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This ancient Jewish story inspired Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, and is creepy enough for us to rank it a "Halloween Story". But don't worry, in this version (written for children in 1911 by "Aunt Naomi") he isn't too terrifying.
The "golem" is a creature created by a rabbi of the city of Prague (these days the capital of Czech Republic). In real life the hero of the story, Rabbi Lion, was Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th century Chief Rabbi of Prague, (Leow meaning "Lion"). The idea of a "golem" has biblical origins. Adam was an unshaped "golem" made of dust before he became a man.
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Read by Elizabeth. Duration 13.21
Proofread by Claire Deakin.
Rabbi Lion, of the ancient city of Prague, sat in his study in the Ghetto. Through the window he could see the River Moldau with the narrow streets of the Jewish quarter clustered around the cemetery, which still stands today, and where is to be seen this famous man’s tomb. Beyond the Ghetto rose the towers and spires of the city, he had a problem on his mind: He was unable to find a servant, even one to attend the fire on the Sabbath for him.
The truth was that the people were a little afraid of the rabbi. He was a very learned man, wise and studious, and a scientist; and because he did wonderful things, people called him a magician. His experiments in chemistry frightened them. Late at night they saw little spurts of blue and red flame shine from his window, and they said that demons and witches came at his beck and call - so nobody would enter his service.
“If, as they declare, I am truly a magician,” he said to himself, “why should I not make for myself a servant, one that will tend the fire for me on the Sabbath?”
He set to work on his novel idea and in a few weeks had completed his mechanical creature, a woman. She looked like a big, strong, labouring woman, and the rabbi was greatly pleased with his handiwork. “Now to endow it with life,” he said.
Carefully, in the silence of his mysterious study at midnight, he wrote out the unpronounceable sacred name of God on a piece of parchment. Then he rolled it up and placed it in the mouth of the creature.
Immediately it sprang up and began to move like a living thing. It rolled its eyes, waved its arms, and nearly walked through the window. In alarm, Rabbi Lion snatched the parchment from its mouth and the creature fell helpless to the floor.
“I must be careful,” said the rabbi. “It is a wonderful machine with its many springs and screws and levers, and will be most useful to me as soon as I learn to control it properly.”
All the people marvelled when they saw the Rabbi’s machine-woman running errands and doing many duties, controlled only by his thoughts. She could do everything but speak, and Rabbi Lion discovered that he must take the name from her mouth before he went to sleep. Otherwise, she might do mischief.
One cold Sabbath afternoon, the rabbi was preaching in the synagogue and the little children stood outside his house looking at the machine-woman seated by the window. When they rolled their eyes she did too, and at last they shouted, “Come and play with us!”
She promptly jumped through the window and stood among the boys and girls.
“We are cold,” said one. “Canst thou make a fire for us?”
The creature was made to obey orders, so she at once collected sticks and lit a fire in the street. Then, with the children, she danced round the blaze in great glee. She piled on all the sticks and old barrels she could find, and soon the fire spread and caught a house. The children ran away in fear while the fire blazed so furiously that the whole town became alarmed. Before the flames could be extinguished, a number of houses had been burned down and much damage done. The creature could not be found, and only when the parchment with the name, which could not burn, was discovered amid the ashes, was it known that she had been destroyed in the conflagration.
The council of the city was indignant when it learned of the strange occurrence, and Rabbi Lion was summoned to appear before King Rudolf himself.
“What is this I hear?” Asked his majesty. “Is it not a sin to make a living creature?”
“It had no life but that which the Sacred Name gave it,” replied the rabbi.
“I understand it not,” said the king. “Thou wilt be imprisoned and must make another creature, so that I may see it for myself. If it is as thou sayest, thy life shall be spared. If not – if, in truth, thou profanest God’s sacred law and makest a living thing, thou shalt die and all thy people shall be expelled from this city.”
Rabbi Lion at once set to work and made a man, much bigger than the woman that had been burned.
“As your Majesty sees,” said the rabbi, when his task was completed, “it is but a creature of wood and glue with springs at the joints. Now observe,” and he put the Sacred Name in its mouth.
Slowly the creature rose to its feet and saluted the monarch who was so delighted that he cried, “Give him to me, Rabbi.”
“That cannot be,” said Rabbi Lion, solemnly. “The Sacred Name must not pass from my possession. Otherwise the creature may do great damage again. This time I shall take care and will not use the man on the Sabbath.”
The king saw the wisdom of this, set the rabbi at liberty and allowed him to take the creature to his house. The Jews looked on in wonderment when they saw the creature walking along the street by the side of Rabbi Lion, but the children ran away in fear, crying, “The bogey-man!”
