Chelm for the Holidays by Valerie Estelle Frankel

Author:Valerie Estelle Frankel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Culture, Jewish, Jewish Culture, Jewish Picture Book, Jewish Traditions, Judaism, Kar-Ben, Kar-Ben Favorites, Kar-Ben Publishing, Picture Book, Religion, Traditions and Customs, Religious, Jewish, Humorous Stories, Holidays & Celebrations, Other, Religious, Chelm for the Holidays, Valerie Estelle Frankel
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Published: 2019-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

The Queen Esther Mix-Up

A Purim Story

One special spring night, everyone dressed in Purim costumes and came to hear the reading of the Megillah, the story of Purim. Everyone loved the story of how Esther went before King Ahasuerus, begging to save the lives of the Jews in Persia. Through her bravery, she saved her people. Dozens of little girls attending the megillah reading were dressed as Queen Esther. Fishel the Foolish wore a goose costume, with feathers glued all over. Itzik the Silly was a goat. Ehud the Baker dressed as a giant hamentaschen. And Schlemiel had only one wish—to be dressed up as the king.

He took his wife’s Shabbat tablecloth—the white one with the blue border—and draped it around his shoulders for a cape. Then he took a pot of geraniums from beside the door, uprooted the flowers, and dumped out the soil. He cracked the pot into two jagged halves to make the perfect (if a bit lopsided) crown. And with his new finery, he paraded into town.

On his way, he saw the little girls of the village all dressed as Queen Esther. After services, Schlemiel dawdled in the center of town. The baby had been cranky all day, and Mrs. Schlemiel would probably yell at him when he got home.

When Schlemiel reached the meeting hall where the Elders made their judgments, the place was deserted. He was unable to resist the tall wooden chair that belonged to the Chief Elder, and he sat down. Once in the chair, he stretched and smiled. After all, why shouldn’t he sit in the Chief Elder’s chair? He was the king. As he sat on his new throne, Itzik the Silly wandered into the room in his goat costume. He was crawling on four legs, circling in distress.

“I need some advice and a judgment. Where are the Elders?” He had forgotten that he was supposed to be one.

“Elders!” Schlemiel thundered. “Why do you want Elders when you have a king? Don’t you know that I am King Ahasuerus?”

“Very sorry, I’m sure, Your Majesty. Now, if you could just listen to my problem . . .”

“Our problem,” said a voice from somewhere around the goat’s stomach.

Schlemiel straightened on his throne and gazed down at the goat standing so far below him. “Go ahead.”

“Well, a goat has four legs. Everyone knows that. So I asked my wife to help me out and be the two back legs. But she—”

“I don’t want to be the hind end of a goat,” the goat’s stomach interrupted. “I’d much rather be a duck.”

Schlemiel considered the matter. “A duck has two legs, doesn’t it?”

The goat nodded. “Everyone knows that, Your Majesty.”

“Then my royal decree is that you both be ducks. That way you can be equal, as a husband and wife should be.” And the husband and wife took off the goat suit and applauded King Ahasuerus’s judgment.

After they left to tear apart their feather mattress to make two duck costumes, Schlemiel went to the window. Where were all the other Elders? Across the road, he saw Gimpel the Great Fool dressed as the man in the moon.

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