Mishle Sendebar (“The Parables of Sendebar”) is the Hebrew version of the “Seven Sages,” a popular medieval romance which had its origin in the East and was subsequently transmitted westward. The Eastern group of the “Seven Sages” is known as the Book of Sindibad, the Western typical form as the Seven Sages of Rome.

There are eight extant versions of the Book of Sindibad: Syriac, Greek, Hebrew, Old Spanish, Arabic, and three in Persian. A much larger number of Western versions exists. In Europe, at least 40 different versions have been preserved in over 200 manuscripts and nearly 250 editions.

The basic story goes somewhat as follows: A young prince is tempted by his stepmother, the queen. Rebuffed by him, she accuses the prince of attempting to violate her, and he is condemned by his father, the king, to death. His life is saved by seven wise men, who secure a stay of execution by entertaining the king through seven days with tales demonstrating the wickedness of women. The queen counters with stories about the infidelity of sons. On the eighth day, the prince, who has remained silent, speaks in his own defense, and the woman is punished. Only in the Hebrew is the queen permitted to go free, in accordance with the Talmudic version of the Golden Rule.

The Hebrew adaptation, long acknowledged to be the most important, has never been edited from manuscripts earlier than the first printed edition (Constantinople, 1516). Nor has it ever been translated into English. When I undertook to prepare a new edition along with a reliable English translation for my doctoral dissertation in English literature at New York University (not so far-fetched as it seems, for I was led to Mishle Sendebar via the Middle English renderings) I had no idea how fruitful the project was to become. Correspondence turned up unknown manuscripts which arrived via ordinary mail from such unlikely places as the Saltykov-Schedrin Library in Leningrad and the Jewish Theological Seminary in Budapest. I located eighteen manuscripts of Mishle Sendebar. Two, in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, of much earlier date than the first printed edition, far better in their readings, and containing stories never before attributed to the Hebrew, became the foundation of my edition.

I was led to the theory that the agents of transmission may have been the Radanites, those wide-ranging Jewish merchantmen who forged trade links in the 9th century between France and China and who were the first Europeans to establish direct contact between East and West. Mishle Sendebar thus provides another instance in which medieval Jewry conveyed the fruit of Eastern culture to the Christian world for the benefit of mankind as a whole.

My new edition and translation of Mishle Sendebar has not yet been published. The selection below, which gives but a taste of the whole, condenses the framework opening and an anti-feminist tale told by one of the sages. In part, the latter will of course be familiar to many readers as the well-known fabliau of “The Weeping Dog.”—Morris Epstein

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In those days there was a King in the land of India whose name was Bibar; and he was beloved by the inhabitants of India, for he was a mighty upholder of justice. Now he had eighty wives and each of them used to lie with him for one week. When the turn came of the worthiest and the wisest of them all, she made a great feast for all of his princes and his servants.

King Bibar came to the feast that Beria his wife had prepared for him but his heart was saddened and he sat silent in the house of festivity. Now when Beria saw the agitated look of the King, she arose from her royal throne and cast off her earrings and her jewels and fell before the King, saying:

How has your maid servant sinned? Why are you not toward me as you were yesterday and the day before that?

The King replied, “Peace be unto you, Beria, There is a great fear in my heart, for I have grown old in my kingdom, and I have no son to succeed me on my throne. And now my name and the names of my ancestors will be erased from the kingdom of India. This it is that causes me concern.”

Beria replied, saying:

Let us declare a fast and clothe ourselves in sackcloth and ashes and afflict ourselves before God, for He is merciful and ever present to those who search for Him and He responds to all who call upon Him, nor does He reject those who seek Him.

The King was very pleased, and he declared a fast in every city and in each province. And afterward, Bibar came to Beria his wife and she conceived and bore a son, and the King rejoiced, and so did all his princes and servants. And he wrote letters to the hundred and twenty and seven provinces to summon the nobles and princes and the learned sages to a feast in honor of the Prince, and he bestowed lavish gifts on all, with kingly bounty.

And he found among them seven great sages, men of brilliance and discernment. These were their names: Sendebar, Ipokras, Apulin, Lukman, Aristalin, Hind, and Amami.

The King said to them: “Cast the horoscope of my son. See whether he is destined to live or die; whether he will inherit my throne or not.”

And they did so and said: “He will live and succeed to the throne; we fear, however, that he may be killed in his twentieth year, for he is destined to be in mortal danger at that time.”

The lad grew, and when he was seven, the King said to the sages: “Which among you wishes to teach my son?”