The Rabbi exercised caution with his bogey-man this time, and every Friday, just before Sabbath commenced, he took the name from its mouth so as to render it powerless. It became more wonderful every day, and one evening it startled the rabbi from a doze by beginning to speak.
“I want to be a soldier,” it said, “and fight for the king. I belong to the king. You made me for him.”
“Silence,” cried Rabbi Lion, and it had to obey. “I like this not,” said the rabbi to himself. “This monster must not become my master, or it may destroy me and perhaps all the Jews.”
He could not help but wonder whether the king was right and that it must be a sin to create a man. The creature not only spoke, but grew surly and disobedient, and yet the rabbi hesitated to break it up, for it was most useful to him. It did all his cooking, washing and cleaning, and three servants could not have performed the work so neatly and quickly.
One Friday afternoon when the rabbi was preparing to go to the synagogue, he heard a loud noise in the street.
“Come quickly,” the people shouted at his door. “Your bogey-man is trying to get into the synagogue.”
Rabbi Lion rushed out in a state of alarm. The monster had slipped from the house and was battering down the door of the synagogue.
“What art thou doing?” Demanded the rabbi, sternly.
“Trying to get into the synagogue to destroy the scrolls of the Holy Law,” answered the monster. “Then thou wilt have no power over me, and I shall make a great army of bogey-men who shall fight for the king.”
“I will kill thee first,” exclaimed Rabbi Lion, and springing forward he snatched the parchment with the name so quickly from the creature’s mouth that it collapsed at his feet a mass of broken springs and pieces of wood and glue. For many years afterward these pieces were shown to visitors in the attic of the synagogue when the story was told of the Rabbi’s bogey-man.
That was my favorite story. I loved it.it was the best
Emily Blomqvist — October 25, 2010
i didnt like this story at all it was supeeeer boringgg
Baburshka — October 17, 2016
I loved it!! Especialy when Elizabeth sounded french for the Rabbi. Best story ever!!
Vic — October 18, 2016
I like this a lot, great job. I’m slowly getting used to your voice, by the way Elizabeth. 🙂
Miranda — October 25, 2010
The name of the narrator is Elizabeth, nice name.
Vic — October 18, 2016
well i love how the story is like frankenstine.i’m so amazed how great this story is.
mia — October 25, 2010
please do more halloween stories
Jacob — October 25, 2010
Dear brtie can you please make stories about Anne Frank please reply.
sony — October 25, 2010
That’s a good idea
Bertie — October 25, 2010
Creepy bogeyman.
Kayla and Kendra — October 25, 2010
Hello,
Im so glad to listen to that wonderful story.
Thank’s Storynory.com
Your friend, Younes from Morocco.
Younes — October 26, 2010
THE STORY WAS NICE IT WAS COOL IT IS A GOOD STORY IT IS A STORY THAT EVERYONE WILL LOVE SO MUCH SO THAT IS WHAT I THINK ABOUT IT!
JASMINE — October 26, 2010
this story is weak
frank — October 26, 2010
this is kinda cool not fab but good
serane — October 27, 2010
I think this story is awsome!!!
harmony — October 27, 2010
i think that is is stupid not being in english
caleb plouvier — October 27, 2010
bence çooooooooook güzel buna bay?ld?m vooooooov
hans — October 27, 2010
vooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooov
hans — October 27, 2010
very lovely and best story, thanks a lot any efford u do for us. keep gooing, and i wish the best of u, as usual.
ali — October 28, 2010
i didnt understand it. please reply Bertie
devnanda — October 28, 2010
That Rabbi Lion was really powerful!
Comet — October 29, 2010
i am scared. dis is very baaaaad!
glkr — November 1, 2010
GREAT!!!! IDEA PEOPLE WOULD LOVE IT
Ipsika — November 1, 2010
O.o uh………nice. i luv scary stories
Girltchi — November 2, 2010
Creepy BogeyMan or monster of Frankenstein
Eric — November 2, 2010
Cool Golem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eric — November 2, 2010
great storie!! the docter is awsome
unknown — November 2, 2010
I like this story becasue it is like frankenstine.
Alexander — November 2, 2010
yes i like thes store so much i trid to git the move so i can
Jeremy — November 4, 2010
I really like the story
carrie — November 4, 2010
U ARE UGGGLY PLUUGGLY
WHITNEY — November 4, 2010
can you put skateboarding stories please.
Hayden — November 4, 2010
I REALLYSTORYS
roiancee — November 4, 2010
many thanks for this story!!.. I am from Prague!!!
IVA — November 5, 2010
i love this story
tasha — November 5, 2010
I do not under stand what creepy bogeyman or monster of frankenstein means.
