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.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

2-25-1915: Gimpel is flattered by a traveling encyclopedia salesman with predictable results.

A tenet of good sales work: flatter your customer, appeal to his vanity. The traveling salesman was a common figure back then. His product was not cheap! But he sold on the installment plan. I bet his best customers were those who wanted their children to be educated and successful.



February 25, 1915: Of course sometimes a little business gets done.
  1. GB: Well, what times! If only there were somebody around to make a little business with!
  2. Jake: Mister Gimpel Beynish, you're the right man at the right time.
  3. Jake: I know you're a whiz with educated type things, you know.
  4. Jake: So I have to sell you three sets of the newest encyclopedia.
  5. GB: So it costs money - as long as I'm considered an educated man.

2-25-1915
עפּעס ביזנעס מאַכט זיך איהם דאָך אַמאָל.

1
גימפּעל בײניש: נו, אַ צײַט! עס זאָל אפֿילו זײַן כאָטש מיט װעמען צו רײדען ביזנעס.
2
דזשײק: מיסטער גימפּעל בײניש, איהר זײַט דער ריכטיגער מאַן אױפֿ׳ן ריכטיגען פּלאַץ.
3
דזשײק: איך װײס, אַז איהר זײַט אַ מזיק אױף דיא געבילדעטע זאַכען, יו נו.
4
דזשײק: מוז איך אײַך פֿאַרקױפֿען דרײַ סעטס פֿון דער נײַעסטער ענציקלאָפּעדיע.
5
גימפּעל בײניש: זאָל קאָסטען געלד, אַבי מען האַלט מיך פֿאַר אַ געבילדעטען מאַן.

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