The Rooster Prince

nce upon a time in a land far beyond the horizon a King lived to see his only son turn crazy. His offspring suddenly rid himself of all his garments and decided to live a naked life under the kitchen table as a rooster.

None of the King’s councilors, ministers, nor any of the lackeys or anyone at all, including His Majesty Himself could persuade the straying Dauphin to leave his shelter under the table.

Many months had passed by while rumours spread about the Prince and his strange illness, when a Tzaddik well known for his healing powers arrived at the Court and asked to see the desperate King.

“I will, “ the Jewish Sage was heard, “ without doubt cure your only son provided you will trust me and let me proceed as I see fit.”

And so it was decided. The Tzaddik entered the kitchen and saw a young, naked, clucking man under the table, picking food from the kitchen floor. To everybody’s surprise he immediately took off all his clothes too and squatted next to the Prince.

The King was not amused. But he had given his word and now had two men sitting under his table, pretending to be roosters.

When after a few days the Tzaddik had become friends with his co-rooster he suddenly demanded a pair of trousers and put them on. The Prince was shocked and protested, no rooster, nay, never ever would be seen in trousers! Alas, the Rebbe insisted,

“Why should a rooster not wear trousers? And the floor? It is really cold!”

For a while, the noble heir was really unduly pissed off but: the kitchen floor froze square patterns in his naked three letters and so he followed the Tzaddik’s example and called for trousers too.

A few days later, the Tzaddik-rooster felt cold again and asked for a jacket. The Prince-rooster was flabbergasted, but he had to admit, being cold or warm was a difference to live for.

And so, sock by sock, shirt by shirt, word by word the Tzaddik succeeded in calling the King’s son back into our crazy world.

Rebbe Nachman
as told by .lu