Synopsis
Yiske and his band of klezmer musicians must find a groom to participate in a very unconventional wedding. An unusual folktale based on the old European Jewish custom of holding a wedding in a cemetery to ward off a cholera epidemic. Join Yiske and his clever horse Fairdy in this ghoulishly delightful tale.
Children's Literature
Yiske was happy to be invited to play with his klezmer band (Jewish musicians) at a wedding. But when Yiske and the band arrived at the small town of Pinsk, everything was quiet, too quiet. The contagious disease of cholera was rampant. Nothing the citizens did to rid the town of the dread disease—cleaned the streets, boiled the water, recited psalms—seemed to help. A legend said if two orphans married in the cemetery, the epidemic would end. An orphan bride had been located, but where could they find a groom? Yiske asked the barber while the whole town got busy planning a wedding. The barber made several suggestions: a miller, a carpenter, a logger. Yiske's horse, Fairly, lifted her head high and let out a loud whinny which meant, "No!" Finally, Fairly accepted the town water carrier as a hard-working, honest man. After a wedding celebration that lasted until morning, everyone watched for a miracle. Did Yiske's search work? Did the cholera epidemic end? The rabbi hoped that a wedding would bring happiness and a cure. The illustrations show cartoon-like figures with large heads and funny expressive faces in bright colors. Reviewer: JoAn Watson Martin