In this Book
- Folktales of Joha, Jewish Trickster
- Book
- 2003
- Published by: Jewish Publication Society
summary
"Joha has Janus's double face: On the one hand, he is innocent and stupid; on the other, a trickster. He is a cheater and is cheated. He sets traps for others and falls into traps himself; he is simpleton and liar, victimizer and victim. But as a literary figure he never dies.
The nearly 300 stories in this lovely volume are from Sephardic oral literature and ethnic culture. They were told to Matilda Kon-Sarano in their original language, Judeo-Spanish (Ladino), and documented over 21 years. From 17 countries, including the United States, they come together in this first-ever collection of Joha stories to appear in English.
Known in some places as Ladino, Judeo-Spanish is a living remnant of the Spanish spoken by the Spanish Jews at the end of the 15th century. Matilda Kon-Sarano, born to a Sephardic family, has devoted her life to the conservation and revitalization of this language, culture, and heritage.
Joha, according to Ladino tradition, is a popular folklore character, one who is conniving yet also beguiling. He plays many roles: He makes us laugh; liberates us from taboos; makes it possible to tell the whole, sometimes painful, truth in a humorous way; and helps us triumph over our enemies through laughter.
These stories have entertained generations of Sephardic children and adults and will delight readers of any age."
Table of Contents
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- Introduction
- pp. 5-16
- The Myth of Laughter
- pp. 17-20
- 1: Joha and his family
- pp. 21-34
- 2: Joha at school
- pp. 35-44
- 3: Joha and work
- pp. 45-68
- 4: Joha and the animals
- pp. 69-84
- 5: Joha and the bride
- pp. 85-100
- 6: Joha and his wife
- pp. 101-128
- 7: Joha, son, and grandson
- pp. 129-136
- 8: Joha and the king
- pp. 137-156
- 9: Joha and his neighborhood
- pp. 157-172
- 10: Joha talks about himself
- pp. 173-190
- 11: Joha and the God
- pp. 191-206
- 12: Joha and the law
- pp. 207-232
- 13: Joha the glutton
- pp. 233-256
- 14: Joha in the hospital
- pp. 257-266
- 15: Joha and death
- pp. 267-278
- Narrators’ Circle: “The Ladies of Ladino"
- pp. 279-281
- Informants
- pp. 282-290
Additional Information
ISBN
9780827610149
Related ISBN(s)
9780827607224
MARC Record
OCLC
191937369
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No