Once upon a time, in the land of Uz, there lived a distinguished rabbi, who was very wealthy and knew the seventy languages. He supported a great yeshibah and had many able students and also educated many young children. He always had at least one hundred pupils in his yeshibah. He also supported an organization for the poor, and many poor people had free access to his house. In short, the rabbi was a pious man and had all the virtues that a good Jew should have. But, as against this, he had a very bad-tempered wife, who could not bear with any of his actions and looked askance at all his deeds. She did not like to see a poor man enter her house.

The proverb, which says: "When the rope is too tight it snaps," was verified in the case of this pious man. He became so poor that he could no longer give any charity, nor could he do as much good for the young students as he had done formerly. Then the poor rabbi thought to himself: "What shall I do now? All the days of my life I have given freely for God's sake and have done much good to many, and now I am very poor. What shall I do? I will accept my fate willingly from the Lord, blessed be He, who does no injustice. I wonder what sin I have committed." Then he continued: "What is the good of my lamenting my poverty? There always are people who gloat over another's misfortune. There is one thing I can do. I will leave town secretly, so that no one should know what has become of me."

So he called his best pupils and said to them: "My dear young men, you know well how faithful I was toward you up to now, how I supplied you with food and clothing and taught you besides. Now I will confide to you a secret, hoping that you will act towards me as I have acted towards you."

The pupils replied: "Dear Rabbi, tell us your secret, for we will stand by you as long as God grants us life."

So the rabbi told his pupils that he must depart, for he did not understand why he had become so poor. And he asked them to go with him. "For," he said, "I have still a few florins, which I should like to spend with you. Who knows but that God may give me wealth again, and then you will enjoy it again with me as long as you live."

The pupils replied: "Dear Rabbi, whatever you desire us to do we will do willingly, and whatever we possess in money and clothes, we will share with you."

So the rabbi went away with fifty of his pupils, and not a man in the community knew of his departure. When the poor people learned that their rabbi had gone, they feared greatly, and so did the little children, whom he had brought up by his bounty, as well as the other pupils who remained behind with his wife. Thus he departed together with his pupils, and wherever he came, he was received with the honor he deserved. And no one was surprised to see him traveling about, for they thought he was going to a yeshibah to study.

After traveling about for a year or two, their garments were torn and the money in their purses was spent, as can be easily imagined, and they became dependent upon charity. But wherever they went, people locked the doors in their faces, for nobody knew their circumstances, whether they were vagrants or students. At last the students grew tired of wandering about, and said to the rabbi: "What will be the end of our wandering? We have neither clothes nor money, and cannot help ourselves. And wherever we go, people lock the doors in our faces and look upon us as vagrants. We will therefore return to our parents. Moreover, we are getting older and wish to marry. But we will not tell anyone how you are faring or where you are."

When the good rabbi heard this from his pupils, he thought for a while and then said to them: "My dear pupils, I have nothing but praise for the loyalty which you have shown to me. Therefore I beg of you to remain with me four or five days more until after the Sabbath. After that I will let you go in the name of God. Perhaps God will send us something good and we shall return home together."

And the pupils replied: "Very well, dear Rabbi. We have stayed so long with you that we might as well remain a few days longer."

So they continued their travels and came to a clump of small trees. Then the rabbi said to the pupils: "Go ahead and I will be with you soon."

The pupils went along, talking among themselves and discussing various points of law. And the rabbi, seeing a small spring, washed his hands and was about to leave, when he saw a small weasel running along with a pretty gold ring in its mouth. He ran after the weasel until it dropped the ring. He picked it up and saw that the ring was of little value, but on examining it more closely, he found an old inscription on the inside, which he easily read. It ran as follows: "Although I look unattractive, my value is inestimable."

Now the rabbi was a very clever man and he suspected that the ring must have a special virtue. He thought as hard as he knew how to find out what kind of charm the ring could have, to be so valuable. Then he thought perhaps it was a magic ring, by means of which one could obtain one's desires, and decided to try it. So he said: "I wish I had a girdle with money."

And before he had finished the sentence, he saw a girdle filled with gold, lying in front of him. He became cheerful again, and, going to his pupils, he said: "My dear boys, be of good cheer, we are going to a place where I have a very rich friend, who will lend me money, for he does not know that I am so poor. I will then buy clothes for you and send you home."

But he did not tell his pupils that he had found a magic ring, fearing that they might take it away from him or report him and he would lose it. The pupils rejoiced at the thought of getting new clothes and asked no further questions, having no doubt that their teacher had told them the truth. So they came to the town and after spending a day there, the rabbi dressed them in clothes of pure silk and velvet and dressed himself in clothes similar to those he had worn before. He stayed there a week or ten days, studying very earnestly with his pupils, and the people paid him all the honor which was due to him as a great scholar.

