Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 23:01:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: B Cause
Subject: BLAGUES-L: Gifts for a Yiddish mother

Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:55:55 +0100
From: Joshua Epstein

Three sons of a Yiddish mother left their homeland, went abroad and
prospered. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly
mother.

AVRAHAM, the first, said: "I built a big house for our mother." 

MOISHE, the second, said: "I sent her a Mercedes with a driver." 

DAVID, the youngest, said: "You remember how our mother enjoys reading the
bible. Now she can't see very well so I sent her a remarkable parrot that
recites the whole bible,...took the greatest rabbis 12 years to teach him. 
Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot recites it." 

Soon thereafter, a letter of thanks came from their mother. 

"AVRAHAM", she said, "The house you built is so huge.  I live only in one
room, but I have to clean the whole house."

"MOISHE", she said, "I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at
home, so I rarely use the Mercedes. And that driver has shpilkas... he's a
pain in the tuchas." 

"DAVID", she said, "THE CHICKEN WAS DELICIOUS."