In the Market of Zakrobat by Ori Elon
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Translator: Shira Atik
Illustrator: Menahem Halberstadt
Baltosar lives in a giant fortress in the town of Zakrobat. Despite owning thirteen boxes of gold, he prides himself on how frugally he lives.
Yosef, Baltosar’s neighbour, is a hardworking cobbler who lives in poverty. Yet, every Friday, he goes to the market to buy something special for Shabbat. Yosef is famous for his festive Shabbat meals.
One night, Baltosar dreams that his boxes of gold grow feet and run away to Yosef. He wakes up screaming in terror and vows that Yosef will never have a penny of his great fortune. He comes up with the perfect scheme to keep his riches safe, or at least safe from Yosef, but things don’t quite go according to plan.
Told with humour and a lightness of touch, this classic fable of a miser’s comeuppance celebrates the generosity of spirit and the joy of Shabbat as all the riches a person needs.
Year first published: 2021