One day he went into the town and bought a coach worthy of a prince, and said: "My dear pupils, come here and I will pay you back all the money which you laid out for me on the journey, and then we will go home."

The pupils had no doubt that his relative who lived in the town and who was a rich man, had lent him a few thousand florins, as the rabbi had told them, so that he might return to his home with honor.

They started for home together and where the people had previously shut the door in their faces, they now received them with great honor. Now as long as the rabbi had been away from his home the people were unhappy, but now a shout went up in the community that the rabbi had come back together with his pupils. And who rejoiced more than the poor?

As soon as he had reached home he received everyone with a friendly air, for no one knew that he had gone away because of poverty; they all believed that he had gone to study. The rabbi resumed his old habits of almsgiving, opened his yeshibah and brought up the young children to study. On the Sabbath he was in the habit of taking a nap and then studying tosafot with his pupils.

One Sabbath he lay down to take a nap as usual, and his wife said to him: "My dear husband, where did you get so much money? We were so poor before that you had to leave."

The rabbi replied: "I had a godsend on my journey."

But the wife would not believe this and she worried him so long, as women will do, until the rabbi let himself be persuaded and told her his secret. This was a mistake. For King Solomon said: "Do not confide thy secret to thy wife," for women cannot keep a secret, as happened to the good rabbi, as you will soon hear. If he had not confided his secret to his wife he would have been spared much trouble, and because he told her the secret of the ring, viz. that all one's wishes are fulfilled, he had to suffer great misfortunes.

When the evil-tempered wife heard the story, she thought: "If I had the ring, he would never get it back again," and she would have readily taken it away from him, but it could not be taken off his finger against his will. So she said: "My dear husband, let me see the ring for a while."

The rabbi knew what an evil-tempered woman she was and would not give it to her, whereupon she pretended to weep and said to him: "I see you do not love me, for you will not trust me with the ring." And she plagued him until at last he gave it to her.

As soon as she slipped the ring on her finger, she put her head under the sheet and said: "I wish my husband were turned into a werewolf and ran about in the woods among the wild beasts."

She had scarcely uttered these words, when the good rabbi jumped out of the window and ran into the forest, called the Pemerwald (Böhmerwald), and began to devour the people and do damage, so that no one ventured to go through the forest alone for fear of the wolf which struck terror into the heart of the people. The werewolf made himself a dwelling in the forest (and took in the charcoal) to keep his lair dry. Accordingly all the charcoal burners in the forest ran away also for fear of the werewolf.

Now let us leave the wolf for a while and see what happened in his house. When the time arrived for the rabbi to read tosafot to his pupils, the rabbi's wife (may her name be blotted out!) told them: "The rabbi cannot read tosafot today, as he is not well."

The pupils believed her and went away. The next morning they came again, and she said: "The rabbi has gone away and has not told me where, but I believe he will be back in four years."

She appeared to be very grieved, but it was only a piece of infamous acting on her part, may her name be blotted out!

The poor people came to the door, but she refused to let anyone in. The poor people grieved very much at the loss of the rabbi. The infamous woman was very rich, as one can well imagine. For she was able to obtain everything she desired, hence there was no limit to her wealth. But nobody knew what had happened to the rabbi, or why he had so suddenly disappeared. Moreover, there was no one who could find out, but everyone believed he would return again, as he had done before.

We will leave the wicked woman alone and will return to the poor rabbi, running about in the forest as a werewolf, doing great damage and killing man and beast, for there is no stronger animal than the werewolf.

The charcoal burners were asked if they could capture the wolf, but they replied: "No, he is much stronger than a lion and has intelligence besides."

When the king heard of this, he arranged a hunt through the forest but he could not catch the wolf. They dug pits in many places but of no avail.

Now among these charcoal burners there was one whom the wolf did not hurt, but on the contrary made friends with him and spent most of its time near his hut. All other people had to avoid the forest for fear of the wolf.

Now the king issued a proclamation that he who succeeded in capturing the wolf, alive or dead, would receive the king's daughter as a wife and on the death of the king would succeed to the throne.

At the king's court there was an unmarried knight, who was very strong and had taken part in many tournaments. This knight arose and said: "My lord king, if you will keep your word, I will undertake to kill the wolf, for I have fought many battles and luck has always been with me. Therefore, I will try once more."

The king repeated his promise on his honor. Accordingly, the knight put on his armor, feeling certain that he would succeed in killing the wolf. He went to the charcoal burner who lived in the forest and was friendly with the wolf and said to him: "Friend, show me the wolf's lair or its whereabouts."

When the man saw that the knight intended to attack the wolf, he was very much frightened, fearing the knight would be killed in the encounter, as had almost happened to himself. The charcoal burner said to the knight: "What are you doing in this forest? If the wolf becomes aware of your presence, you will lose your life, great as you are."

