Gimpel Beynish the Matchmaker
(Gimpl Beynish der Shadkhn)
Yiddish Comics of the early 20th century

Translation and commentary by Jane Peppler
Click here to read about and order the seven Gimpel books I've published.

Comics read right to left. Click on any comic strip for larger view.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

The Warheit editor can't decide where Gimpel should be. 8-9-1914

Who knows whether the disconnect between the funnies on the back page of the paper and the somber news on the first page was intentional? I'm sure Sam Zagat submitted his comics in clumps, but even so there's a lot of flip-flopping. When Gimpel first heard about the war he rushed off to the consul with all the young men, saying he had to be with them in Europe. But then, the ships were all full so he stayed. He got ping-ponged around in heated arguments about the war... and now, it looks like the most important effect of the war is to make cash scarce. The guy says "if you want cash you have to give 60 days notice" - I don't know if that was some new war-related regulation or just an observation.



August 9, 1914: Cash is a precious thing these days.
  1. GB: Suzy, he's here. He wants you and we can break plates this very day.
  2. GB: I don't know about any war and hard times. I'm getting money soon.
  3. GB: Congratulations, children. Don't forget to invite me to the wedding.
  4. GB: Say, Jake, and what's the story with my matchmaking fee, you know?
  5. Jake: Mister Matchmaker, don't you know that these days if you want cash money you have to give 60 days notice?

8-9-1914
קעש איז אַן עדעלע זאַך הײַנטיגע צײַטען.

1
גימפּעל בײניש: סוזי, ער איז דאָ; ער װיל דיך און מען קען נאָך הײַנט ברעכען טעלער.
2
גימפּעל בײניש: איך װײס ניט פֿון קײן מלחמה מיט שלעכטע צײַטען. איך קריעג באַלד געלד.
3
גימפּעל בײניש: זאָל זײַן מיט גליק, קינדערלעך. פֿאַרגעסט ניט מיך צו רופֿען אױף חתונה.
4
גימפּעל בײניש: סעי, דזשײק, און װאָס הערט זיך עפּעס מיט מײַן שדכנות געלד, יו נו?
5
דזשײק: מיסטער שדכן, איהר װײסט ניט אַז מען װיל געלד, דאַרף מען געבען זעכציג טעג נאָטיס?

Labels: , , , , ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home