From the Heart of Israel: Jewish Tales and TypesDrachman, Bernard
General
From the Heart of Israel: Jewish Tales and Types
Drachman, Bernard
Jewish folk literature; Jewish legends; Jews -- Folklore; Jews -- Social life and customs; Tales -- Israel
The game which ensued was highly interesting. Writer deponeth not, nor
is it essential to the purposes of this veracious history to state
whether the game was klabberyas, pinocle, skat, euchre, or poker.
Pringsheim taught Rabbi Akiba its rules and the game began. With one
accord all the other players suspended their games to contemplate the
spectacle of a rabbi in _jubitza_, _streimel_, and _peoth_ engaged in a
game of cards with a society gentleman in swallow-tail and bare head. Of
the result there could be no doubt. Pringsheim, of course, had no
intention of either defeating the rabbi or taking his money. After
various more or less intricate manœuverings Rabbi Akiba won.
“Well, rabbi, you have won. Here are your winnings,” said Pringsheim;
and he took out his wallet, and extracting therefrom five hundred gulden
notes, handed them to the rabbi, who took them with great complacency
and stowed them carefully away in his purse. “I think you must
understand now a gambler’s feelings, at all events when he wins.”
“So far, so good, friend Pringsheim,” answered the rabbi; “but this is
not quite experience enough for me. I want to know how a gambler feels
when he risks the possessions he has gained so easily. If you do not
mind, therefore, I should like to play one more game, staking the amount
I have just won.”
“I shall have to beg to be excused this time, worthy rabbi,” said Herr
Pringsheim, with an amused chuckle. “You are too good a player for me.
Let some one else take my place. Herr Commerzienrath Hamburger, perhaps
you will oblige our honored _Rav_ and play a game with him on the same
terms as the first one.”
Herr Commerzienrath Hamburger, a stout man with a bald head and a smooth
face, who, like Pringsheim, was one of the _Vorstand_ or trustees of the
community, came forward, somewhat reluctantly, at these words and
signified his willingness to do as requested. The issue of the second
game was the same as that of the first. The rabbi’s good luck did not
desert him, and a few moments later he rose from the table with the
handsome sum of a thousand gulden in his purse. He thanked Messrs.
Pringsheim and Hamburger for the instructive experience which they had
been the means of affording him, bade the other gentlemen good-night,
and turned to depart. He was escorted to a private exit by Herr
Pringsheim, who had him placed in a carriage, and the rabbi was whirled
to his home, leaving behind him a much puzzled and mystified company of
his congregants.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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