
On the benches, on the beds,
In the wash-tubs and the baskets.
Such trouble,
Truly great trouble!
But, as everybody knows, people still live there.
Everyone is given three large clubs for every meal -
For soup, for meat and for compote, to chase away the dogs.
All the oaks were already cut down, and now they took up the birch trees.
And the packs of these mean hungry dogs run around,
And again noone knows how to be rid of them.
There are different people everywhere. Some are foolish, others - smart.
But, as everyone knows, in Helem town only wise people live.
The seven Wisest Oldest Men will come up with something
That will make the dogs leave Helem at long last.
There will be none in the streets,
There will be none on the thresholds,
There will be none on the steps,
There will be none on the stoves,
On the benches, on the beds,
In the wash-tubs and the baskets.
Such luck it will be,
Truly great celebration!
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