The Ruth Rubin Legacy
Archive of Yiddish Folksongs

A mayse mit a khelemer keyser in goldene shikh

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Title

A mayse mit a khelemer keyser in goldene shikh

Date

1957

Description

[Error in tape log. This is correct title of second track listened to on 7/16/12] The Chelmers once had a king, but he couldn’t receive honor, because no one knew who he was: he wore regular leather shoes. The Chelmers met and decided that the king should wear golden shoes
all the women of the town donated their jewelry and the goldsmith made golden shoes out of it. But there was a great mud, and the golden shoes were covered in it
so the king couldn’t receive the honor due him. Another meeting. The Chelmers decided to have the shoemaker make leather shoes the king could wear over his golden ones. But then - the gold didn’t shine out so the king couldn’t receive the honor due him. Another meeting. Have the shoemaker make holes on all sides of the shoes so that the gold would shine through. Except that the holes let in the mud, and the golden shoes were covered in it
so the king couldn’t receive the honor due him. Another meeting. Stop up the holes with straw. Except that the straw obscured the golden shoes, too
so the king couldn’t receive the honor due him. Another meeting. Decided it was that the king should carry the golden shoes - holding them out in front of everyone - so everyone knew he was king - and walk with leather ones. Then everyone knew he was king and could give him the honor he was due. [Sound problem on one track: bleed from reverse side?]

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Citation

“A mayse mit a khelemer keyser in goldene shikh,” YIVO Online Exhibitions, accessed March 29, 2024, https://exhibitions.yivo.org/items/show/5720.
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