succumb to temptation. God protects Joseph and rewards him for his loyalty. This.
theme is repeated in the story "Abraham's Childhood." Abraham burns his father's idols.
and tells him that the largest idol destroyed the others. His father responds that they.
have "neither the power nor the life to do that." Abraham is brought before the king and.
finally thrown into the furnace for his deed. God protects Abraham and eventually.
makes him the father of the Jewish nation. Although these stories share a common.
biblical theme, they differ in that the poetic form of the earlier story evolves into a story.
form without the rhyme scheme.
As we progress through Part one, we come to stories from The Mayse Book,.
printed in 1602. This book mainly covers ethical and religious themes, but differs in that.
it is written in an entertaining manner. Instead of recounting the Torah, the stories in.
this book use plot and suspense to capture the readers interest. For instance, in the.
opening scene of "The Jewish Pope," the rabbi's son is taken by a Christian woman to.
be baptized. He is then taken to be raised by Christians, and eventually, becomes the.
Pope. In the end, he is reunited with his father and, much like a fairy tale, all is well.
after that. Other stories from The Mayse Book teach the same lessons through the use.
of "common people.".
In the mid 1600's, mysticism begins to make an appearance in the literature. .
The introduction of non- Jewish tales is also common during this period. We are.
exposed to the weakness of man as some of these stories contain examples of.
infidelity. "The West Indian Tale" contains both of these themes. The main character.
finds himself wandering through the forest on his quest to become a good Jew. He.
comes upon a castle and lives with a she- demon and her followers, committing.
adultery, for almost seven years. He decides to return to his original wife Before he.
leaves the castle, his son, half demon-half human, gives him three magical gifts for his.
