Reading Notes: Jewish Fairy Tales, Part B

The Fairy Frog

From the title I did not know what to expect from this story. However, as I started reading I really enjoyed the story. It started with a son, named Hanina, going home because of news his parents were sick. His parents, on their deathbed, gave a request for their son to obey following their death. He was to wait seven days after their death then go into the local market and buy the first thing presented to him- no matter the cost or burden. He agreed to obey their request and after their death, he mourned them for seven days and then on the eighth he went into town for the market. An old man approached him and told him to buy his product for 1,000 gold pieces. The cost was so high, basically everything he owned and he was not allowed to even know what the man was selling him. Agreeing to the purchase, the man told him not to open the product until the feast later on. Once the feast came and Hanina and his wife finally opened the product and were disappointed when a small frog jumped out. They took care of the frog, feeding it as it continued to grow larger and larger. However eventually the frog became so large, it drove them into poverty trying to get enough food to keep the frog sustained. Unable to shoulder the burden any longer, Hanina's wife began to cry. This caused to frog to speak, for the first time, thanking them for feeding him and reassuring them that their efforts will be rewarded. He revealed that he was the fairy son of Adam. He then took them to the forest where he called upon all the animals to bring them stones and treasures. In the end, a whole mound of fortunes laid before them which made them famous and known for their charity, wisdom, and wealth.

This story was a great example of how obeying elders will result in good fortune. I like how the author picked the 'unknown object' to be a frog and how the frog grew an insane amount. I think there is a lot of potential to recreate this story in a modern sense and switch around the characters.

[Fairy Frog. Image Information]

Bibliography

Landa, Gertrude. The Fairy Frog. Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends. Link

Comments

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