Book of E p i c T a l e s (Sipurei Ma`asiyot) b y Rebbe Nachman of Breslev - Unabridged and With Appendices - hich we have been privileged to hear from the mouth of Rabbeinu W Hakadosh, the Hidden and Concealed Light, Nachal Nove`a Mekor Chokhmah/The Flowing Stream, The Wellspring of Wisdom [1] , HaRav Rabbi NACHMAN ztzuk"l of Breslev, grandson of the Ba`al Shem Tov Hakadosh and compiler of the books Likutei Moharan and several other compendiums. o out and see the might of your Master [2] Who has illuminated heavenly G Torah for us to enliven us as [sure as] it is this day[3 ] , for the everlasting world[4] ; and our God has not forsaken us in our servitude but has extended kindness to us[5] in each and every generation and has sent us deliverers and rabbis and tzadikei yesodei `olam/ righteous ones, foundation of the world [6] to teach us the way. His first [mercies] have come to pass[7] and yet His mercies have not ceased[8] at any period or any time. And He has performed kindness for us, drawing water from the wellsprings of salvation [9] , ancient things, words which are the secret of the world [10] , under wonderful and awesome clothings. See and understand and look at His wonderful and awesome way, which is an inheritance to us from our holy forefathers who were during ancient times in Yisrael. or such is the way of the upper holy ones [11] , harvesters of the field [12] , Fwho raised their hands and hearts to God, to clothe and conceal the King's treasure houses in story tales according to the generation and according to the times, knowing the understanding of times, to know what Yisrael should do, until [Mashiach] arises and delivers Tziyon and returns to build the ruins of Ariel, at such time as it will be said [by the ministering angels] to Ya`akov and to Yisrael [who shall again excel in belovedness by Hashem Yitbarakh before everyone's eyes and sit before Him learning Torah from His mouth such that their place is nearer-in than that of the ministering angels], “What has God wrought?”[13] In the year 575 l"pk [Jewish year 5575] English translation edited by Nissim Kaufmann, PhD, Albany, NY, May 2014 www.B reslovBooks.com ♦ All of Rebbe Nachman's books at non-profit prices and for free download 2 Epic Tales by Rebbe Nachman Table of Contents Foreword .................................................................................................... 5 Preface ....................................................................................................... 6 Second Preface ........................................................................................ 11 Zot Matzanu/ This We Found ................................................................. 23 Tale 1: The Lost Princess ....................................................................... 24 [The Princess Is Lost] .......................................................................................................................... 24 [The Viceroy Seeks Her a Long Time, Until He Finds Her] ............................................................. 24 [The Advice of How She Can Be Taken Out; the Viceroy Does Not Endure] ................................. 25 [The Lament of the Princess; How She Can Yet Be Found] ............................................................. 27 Tale 2: The Emperor and the King ........................................................ 30 [Introduction; the Betrothal] ............................................................................................................... 30 [The Separation] ................................................................................................................................... 30 [The Elopement] ................................................................................................................................... 31 [The Couple Get Lost] .......................................................................................................................... 31 [The Merchant's Son Finds the Emperor's Daughter] ...................................................................... 32 [The Emperor's Daughter Flees From the Merchant's Son] ............................................................ 33 [The King by the Sea Finds the Emperor's Daughter] ...................................................................... 34 [The Emperor's Daughter Meets Twelve Pirates] ............................................................................. 36 [The King Prince; the Emperor's Daughter as “Doctor” Becomes King of the Land] ................... 37 [The Wedding and Conclusion] ............................................................................................................ 39 Tale 3: The Son Who Could Not Walk ................................................... 41 [The Son Who Could Not Walk Travels to Leipzig, and Robbers Ambush Him] ............................ 41 [The Son Who Could Not Walk Finds a Diamond Having Four Charms] ........................................ 42 [The Son Who Could Not Walk Is Healed, and the Robbers Repent] .............................................. 44 [To The Two Thousand Mountains With the Demons] ...................................................................... 45 [How a Demon Becomes a Cloud] ....................................................................................................... 47 [The Sage-Elder Has No Fear of the Demons] .................................................................................. 47 [The King of the Demons Gives the Elder a Book of All the Demon Families] ............................... 49 [Nothing Remains of the Demons] ...................................................................................................... 51 [Notes Following the Story] ................................................................................................................ 52 Tale 4: The King Who Decreed Conversion .......................................... 53 [The King Decrees Forced Conversion upon the Jews] .................................................................... 53 [The King's Son Allows the Anoos to Be a Jew in Public] ................................................................ 53 [The Son and Then Grandson of the King Become King] ................................................................. 54 [The Great-Grandson of the King Makes an Effigy and Conquers the World] ............................... 54 [The Great-Grandson of the King Makes the Former Anoos Once Again Anoos] .......................... 55 [The Great-Grandson of the King Sees in a Dream the Bull and Ram Laughing at Him] ............. 56 [The Great-Grandson of the King Goes to the Place of the Iron Rod and Is Cut Off] ................... 56 [The Sage Comes Home and the Anoos Explains That by Him Was the King Cut Off] ................. 57 [Notes Following the Story] ................................................................................................................ 58 Tale 5: The King's Son Who Was Made of Precious Stones ................ 59 Tale 6: The Humble King ....................................................................... 62 Table of Contents 3 [Notes Following the Story] ................................................................................................................ 64 Tale 7: The Fly and the Spider ............................................................... 66 [Notes Following the Story] ................................................................................................................ 70 Tale 8: The Rabbi and His Only Son ...................................................... 71 [Notes Following the Story] ................................................................................................................ 74 Tale 9: The Clever Man and the Simple Man ....................................... 75 [Introduction] ........................................................................................................................................ 75 [The Simple Man and the Clever Man Learn Trades] ....................................................................... 75 [The Clever Man With Constant Afflictions, and the Simple Man with Constant Joy] .................. 78 [The King Sends for the Clever Man and the Simple Man] ............................................................. 83 [The King Appoints the Simple Man to Be a Governor and Then a Minister] ................................ 85 [The Clever Man Denies That There is a King] ................................................................................. 87 [The Clever Man Meets With the Simple Man] ................................................................................. 89 [The Clever Man Admits That there is a King on the Earth] ........................................................... 93 [Notes Following the Story] ................................................................................................................ 94 Tale 10: The Burgher and the Pauper ................................................... 96 [Introduction; the Dream of the Burgher and of the Pauper] .......................................................... 96 [The Trip of the Wives and the Pauper's Wife's Capture; the Rescue by the Burgher and the Pauper's Wife's Oath] ......................................................................................................................... 97 [The Burgher's Son and the Pauper's Daughter; the Match; the Rise