The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

TRADITIONAL JEWISH STORY

THE INFORMANT, A PATIENT IN THE HOSPITAL WITH MY
BROTHER, REALTED TWO OR THRE E STORIES OF DAVID AND HIS
THREE DAUGHTERS. ALL OF WHICH LOST SOMETHING IN THE
TRANSLATION FROM THE YIDDISH.
IT SEEMS DAVID, HIS WIFE, AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS
PACKED UP ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS AND TOOK A LONG TRIP
IN A WAGON TO THEIR NEW HOME. WHENEVER DAVID CAME TO
A NEW TOWN HE PRAYED THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY WOULD
SURVIVE. WHEN HE CAME TO A ROUGH STRETCH OF ROAD, HE
PRAYED THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE DISTANCE WITHOUT
ACCIDENT. AS HE CAME TO PLACES WHERE HIGHWAYMEN COULD
LURK, TO PREY UPON THEM, HE WOULD ASK THE LORD, "DO
I HAVE TO PRAY AGAIN?"

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ANN ARBOR

Date learned: 02-24-1967