Mira — November 8, 2010
Dear Mira, the answer to your questions is that they both mean something like “A monster made by man”
Bertie — November 8, 2010
hi i loved this stroy
sophia — November 8, 2010
i love this story but i still find it not cool cuz i’m a girl
fathima — November 8, 2010
I love this story it is so nice
thank you
Lateefa — November 9, 2010
it was awesome
rhys — November 11, 2010
hahahahahaha he looks ugly
jackie — November 11, 2010
I really like the story ☺☺
I like they first a woman and then a man.
But what happen to the woman is she dead.☺☺
Amanda2410 — October 18, 2016
i hate this story soooooooooooo much that i want to delete it. and shutup
jackie — November 11, 2010
I’m 16 and i love storynory!!!:D
Keep up the good work:)
Great story btw…
Nikola — November 12, 2010
I liked the story of the golem of Prague.
please keep telling scary stories.
Drshika — November 14, 2010
Come on golems!!!FIGHT!FIGHT!FIGHT!!!
Comet — November 14, 2010
Rabbi is really a brilliant scienctist!
Comet — November 14, 2010
Great story!I love it!
karin — November 14, 2010
It’s a very nice story.
I enjoyed reading it =)
ya'ara — November 14, 2010
Nice story and poor rabbi.
He shouldn’t build a monster from the beginning
Danny — November 14, 2010
I think the story was fun to read and hear, i love scary stories.
Please, keep write new stories.
Rachel — November 15, 2010
A very nice story.
Yan — November 15, 2010
ienjoy to read the story =)
anna — November 15, 2010
nice story.
i really enjoyed reading this story.
ido — November 15, 2010
Very nice story.
I really enjoyed reading it
I like scary stories
noy — November 15, 2010
it’s a realy nice story.
but it is a little boring.
koral — November 15, 2010
I liked the story .
and i think that it is a nice idea for story .
Michal — November 15, 2010
i think the story is interesting
it was very fun to read and listen to it
shai — November 15, 2010
Nice story ,
I like it (:
kamilla — November 15, 2010
It was a very good, awesome, special, and very interesting story. The story was very nice. I never saw or heard a Frankenstein or something like that story. But I really liked it. It was awesome. I would like that the story had more characters, or even more details. Please when you hear this comment write some other stories that you think I might like. Thankyou storynory.com and who created it. Thanks!!
Angi! — October 18, 2016
Nice story.
I enjoy to read him.
Inna — November 15, 2010
I think it’s a great story! I like this site!
:Diana — November 15, 2010
I think that this story teaches us an important lesson – don’t do something that might get out of control! This is an interesting story and I enjoyed listening to it.
Eylon — November 15, 2010
the story very beautiful.
i love this story.
the story very extraordinary.
iarin frenkel — November 15, 2010
love the story not scary…but not so boaring either…
nice one i have to say =)
stasy — November 15, 2010
realy nice story,
but a little scary.
tanya — November 15, 2010
Nice story
A little scary to hear him at ten thirty at night
Daniel — November 15, 2010
it is very nice story
i like him and enjoyed to read it
eli — November 16, 2010
I loved the story !
what a smart rabbi, that can make a wonderful creature.
stav — November 16, 2010
ooooooo! Scary! But I like it Elizabeth’s voice is better than Natasha’s
Lucy — November 18, 2010
Very nice story!
A little scary to hear him?
Orian — November 18, 2010
I wonder what else it was made out!!!!!!
I liked the story. Thank you for putting it on StoryNory.
asher and clover — November 22, 2010
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.why would she want a little son any way
lolly pop — November 22, 2010
Thank you for this story, which though a bit scary,we enjoyed it so much.
Chiara & Umberto Matteo — November 27, 2010
??????????????
??????????????
Thx
Tony — November 30, 2010
hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi ih ih hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi
mike — December 7, 2010
When I got into the story it freaked me out
Bob — December 13, 2010
freaky pic and hes well scary look kids watch these and im one off them im 8 and why do u do freaky things for kids like round about my age to watch this? if u do freaky things then why is it not for adults ?
kayleigh — December 14, 2010
Sad story.
Ahysa — February 4, 2011
a bit scary bit like history.
Anushka — February 14, 2011
It is a brilliant story.
Nish — February 17, 2011
wow freaky very funny hahaha
Gianne Ong — February 18, 2011
that story was awsme!!!!!!!!! that was one smsrt rabi i for one thought it was scary cooll and kinda craepy soo i see way it got amedall.but why did golem go madd?
brendan — April 4, 2011
If you liked this I recommend Frankenstein. If this creeps you out DON’T read Frankenstein.I don’t recommend it. Seriously! It IS freaky!!!!!
Elisa — July 19, 2011
Dear Elisa, I have ready Frankenstein, and yes it is creepy, but also very sad…. poor misunderstood monster.