The knight replied: "Nevertheless, show me his lair, for I have come here to kill him."

But the charcoal burner continued: "Sir, I pray you, do not attempt this. You are playing with your life."

The knight replied: "Be quick about it, for it must be."

Then the charcoal burner said: "May God have mercy on you," and went with him and showed him where the wolf roamed. The knight took his gun and his spear in his hand and went into the wood, thinking that as soon as he saw the wolf, he would shoot him.

When the wolf saw that his life was in danger, he jumped aside, caught the knight by his throat, cast him to the ground, and was about to kill him. When the charcoal burner saw this, he drove the wolf away.

The knight was not satisfied and wanted to attack the wolf again, but the coal burner prevented him. Nevertheless, he rushed at the wolf a third time. Thereupon the wolf became enraged and wanted to tear him to pieces. Then the knight prayed to God to save him from the wolf, promising that he would not attack him.

The wolf released his hold and began wagging his tail in fawning fashion. He would not leave him and ran before the knight as a dog runs in front of its master. The knight was very anxious to get rid of him, for he was afraid of him, but the wolf continued to run at his side. So he took off his girdle and, tying it round the wolf, held him by it, the wolf acting as his guide in the forest. And whenever a wild beast desired to do the knight harm, the wolf tore it to pieces. And when he saw a hare or a fox, he caught it and brought it to the knight.

Finally the knight brought the wolf to the king. The king and the counselors were seized with fright, for they had heard so many stories about the wolf killing people. So the king told the knight to take the wolf away.

The knight replied: "You need not fear, he will do no harm to anyone who will not molest him, I pledge my life on it. On the contrary, he has caught animals for me."

So the knight kept the wolf with him and took good care of him, remembering the mercy the wolf had shown to him in sparing him although he had deserved death for having made three attempts upon the wolf's life. He therefore looked after him well and gave him of the best food and drink. Whenever he went hunting, he took the wolf with him and whenever he saw a beast, the wolf caught it and brought it to him.

The king had promised that any man who brought him the wolf alive or dead would obtain his daughter to wife, and as the knight had properly earned this reward, the king kept his promise and gave him his daughter and half of his wealth besides. When at last the old king died, the young knight became king in his stead and obtained the whole land. But all the time he kept the wolf with him and did not want to abandon him as long as he lived, for the wolf had saved his life and was instrumental in his obtaining the kingdom.

One day in the winter after a heavy snowfall, the young king went out hunting and took the wolf with him. As soon as the wolf came out, he began wagging his tail and ran as if he had scented something. The king followed the wolf and saw him in the distance, digging in the snow with his feet. When the king came up, he saw that there was something written on the snow.

The king was greatly astonished and said: "There is something strange about the wolf being able to write, perhaps he is a human being who has been turned into a beast by a curse, as has often happened before."

But no one was able to read the writing. He sent for all the doctors, but none could read it. Among his counselors there was one who knew Hebrew, and he told the king that it was a writing of the Jews and began to read it as follows: "My dear king, remember the kindness which I showed you when you came into my lair in the forest. I could have torn you to pieces, for I had you under me three times, and in truth would have been justified in taking your life. Nevertheless, I spared you and even helped you to become king. I have a wife who lives in a town called so-and-so (and he mentioned the name), who put a curse upon me, and unless I recover my ring, I must remain a wolf to the end of my life. But as soon as I get the ring I shall be a human being again. Remember the loyalty I have shown you, go into the town, get the ring from my wife and bring it to me for the sake of our friendship, else I will take away your life." And he gave him a sign by which he might know the ring. All this was written in the snow.

When the king heard this, he said: "I will help him again even if I lose my life in the attempt."

Accordingly he took three servants with him and rode into the town which the rabbi had named and in which his wife lived. He announced that he had come to buy beautiful rings and Frankish antiques and that he would pay any price to obtain them. He sent for the Jews and asked them if they had any old Frankish gold or rings or precious stones.

The Jews replied : "We are poor people, but there is a woman in this town who has very beautiful rings of all kinds and precious stones."

He asked the Jews to take him to the woman, and they did so, not knowing he was a king, but thinking he was a merchant.

When he came to the woman, he said: "My good woman, I have been told that you have some old curious gold rings with and without precious stones and old Frankish work. If I like them I will pay you a good price." And he pulled out of his pocket many beautiful rings and said that he had bought them on his travels.

The woman said: "I will show you what old gold I have." And she went into her chamber and brought out many beautiful ornaments, such as the king had never seen. And the king was greatly astonished to find such beautiful things in the house of a Jewess.