And Sendebar said: “I will teach him.” The King gave the Prince to Sendebar, for he was wiser than the other six. The boy was with Sendebar twelve years and six months. Then the King tested his son with riddles, but found in him no wisdom at all. The King grew agitated and struck together his hands, saying: “Is such a one fit to rule or to uphold my kingdom?”

When the King’s wrath was assuaged, he said: “Whosoever will teach my son wisdom, to him will I give a third of my kingdom.”

Sendebar replied: “I will teach him in six months, so that none in the land will equal him in wisdom.”

But the sages were angered and they said: “Why then did you not teach him in these twelve years and a half which he spent with you?”

Sendebar replied: “I was restrained by my youth and by the tender age of the Prince. I wished no one to be like me in all the land. Now I have aged and the youth has grown and I will be happy to leave my wisdom to the Prince.”

To this the sages replied: “The words of Sendebar are as vapors and wind and thunder without rain.”

Sendebar answered them: “Wisdom in me is like musk and amber—when water is poured on it, its aroma is released. So too is wisdom kindled by jealousy. If I fail to teach the Prince in six months so that he triumphs over all the sages in the kingdom of my lord the King, let my treasure and my life both be forfeit.”

Whereupon the King gave his son to Sendebar. Sendebar went out to the desert and erected there a beautiful palace high up on a mountain. He surrounded it with a wall decorated within with vari-colored fabrics and he inscribed on the roofside all the signs of the zodiac and all the stars and planets and he wrote on the walls every book of wisdom. Then he gave orders that no one was to come to him save one old chamberlain, once a day. Sendebar poured his soul into the youth and taught him every book of wisdom; so the youth grew wiser than all the wise men of India.

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When the time was up, the King sent messengers to Sendebar to appear before him with his son. Sendebar sent to the King, replying: “On the morrow will I come to you with your son.”

That night Sendebar said to the Prince: “I sent word to your father saying, ‘On the morrow we will come to you.’ But I have not yet cast your horoscope.”

And Sendebar arose in the middle of the night. He observed the horoscope, and he saw that if the youth were to open his mouth before seven days had passed, he would be instantly killed. Sendebar was agitated and struck together his hands. The youth questioned Sendebar: “What have you seen?”

Sendebar replied: “Lift your eyes heavenward and look for yourself.”

Then the youth saw that death awaited him should he open his mouth during the seven days that remained until his twentieth birthday. And he said:

If it is your wish, I will not open my mouth even for the space of seven months.

To which Sendebar replied: “Arise in the morning and go to your father. And speak neither of good nor of evil to any man until these seven days have gone.”

The boy came before the King, who saw that Sendebar was not with his son. The King grew anxious and questioned his son, saying: “Where is Sendebar?”

But the youth kept silent. Now the nobles approached the youth and questioned him, and he answered them not. Then the King said to his wise men, who knew the times: “What say you concerning this?”

They approached and said to the King: “The King requested Sendebar to teach the Prince wisdom, and Sendebar found him a dullard, whereupon he gave him a potion to open his heart; the drink was too strong, the youth has been made dumb.”

When the King heard this, he cried a great and bitter cry and he cut off his hair and rent his garments; his servants came to comfort him but he refused to be comforted.

Then came a certain maiden from among his maidens, whom the King had raised, and whom he loved above all his women.

She said to the King: “My lord King! Give him unto me and I will know and understand what is in his heart, for you love me dearly.”

Then she brought him into her chamber and said: “Speak! For I know that it is through some craft that you are silent. In your youth you did love me more than your mother. Now, speak to me!”

He did not answer her. She continued to talk to him, and then she embraced him and kissed him. She bared her flesh before him, saying: “Have you seen any woman so beautiful as I? Speak to me and lie with me and we will slay your father who is an old man, a hundred years old. You will reign, and I will be your maidservant!”

When the maiden perceived that the youth had covered his eyes so that he might not behold her nakedness, she knew that he was acting with much cunning. She was sorely frightened, and thought: “If I kill him not, he will open his mouth and relate unto the King my words and deeds and he will order me killed.”

So she rent her clothes and disheveled her hair, and went and cried before the King.

The King said to her: “What troubles you?”

She said to the King: “Lo, you said that your son is dumb; but all that he does is false. He came with me into the chamber and I began to talk with him and he seized me and desired to lie with me and he struggled with me and I overpowered him and freed myself.”

When the King heard her words, he grew angry, his wrath burned within him. And he said: “Will this one then be a king? He is not fit to rule!”

