Jewish Fairy Tales

Jewish Fairy Tales by Gerald Friedlander. paperback edition. ISBN: 0800759419821.

Travel back to a land at the intersection of folklore and religion. The 23 authentic Jewish fairy tales in this book, brought together from the Talmud and other ancient sources, including the Jewish Chap Book, the Midrash Rabbah, Beth Hammidrash, Tanhuma, and Rabbi Eliezer, will surround you with angels, demons, goblins and an amazing assortment of Old Testament prophets and sages. In several of these stories, the prophet Elijah — "always at hand to comfort the sorrowful, cheer the despondent, and help those in distress" — assumes a role similar to that of a fairy godmother, creating miracles that change peoples lives. In "The Magic Apples," Elijah provides some anti-leprosy medication that helps a young man gain a fortune and win the hand of his beautiful cousin. In "The Goblin and the Princess," an obliging little ogre helps two wise men convince the Roman emperor to let the Jews continue to observe the Sabbath and their holy laws. Fate intervenes in "The Princess and the Beggar" when a lovely young princess is forced by her father to live in isolation. The greedy king of "The Demons Marriage" is tricked into wedding his daughter to the Son of Satan. And in "The Magic Leaf," a holy man is punished for meddling with mysteries of life and death. These and 18 other entertaining and instructive stories from Jewish legend and lore are sure to enthrall a new generation of fairy tale enthusiasts.