The Rooster Prince
Encyclopedia
The Rooster Prince, also sometimes translated as The Turkey Prince, is a Jewish mashal
or parable
told by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov
form of Hasidic Judaism
. It was first told orally, and later published by Nathan of Breslov
in Sippurei Ma'asiot, a collection of stories by Rebbe Nachman. It has since appeared in numerous folklore anthologies and works on Hasidic storytelling
.
(or turkey
.) He takes off his clothes, sits naked under the table, and pecks at his food on the floor. The king and queen are horrified that the heir to the throne is acting this way. They call in various sages and healers to try and convince the prince to act human again, but to no avail. Then a new wise man comes to the palace and claims he can cure the prince. He takes off his clothes and sits naked under the table with him, claiming to be a rooster, too. Gradually the prince comes to accept him as a friend. The sage then tells the prince that a rooster can wear clothes, eat at the table, etc. The Rooster Prince accepts this idea and, step-by-step, begins to act normally, until he is completely cured.
who knows the cure for his soul. Rather than condemn the secularist for being non-religious, the Rebbe "descends" to his level to meet him where he is at, then shows him how to return to God in a way that he can accept. Some Breslov Hasidim say that the "wise man" is Rebbe Nachman himself. In 1991, Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum, himself a Breslover Hasid, published an entire self-help book based on this story, entitled Under the Table and How to Get Up. This book goes step by step through the story, expanding each detail into a personal lesson on spiritual growth.
As noted above, there is some debate as to which barnyard bird was originally being referred to in the story. The parable was originally told in Yiddish. Some early translations and oral traditions rendered the Yiddish word truthahn as "Indian Cock" or rooster
. (A well-known example is in Souls on Fire by Elie Wiesel
, where he retells the story as heard from his Hasidic grandfather.) Others thought the word referred to the male Junglefowl
or a peacock. More recently, some translators, most notably the Breslov Research Institute
, have rendered it as turkey
. (The fan tail of a turkey does resemble that of a peacock.) These differences do not affect the basic plot of the story.
Mashal
A Mashal is a short parable with a moral lesson or religious allegory, called a nimshal. "Mashal" is used also to designate other forms in rhetoric, such as the fable and apothegm.-Biblical Parables:...
or parable
Parable
A parable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive principles, or lessons, or a normative principle. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human...
told by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov
Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)
Breslov is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism...
form of Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
. It was first told orally, and later published by Nathan of Breslov
Nathan of Breslov
Nathan of Breslov , also known as Reb Noson, born Nathan Sternhartz, was the chief disciple and scribe of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov Hasidic dynasty. Reb Noson is credited with preserving, promoting and expanding the Breslov movement after the Rebbe's death...
in Sippurei Ma'asiot, a collection of stories by Rebbe Nachman. It has since appeared in numerous folklore anthologies and works on Hasidic storytelling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
.
Story
In this story, a prince goes insane and believes that he is a roosterRooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
(or turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.) He takes off his clothes, sits naked under the table, and pecks at his food on the floor. The king and queen are horrified that the heir to the throne is acting this way. They call in various sages and healers to try and convince the prince to act human again, but to no avail. Then a new wise man comes to the palace and claims he can cure the prince. He takes off his clothes and sits naked under the table with him, claiming to be a rooster, too. Gradually the prince comes to accept him as a friend. The sage then tells the prince that a rooster can wear clothes, eat at the table, etc. The Rooster Prince accepts this idea and, step-by-step, begins to act normally, until he is completely cured.
Interpretations
One interpretation of this story is that the prince represents a secular Jew who has forgotten his true self, and the sage represents a Hasidic RebbeRebbe
Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
who knows the cure for his soul. Rather than condemn the secularist for being non-religious, the Rebbe "descends" to his level to meet him where he is at, then shows him how to return to God in a way that he can accept. Some Breslov Hasidim say that the "wise man" is Rebbe Nachman himself. In 1991, Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum, himself a Breslover Hasid, published an entire self-help book based on this story, entitled Under the Table and How to Get Up. This book goes step by step through the story, expanding each detail into a personal lesson on spiritual growth.
As noted above, there is some debate as to which barnyard bird was originally being referred to in the story. The parable was originally told in Yiddish. Some early translations and oral traditions rendered the Yiddish word truthahn as "Indian Cock" or rooster
Rooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
. (A well-known example is in Souls on Fire by Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel
Sir Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel KBE; born September 30, 1928) is a Hungarian-born Jewish-American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He is the author of 57 books, including Night, a work based on his experiences as a prisoner in the Auschwitz, Buna, and...
, where he retells the story as heard from his Hasidic grandfather.) Others thought the word referred to the male Junglefowl
Junglefowl
Junglefowl are the four living species of bird from the genus Gallus in the Gallinaceous bird order, which occur in India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia and Indonesia....
or a peacock. More recently, some translators, most notably the Breslov Research Institute
Breslov Research Institute
Breslov Research Institute is a pioneering publisher of classic and contemporary Breslov texts in English. Established in 1979, BRI has produced the first English translation of all the works of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and selected works of Reb Noson , the Rebbe's closest disciple; studies of the...
, have rendered it as turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. (The fan tail of a turkey does resemble that of a peacock.) These differences do not affect the basic plot of the story.
Sources
- Greenbaum, Avraham (1991). Under the Table and How to Get Up. Jerusalem: Breslov Research InstituteBreslov Research InstituteBreslov Research Institute is a pioneering publisher of classic and contemporary Breslov texts in English. Established in 1979, BRI has produced the first English translation of all the works of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and selected works of Reb Noson , the Rebbe's closest disciple; studies of the...
. - Kaplan, Aryeh (1983). Rabbi Nachman's Stories. Jerusalem: Breslov Research InstituteBreslov Research InstituteBreslov Research Institute is a pioneering publisher of classic and contemporary Breslov texts in English. Established in 1979, BRI has produced the first English translation of all the works of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and selected works of Reb Noson , the Rebbe's closest disciple; studies of the...
, pp. 479-80. A scholarly commentary.
Further Reading
- Tooinsky, Izzi (2001). The Turkey Prince. London: Penguin Putnam. A children's book version, illustrated by Edwina White.
- Waxman, Sydell. (2000). The Rooster Prince. Pitspopany Press. In this children's version, the sage who cures the prince is a poor boy from the village. Illustrated by Giora Karmi.
- Wiesel, Elie (1972). Souls on Fire: Portraits and Legends of Hasidic Masters. New York: Random House, pp. 170-171.