ew not what to do, for he would not discover his plight to the
nobles of the land in which he happened to be; indeed, he did not care
to let them know who he was. Now, he chanced to be in Padua, and he
resolved to unbosom himself to the rabbi, tell him that he was a great
noble of the Polish land, and borrow somewhat to relieve his pressing
need. Such is the manner of Polish noblemen. They permit shrewd and
sensible Jews to become intimate with them that they may borrow from
them, rabbis being held in particularly high esteem and favor by the
princes and lords of Poland. So it came about that the aforesaid Prince
Radziwill sought out Rabbi Samuel Judah, and revealed his identity, at
the same time discovering to him his urgent need of money. The rabbi
lent him the sum asked for, and the prince said, 'How can I recompense
you, returning good for good?' The rabbi answered, 'First I beg that you
deal kindly with the Jews under your power, and then that you do the
good you would show me to my son Saul, who lives in Brzesc.' The prince
took down the name and place of abode of the rabbi's son, and having
arrived at his home, sent for him. He appeared before the prince, who
found him so wise and clever that he in every possible way attached the
Jew to his own person, gave him many proofs of his favor, sounded his
praises in the ears of all the nobles, and raised him to a high
position. He was so great a favorite with all the lords that on the day
when a king was to be elected, and the peers could not agree, rather
than have the day pass without the appointment of a ruler, they
unanimously resolved to invest Saul with royal power, calling him Saul
Wahl to indicate that he had been _chosen_ king.--All this my father
told me, and such new matter as I gathered from another source, I will
not fail to set down in another chapter."--

"This furthermore I heard from my pious father, when, in 1734, he lay
sick in Fuerth, where there are many physicians. I went from Marktbreit
to Fuerth, and stayed with him for three weeks. When I was alone with
him, he dictated his will to me, and then said in a low voice: 'This I
will tell you that you may know what happened to our ancestor Saul Wahl:
After the nobles had elected a king for Poland, and our ancestor had
become great in the eyes of the Jews, he unfortunately grew haughty. He
had a beautiful daughter, Haendele, famed throughout Poland for her wit
as well as her beauty. Many sought her in m