Bertie — July 20, 2011
no
no — August 10, 2011
I love this story and I wish to hear this story again when I come back to storynory, it’s the best place for stories.
leann — September 29, 2011
this is the worst story tail because i logg on every day and for 4 hours and read fairy talls like some of the people hear you people are completely retarded
sam — October 12, 2011
[…] admits Linda. She’ll be doing some spooky storytelling, including the ancient tale of the Golem, which Linda says packs a terrific “Boo!” factor. There will be other, gentler scary […]
A Boo Planet Halloween - XYZ Topeka — October 13, 2011
Cheeky Golem!…… wanting to destroy the Holy parchment!!ha ha ha ha
joshua — October 22, 2011
i like it
nafabian — November 15, 2011
heloveit
nafabian — November 15, 2011
i love it guys wooooow
kd — November 15, 2011
I like this story not because I’m actually Jewish but because I just liked well I am Jewish so I guess I had to like it
Keiran — April 18, 2012
[…] we would work with this semester. For the first class, they listened to a children’s story, The Golem of Prague, and read a different account of it by Jacob Grimm. They also read Jorges Luis Borges’ poem […]
Automata 101: Frankenstein’s Monster as Golem | Worlds Without End Blog — August 10, 2012
i like storynore
issy — August 10, 2012
hi i am issabella
i like storynore
72 longace
from issabella
issy — August 10, 2012
i like this a lot,great job.i’m slowly getting used to your voice by the way elizabeth.:)
charlotte — August 10, 2012
You it was epic
shubham — March 23, 2013
is very silly
sdfghjkl — October 22, 2013
[…] is a link connecting Frankenstein and the legend of The Golem of Prague geared towards children: //www.storynory.com/2010/10/25/the-golem-of-prague/ In what ways can this be seen as problematic? How are stories changed when presented to children? […]
The Golem: How He Came into the World (1920 with optional 2012 soundtrack by Black Francis from the Pixies | monstersmuseum — May 7, 2014
gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
chris — June 2, 2014
The story was great
dameon — June 2, 2014
The discovery of the tooth vampire is like this story
Jennavie — October 16, 2014
10 out of 10 would use again
Anonymous — October 31, 2014
Ok
Anonymous — November 2, 2014
This book is bad and not scere
I do not like it that lll
Lilith — November 24, 2014
ya dude it was so cool it was like franklin. Come on Lilith that was a good story
connor — October 26, 2015
maby a bit to long
Anonymous — December 15, 2014
I love this story
Aeryn — January 5, 2015
yes i did like this story even though I’m not done it sounds super cool its like franklin
connor — October 26, 2015
come on it was good!!!&(: number 10 DUDE!!!!&$$$$$$$$
connor — October 26, 2015
It was pretty good.
Ben is the best! — December 16, 2015
I liked it.
Ben is the best! — December 16, 2015
it was fine
sebastian — January 14, 2016
good job
chancho — October 18, 2016
Nice story for Halloween
Amanda — October 18, 2016
This story wasnt even interesting this story was a waste of time
Agent Dorito — October 18, 2016
this story was boring
Agent Noob — October 18, 2016
I loved the story, but it was to slow
Jenna Marie Corkern — October 18, 2016
I liked the story but it was a little slow ?
Cat? — October 19, 2016
it was very good the story
Virginia — October 20, 2016
Super Good good job
Sofia — October 20, 2016
Great story. It was really nice this story
Sebastiano — October 20, 2016
I didn’t like it why it was so slow
Aquiles — October 20, 2016
was nice the story
|Shamaka — October 20, 2016
Is a very very good story i love is tthis, is really fantastic.
Paula — October 31, 2016
It was a great story????????????????????
Ronin — November 7, 2016
This is me👱🏻♀️I love the story 🍬🍩🍪🌭🍕🍟🍔🌮🍦🍭🎨💜💙💚💛❤️
Carly — January 24, 2017
Spooooooooooky ♥ i realy like this story
poppy — March 16, 2017
Rubbish
Porque — October 29, 2018
A ppiece of art!
Mildred — March 8, 2019
Cool
bob — March 23, 2019
Omg i loved the ads
Anonymous — March 25, 2019
It was my most favorite story when as child I grew up in Prague. It was something mystic in it and I try to imagine Golem when I went to bed and my parents turned the light off.
Lynn — September 6, 2019
This is a great story I would recommend it to everyone in my family.😊
Katie 🌸🌺🌹🌷 — February 13, 2020
Nope
had — June 22, 2020
I like it
God — June 22, 2020
it was cool.
OOO (i don't wanna give my real name) — July 16, 2020
Some really nice stuff on this website , I enjoy it.
xmc.pl News — February 3, 2021