y the name of
Saul Wahl, and that is a noteworthy fact in the history of Poland and in
that of the Jews in the middle ages.

* * *

After history, criticism has a word to say. A legend, as a rule, rests
on analogy, on remarkable deeds, on notable events, on extraordinary
historical phenomena. In the case of the legend under consideration, all
these originating causes are combined. Since the time of Sigismund I.,
the position of the Jews in Lithuania and Poland had been favorable. It
is regarded as their golden period in Poland. In general, Polish Jews
had always been more favorably situated than their brethren in faith in
other countries. At the very beginning of Polish history, a legend,
similar to that attached to Saul Wahl's name, sprang up. After the death
of Popiel, an assembly met at Kruszwica to fill the vacant throne. No
agreement could be reached, and the resolution was adopted to hail as
king the first person to enter the town the next morning. The guard
stationed at the gate accordingly brought before the assembly the poor
Jew Abraham, with the surname Powdermaker (_Prochownik_), which he had
received from his business, the importing of powder. He was welcomed
with loud rejoicing, and appointed king. But he refused the crown, and
pressed to accept it, finally asked for a night's delay to consider the
proposal. Two days and two nights passed, still the Jew did not come
forth from his room. The Poles were very much excited, and a peasant,
Piast by name, raising his voice, cried out: "No, no, this will not do!
The land cannot be without a head, and as Abraham does not come out, I
will bring him out." Swinging his axe, he rushed into the house, and
led the trembling Jew before the crowd. With ready wit, Abraham said,
"Poles, here you see the peasant Piast, he is the one to be your king.
He is sensible, for he recognized that a land may not be without a king.
Besides, he is courageous; he disregarded my command not to enter my
house. Crown him, and you will have reason to be grateful to God and His
servant Abraham!" So Piast was proclaimed king, and he became the
ancestor of a great dynasty.

It is difficult to discover how much of truth is contained in this
legend of the tenth century. That it in some remote way rests upon
historical facts is attested by the existence of Polish coins bearing
the inscriptions: "Abraham _Dux_" and "_Zevach_ Abraham" ("Abraham the
Prince" and "Abraham's Sacrifice"). Casimir the G