And he ordered his servants to cut off the Prince’s head. Then spoke the six sages, the counselors of the King, concerning his son:

This youth is wise and acts from an abundance of wisdom. And she, accursed one, tells falsehoods about him! Let us take counsel among ourselves. Perhaps we will be able to rescue the Prince through wisdom, each of us on another day. For if the King repents after he has slain his son, he will turn upon us that we did not deflect his wrath. Now let five of us go to save him from the executioner.

And the one came before the King and prostrated himself and said to him:

My lord! Hearken to my voice and hasten not to kill your son because of the words of the woman. The wiles of women are many.

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The Sage’s Story

“I will tell you what the world says: ‘Wherever you find a beautiful woman who is excessively virtuous, then it is fitting to be on guard against her.’ And, if it be your wish, I will tell you what happened to a certain merchant and his wife.”

The King said: “Tell me the tale.”

“A certain merchant had a wife who was beautiful and overly prudish, and he loved her as his very life. And he said to her: ‘Let us both take an oath that whichever of us dies first, the survivor will cleave to no other, nor rejoice in any fashion, nor bathe, nor anoint himself.’

“This stipulation was agreeable to both and they swore unto each other. Now the merchant journeyed over the sea, and she did not change her clothing, nor bathe, nor anoint herself.

“One day a certain bride chanced to pass through the streets of the city accompanied by sistra and cymbals. The wife heard the din and put her head out of the window. And a certain youth sighted her and lusted after her mightily. From excess of lust he took to his bed. Now a certain old woman came to the door of his house and said to him: ‘What ails you that you lie thus? If you have a physical ailment, I shall undertake to cure you.’

“The youth answered her, saying: ‘I am not sick. I’ve only one trouble, in my heart. If you promise to keep my confidence, I’ll tell you what it is.’

“She said to him: ‘I’ll be mum.’

“He answered her: ‘There’s such-and-such a party who lives at such-and-such a place. I’m sick with desire of her, and if you can help me onto her, I shall reward you generously.’

“The crone replied: ‘Done! Just furnish me with ten silver coins.’

“And he gave them to her. She went out to the market place and bought a certain bitch, a plump and a good one, and she fed it bread and fat until it was trained to follow her when she went to the market place. She bought pepper and garlic and cinnamon and fat and made a cake of it and threw it to the bitch.

“Now the old crone went to the home of the lady and she called out to the lady, who then opened the door.

“And the old one said: ‘Do me a kindness.’

“And the maiden arose to bring her food and drink. Now she threw some of the dough to the bitch, and fed it. And because the dough was so hot on account of the garlic and pepper kneaded into it, the eyes of the bitch began to drip tears.

“Now the maiden saw the weeping bitch and she said to the crone: ‘Why is your dog crying?’

“And the old one replied: ‘Alas, how can I tell you of my disgrace?’

“And the maiden said: ‘O do tell me! I won’t reveal it to anyone!’

“Then the crone spoke thus: ‘You see this bitch? Once she was my daughter, a spotless and precious darling. Now a certain young man desired her, and I refused to give hex to him. So he cried out to God concerning her and she was transformed into a bitch. And whenever I see a beautiful girl like yourself, I recall the days of my daughter’s own youth and beauty, and I weep, and she cries with me.’

“Then the maiden replied, saying: ‘O, if it please you, my lady, there’s a certain young man who lusts after me, and he has become bedridden because of his huge desire. Won’t you go and talk to that young man? Maybe you’ll be able to find him, and I’ll do anything he wants, without cost to him, so that I won’t have to suffer the fate of this bitch.’

“The crone got up and went over to the house of the youth but did not find him. And she said: What shall I do about my fee?’

“So she went to the market place to fetch another young man, and she chanced to meet the lady’s husband, who had just arrived from a distant land. And she said to him: ‘If you like it, I’ll provide you with a beautiful lady who’ll satisfy your desires. Just pay me.’

“She kept insisting, so he arose and followed her to see who might be the whore in his city. And when he came to the door of his house and went inside, he beheld his wife washing and anointing herself. And she lifted up her eyes and recognized her husband. With great cunning, then, she ran toward him and seized his hair and his beard, and cried: ‘So this is the covenant that was between us! I knew just what day you were coming back, and I arranged all this to test you! This is how you behaved in foreign lands!’

“And she began to run, and he kept pleading with her, saying: ‘Don’t suspect me of anything like that! I came only to see who the whore was in this city!’

“But she kept screaming: ‘Not so! the way you came here, that’s the way you came to some other house!’

“And he couldn’t do a thing with her until he had pacified her with words and brought her back to his house.

“And you, my lord King, do not be ensnared by the deceit of women.”

Then the King gave orders not to execute his son.

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