Among other things he saw a string of rings, among which was the gold ring which the wolf had described. Thinking how he might obtain the ring, the king took the rings in his hand and said to himself: "I wish my wolf had the ring in his hand already." And, without pointing to the particular ring, he said to the woman: "What would be the price of these rings?"

She replied: "So many hundred florins."

The clever king concluded the bargain and bought two rings, at the same time slipping the other ring into his hand without the woman noticing it. Then he paid her the amount, took leave of her, and returned home.

When he had reached home, the woman missed the ring but dared not avow it, for she did not know who the merchant was. She grieved very much and mourned like a widow, but no one knew anything about it.

When the king reached home, he ordered a great banquet and invited all the nobles of the kingdom. And as he was sitting at the table and making merry, he called for the wolf, who came in, wagging his tail with great joy, for he knew that the king had gone for the ring, but did not know whether he had brought it. The wolf kissed the king and stroked him, and when the king saw the wolf fawning so eagerly, he drew the ring out of the bag and showed it to the wolf.

Had the king known the virtue of the ring; he might perhaps not have given it to him. But as it was, he took the ring and put it on one of the wolf's toes, and suddenly there stood a naked man before them.

When the king saw it, he threw his mantle over him. All the nobles who were present were frightened, but the king said: "Fear not, the man who stands here before you is none else but the wolf."

The man rejoiced greatly and said to the king: "My dear king, I beg of you to grant me leave to return to my home; for I have not been home in three or four years."

The king replied: "If it is your wish, you may go home, but if you desire to remain here you may stay with me and eat at my table as long as you live, for I cannot repay you for the kindness which you have shown me."

But the rabbi preferred to return home. The king wanted to give him many gifts, but the rabbi said: "My lord king, you have seen that I have enough wealth at home, therefore I have no need of your money. You have done me enough good in obtaining the ring for me; for if I did not have my ring, I would have to be a werewolf all my life."

Had the king, however, known the secret of the ring, he would not have given it to him so easily, for although the king possessed many valuable things, nothing would have served him as well as the ring.

The rabbi took provisions for the journey and departed. On the way he gathered again fifty pupils, dressed them in black velvet and came back to his town. When he had come near the town, he said: "I wish that my wife (may her name be blotted out!) be turned into a she-ass, standing in the stable and eating out of the trough with the other animals."

In the meantime the shout went up that the rabbi had come home, bringing with him fifty pupils dressed in black velvet. The community went out to meet him and received him with great honor.

They would have liked to ask him where he had been all that time, but the rabbi said: "If you wish to be kind to me, do not ask me where I have been or what I have done."

The rabbi pretended not to know anything about his wife, although he knew very well that she was in the stable. Accordingly, he asked his household: "Where is my wife? I do not see her, perhaps she does not like to see me bringing again fifty pupils."

The people of the household replied: "If it will not frighten you, we will tell you."

The rabbi said: "I shall not be frightened."

The people of the house replied: "When we heard that you were coming home, we hastened to your wife to tell her the good news, but she disappeared and we do not know what has happened to her."

The rabbi did not show any fear and pretended not to know. Then he said: "I believe that when she has been away so long as I, she will come back."

The rabbi resumed his former mode of life giving alms to the poor, maintaining a yeshibah and doing works of benevolence generally, so that everybody was happy again. After some time, he prepared a great banquet and invited all the people of the town. Being in good spirits, he said: "Now that God has helped me to come home in safety, I have taken a vow that I would build a beautiful synagogue and the she-ass will carryall the stones required for the building."

The she-ass was his wife, but the people did not know that he had put such a curse upon her. Then the people replied: "May God give you strength to carry it out quickly in peace and in good health."

The she-ass meanwhile had been feeding and had grown very fat. Like an animal she showed no shame and mated in the open. But when the rabbi began to use her for carrying stones, she became lean again. When the rabbi saw that she refused to move, he kicked her in the side and said: "Oh, you miserable beast, remember the evil you have done to me, may the lightning strike you!"

So he kept on using the she-ass very hard until she grew very thin. This went on for a long time and nobody knew what had become of his wife. When he had completed the building. of the synagogue, he made again a great banquet and invited all his wife's friends. And when they were draining their cups, the rabbi told them the whole story of how his wife had made him suffer for so long and how the Lord had helped him to recover. "And now," he added, "I have cursed her that she should become a she-ass and remain such all her life."

When her relatives heard this, they became very much frightened, for they felt pity for her, and begged the rabbi to forgive her this time, saying that she would never do it again. But the rabbi would not trust her.

Shortly afterwards the rabbi died and left great wealth to his children. The ring disappeared again and the woman remained all her life a she-ass. This is why king Solomon said that one should not confide his secret to his wife, for had he not revealed the secret of the ring to his wife, the rabbi would not have had the misfortune of running around wild in the forest. But he repaid her fully, for many a one digs a pit for others and then falls into it himself.