But its origin has ever, Like the holy Nile’s far sources, Been unknown. Upon this subject Many a night have I been poring. Many a year ago I travell’d To Berlin, to see Chamisso On this point, and from the dean sought Information of Schlemihl. But he could not satisfy me, And referr’d me on to Hitzig, Who had made the first suggestion Of the family name of Peter Shadowless. I straightway hired The first cab, and quickly hasten’d To the magistrate Herr Hitzig, Who was formerly call’d Itzig. When he still was known as Itzig, In a vision saw he written His own name high in the heavens, And in front the letter H. “What’s the meaning of this H?” Ask’d he of himself. “Herr Itzig “Or the Holy Itzig? Holy “Is a pretty title. Not, though, “Suited for Berlin.” At length he, Tired of thinking, took the name of Hitzig, and his best friends only Knew that Hitzig stood for Holy. “Holy Hitzig!” said I therefore When I saw him, “have the goodness “To explain the derivation “Of the word Schlemihl, I pray you.” Many circumbendibuses Took the holy one--he could not Recollect,--and made excuses In succession like a Christian, Till at length I burst the buttons In the breeches of my patience, And began to swear so fiercely, In such very impious fashion, That the worthy pietist, Pale as death, with trembling knees, Forthwith gratified my wishes, And the following story told me: “In the Bible it is written “How, while wandering in the desert, “Israel oft committed whoredom “With the daughters fair of Canaan. “Then it came to pass that Phinehas “Chanced to see the noble Zimri “Thus engaged in an intrigue “With a Canaanitish woman. “Straightway in his fury seized he “On his spear, and put to death “Zimri on the very spot.--Thus “In the Bible ’tis recounted. “But, according to an oral “Old tradition ’mongst the people, “’Twas not Zimri that was really “Stricken by the spear of Phinehas; “But the latter, blind with fury, “In the sinner’s place, by ill-luck “Chanced to kill a guiltless person, “Named Schlemihl ben Zuri Schadday.”-- He, then, this Schlemihl the First, Was the ancestor of all the Race Schlemihlian. We’re descended From Schlemihl ben Zuri Schadday. Certainly no wondrous actions Are preserved of his; we only Know his name, and in addition Know that he was a Schlemihl. But a pedigree is valued Not according to its fruits, but Its antiquity alone-- Ours three thousand years can reckon. Years come round, and years then vanish-- Full three thousand years have fleeted Since the death of our forefather This Schlemihl ben Zuri Schadday.