To feed his starving family, a young serf steals a chicken from his master's kitchen. Caught, his death sentence is commuted to servitude in the Jewish ghetto. The youth, Tomás, trembles at the thought of being bound to a mortal enemy. Once settled among a moneylender's family, however, he discovers greater friendship and kindness than he has ever known. But can Tomás protect his new friends from the injustices of his old world?
Especially appropriate for 9 to 12 year-olds, this fable of tolerance vividly portrays Jewish ghetto life in sixteenth-century Prague. Twenty distinctive illustrations by famed artist Ben Shahn illuminate the text. This new edition reintroduces a moving tale—one that's been out of print for 25 years—to children and adults. Educators, Jewish study groups, and other educational organizations will find it an excellent addition to their reading lists; general readers will find it inspirational as well.
A preface by Margot Stern Strom is included.
Reprint of the Pantheon, New York, 1963 edition.
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