Monday, April 24

To please a dream

This week's tool of the week is metafiction. I'm, of course, referring to a fascinating post over at the Middle Class Toolshed. Fascinating stuff.

Now, I'm not sure if what I'm about to share with you qualifies as metafiction or not. But as I read it, I was reminded of the fascinating story that starts off Mr. Tool's metafiction essay.

It's from Martin Buber's The Way of Man.

This story is about Rabbi Eizik, son of Rabbi Yekel of Cracow. For many years, Rabbi Eizik was quite poor, but he never lost his faith.
The one night, Rabbi Eizik dreams that someone bids him look for gold under the bridge leading to the king's palace in Prague. Then he has the same dream again. And again.
After this third time, Rabbi Eizik sets out for Prague. But he cannot dig because the bridge is guarded night and day. Still, he goes out to the bridge each morning and he walks around the castle all day.
Finally, the captain of the guards comes up to him and asks kindly why he keeps coming out to the palace. Rabbi Eizik explains to him about his dream.
The captain laughs. "And so to please the dream, you poor fellow wore out your shoes to come here! As for having faith in dreams, if I had it, I should have had to get going when a dream once told me to go to Cracow and dig under the stove in the room of a Jew - Eizik, son of Yekel! I can just imagine what it would be like, how I should have to try every house over there, where one half of the Jews are named Eizik and the other Yekel!" And then the captain laughed again.
So then Rabbi Eizik bows, turns and returns home. He digs under his stove, finds treasure and builds a nice synagogue.

Now, if you go out and get the book, you can read Martin Buber's commentary.

Here's mime: To please a dream, the man wore out his shoes and found treasure.

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