Sample Story: The Half Blanket

The Half Blanket, Retold by Peninnah Schram

from Peninnah Schram's The Hungry Clothes and Other Jewish Folktales.
NY: Sterling Publishing, 2008.

This is one of the best known teaching tales in world folklore. No matter what version, the story illustrates the Fifth Commandment: ‘Honor Your Father and Mother.’

A long time ago, there was a wealthy man who had one son. As the father grew older, the son grew up, began to work with his father and became a successful merchant. Soon he got married to a wealthy young woman and they had a child.

One day, the old father said, “My son, I can no longer work in our business. I have confidence that you will continue to build the business. So I have decided to give you everything now while I am alive. You will own all my property and wealth. In that way, I too can enjoy your success. I’m sure that I will have what I need too.”

The son was overjoyed and thanked his father.

In the beginning, the son honored his father and gave him daily reports on the business, often asking for his advice.

However, as time went on, the son began to talk only occasionally to his father. When his father offered some suggestions, the son interrupted him by saying sharply, “I know what I am doing. I don’t need your advice.”

Then there came a day when the son said to his father, “I don’t have use for any more of your advice. Now that I own all the properties, I want you to leave.”

“Where shall I go? I am too old to leave my home,” replied the father.

“Well, old man,” answered the son, “you better leave by sunrise or I shall have you thrown out.”

The old father left his home and began to wander and beg.

One very cold day, the old father walked by the home of his son. He saw his young grandchild playing in the yard.

“Please, dear child, ask your father to give me a blanket so that I may be warm in this frost.”

The child ran to his father. “Dear father, please give me a blanket for the old man who says he is your father. Is it true? That he is my grandfather? Then please tell me where to find a blanket for him.”

“Very well. Go to the attic and there you’ll find an old blanket. Take it to the old beggar,” replied the young father.

The young child ran up to the stairs to find the blanket. After a while, the young father wondered what he was doing up in the attic. When he reached the room, he saw his child trying to cut the blanket with a knife.

“What are you doing, my child?” asked the young father.

“I am cutting this blanket in half, father, so I can give half to my grandfather. But I am going to keep the other half for you, father, so when you grow old and go out to beg in the cold, then I’ll give you this part of the blanket to keep you warm,” said the child.

The young father bolted down the stairs, ran out the front door to where his old father was waiting.

“Forgive me, my father, for what I have done to you. You deserve my gratitude and honor for what you have done for me all these years. I have forgotten the honor that you deserve. Please come in and be in your home once again,” pleaded the young father.

            The old man forgave his son.

            That night, as the grandfather was sitting in his chair near the fireplace, the grandchild came up to him and sat on his lap. The child held the two halves of the blanket. The old man took half of the blanket for his lap and covered the lap of the child with the other half. Then the old man winked and began telling a story to his grandchild. And that’s how it was for many years.

Sources: Bolte & Polivka’s Anmerkungen zu den Kinder – und Hausmarchen der Bruder Grimm;Gaster’s Exempla, #437; IFA 3969 (Iraqi), “Honor due to the Father” in Marcus’s Min HaBua #28; IFA 8189 (Buczacz), in Shenhar’s Honor Your Mother.

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