A Philosopher’s Courtship
Many years ago in the city of Hamburg,the saintly philosopher Moses Mendelssohn fell in love with a charming woman named Fruntje.He approached her father,Guggenheim,to inform him of his love for her.Guggenheim,referring to Mendelssohn’s hunchback,the result of a curvature of the spine,replied “Well,you are philosopher and a wise man,so you will not take amiss.The girl said she became frightened when she saw you because of your appearance.”
This did not surprise Mendelssohn,and he immediately asked to speak with Fruntje.Although she avoided looking at him throughout the conversation,Mendelssohn was able to lead the conversation to the subject that was on his mind.Timidly,Fruntje asked if he too,believed in marriages that were made in heaven.Mendelssohn said that yes he did,and then went on to relate an unusual story:“As you know,they call out in Heaven at the birth of a boy,‘This one will get that girl for a wife.’ When I was born,my future wife was also thus announced,but it was added,‘She will,alas,have a terrible bump.’ I shouted,‘Oh,Lord,a girl who is humpbacked will very easily become bitter and hard.A girl should be beautiful.Good Lord,give the hump to me,and let her be handsome and well formed!”
Fruntje immediately accepted his proposal and soon became the faithful and devoted wife of Mendelssohn.
哲學(xué)家求婚
許多年以前,在漢堡,神學(xué)哲學(xué)家摩西.孟德?tīng)査蓯?ài)上了一個(gè)名叫弗倫姬的嫵媚女子.他拜見(jiàn)了對(duì)方的父親古根海姆,傾訴了對(duì)他女兒的愛(ài)意.古根海姆看著孟德?tīng)査捎杉棺祻澢斐傻鸟劚?,回答說(shuō)：“呃,您是哲學(xué)家,聰明人,您不會(huì)誤解.我的女孩說(shuō)過(guò),她看到您的外貌就害怕.”
孟德?tīng)査蓪?duì)此并不驚訝.他馬上提出要和弗倫姬談?wù)?弗倫姬在交談時(shí)目光始終沒(méi)有落在孟德?tīng)査缮砩?然而孟德?tīng)査蓞s把談話引到了心里要說(shuō)的話題.弗倫姬問(wèn)他是否相信婚姻天締,孟德?tīng)査烧f(shuō)他相信,接著又說(shuō)了一個(gè)離奇的故事：“你知道,男孩出生時(shí),天上會(huì)有人高聲說(shuō),‘這個(gè)男孩要娶那個(gè)女孩為妻.’在我出生時(shí),他們也這樣宣布我的未婚妻,但是還加了一句,‘唉,她的背駝得厲害.’我叫了起來(lái),‘啊,主呀,女孩駝背生活自然痛苦艱難.女孩可應(yīng)當(dāng)漂漂亮亮.善良的主呀,就讓我駝背,讓她美麗出眾、身材勻稱吧!”
弗倫姬立刻接受了求婚,不久就成了孟德?tīng)査傻闹覍?shí)盡心的妻子.