The Turkey Prince #12 min read

The Parable of the Turkey Prince

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810) told many stories and parables during his lifetime. Sometimes a story has a special way of touching a deep chord within a person, as if grasping a person’s essence or raw nerve. Rebbe Nachman’s parable of “HaMashal MeiHaHindik” – “The Lesson from the Turkey” is one such story. The first appearance of this story is in the book Kochvei Ohr, in the section “Sefer Sipurim Niflaim” (pages 26 and 27 of the 1972, Yerushalayim edition). Even though it is now many decades after its publication, one will still find many modern translations, iterations and allusions of this story due to the depth and significance of this parable.

Upon examination, one will find a treasure trove of truths held within this tale. And, as is the case with each of Rebbe Nachman’s beautiful teachings, there are many levels of understanding. The following interpretation, which we will explore in the coming weeks, is only a suggested conception of the parable by the author and should not be seen as definitive in any fashion. 

The overarching paradigm that emerges from this mashal may be described as a collection of helpful perspectives and tools to help build self-confidence and pragmatism in the face of self-doubt.

We will begin our journey together by first looking at the “Parable of the Turkey Prince” in its entirety. In the coming weeks, we will go through the story, analyzing each piece individually, to properly see the stunning mosaic hidden in this tale.

הַמָּשָׁל מֵהַהִינְדִּיק

שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ נָפַל לְשִׁגָּעוֹן שֶׁהוּא עוֹף הַנִּקְרָא הִינְדִּיק, וְצָרִיךְ לֵשֵׁב עָרוּם תַּחַת הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְלִגְרֹר חֲתִיכוֹת לֶחֶם וַעֲצָמוֹת כְּמוֹ הִינְדִּיק

וְכָל הָרוֹפְאִים נוֹאֲשׁוּ מִלַּעֲזֹר לוֹ וּלְרַפְאוֹתוֹ מִזֶּה. וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הָיָה בְּצַעַר גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה, עַד שֶׁבָּא חָכָם אֶחָד וְאָמַר: ‘אֲנִי מְקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמִי לְרַפְאוֹתוֹ’. וְהִפְשִׁיט גַּם כֵּן אֶת עַצְמוֹ עָרוּם וְיָשַׁב תַּחַת הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֵצֶל בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל וְגַם כֵּן גָּרַר פֵּרוּרִים וַעֲצָמוֹת

וּשְׁאָלוֹ בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ: ‘מִי אַתָּה וּמָה עוֹשֶׂה פֹּה’? וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ: ‘וּמָה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה פֹּה’? אָמַר לוֹ ‘אֲנִי הִינְדִּיק’, אָמַר לוֹ ‘אֲנִי גַּם כֵּן הִינְדִּיק’, וְיָשְׁבוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד כָּךְ אֵיזֶה זְמַן עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ רְגִילִים זֶה עִם זֶה

וְאָז רָמַז הֶחָכָם וְהִשְׁלִיכוּ לָהֶם כְּתֹנֶת, וְאָמַר הֶחָכָם הַהִינְדִּיק לְבֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ, ‘אַתָּה חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁהַהִינְדִּיק אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ עִם כְּתֹנֶת, יְכוֹלִים לִהְיוֹת לְבוּשׁ כְּתֹנֶת וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵּן יְהֵא הִינְדִּיק’. וְלָבְשׁוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם הַכְּתֹנֶת. וְאַחַר אֵיזֶה זְמַן רָמַז וְהִשְׁלִיכוּ לָהֶם מִכְנָסַיִם. וְאָמַר לוֹ גַּם כֵּן כְּנֶּאֱמַר לְעֵיל, ‘אַתָּה חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁעִם מִכְנָסַיִם לֹא יְכוֹלִים לִהְיוֹת הִינְדִּיק וְכוּ’ עַד שֶׁלָּבְשׁוּ הַמִּכְנָסַיִם, וְכֵן עִם שְׁאָר הַבְּגָדִי

וְאַחַר כָּךְ רָמַז וְהִשְׁלִיכוּ לָהֶם מַאַכְלֵי אָדָם מֵהַשֻּׁלְחָן, וְאָמַר לוֹ ‘אַתָּה חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁאִם אוֹכְלִים מַאֲכָלִים טוֹבִים כְּבָר לֹא יְכוֹלִים לִהְיוֹת הִינְדִּיק, אֶפְשָׁר לֶאֱכֹל לְהַמְשִׁיךְ וְלִהְיוֹת הִינְדִּיק’ וְאָכְלוּ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ ‘אַתָּה חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁהַהִינְדִּיק מֻכְרָח לִהְיוֹת דַּוְקָא תַּחַת הַשֻּׁלְחָן, יְכוֹלִים לִהְיוֹת הִינְדִּיק וְלִהְיוֹת אֵצֶל הַשֻּׁלְחָן

וְכֵן הִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ עַד שֶׁרִפֵּא אוֹתוֹ לְגַמְרֵי

וְהַנִּמְשָׁל מוּבָן לִמְבִינִים

It once happened that a Prince fell into insanity. He [thought he] was a bird called a turkey, and that he needed to sit naked under the table. There, he pecked/rolled pieces of bread and bones, just like a turkey.

All the [professional and expert] doctors despaired from helping him, to heal him from this.  

The King was greatly distressed from this, until one Wise Man came and said, “I accept upon myself to heal him.” He also stripped himself naked and he sat under the table next to the Prince mentioned earlier, and he also pecked/rolled pieces of bread and bones.

The Prince asked him, “Who are you and what are you doing here?” And he responded to him, “And what are you doing here?” He said to him, “I am a turkey.” And he said to him, “I am also a turkey.” Both of them sat together for some time until they became accustomed to one another.

Then the Wise Man signaled [to an attendant] and they threw tunic[s] to them. And the Wise one (the turkey), said to the prince, “You think that a turkey is not able to go with a tunic? [We are] able to be dressed [in] a tunic and even still be a turkey.” And they both wore the tunic[s].

After some time, he signaled [to an attendant] and they threw pants to them. And he said to him, just as before, “You think that if we go with pants, we are not able to be a turkey, [but we still can be a turkey].” Until they donned the pants, and so [the wise man did] with the rest of the clothing.

After this, he signaled [to an attendant] and they threw human food to them from the table. And he said to him, “Do you think that, if we already eat decent food, we are not able to be a turkey? It is possible to eat and continue to be a turkey.” And they ate.

Afterwards, he said to him, “You think that the turkey is forced to be specifically under the table, but [we are] able to be a turkey and to be at the table!” And so he behaved with him in this way until he healed him completely.

The explanation is clear to those who understand.

Thanks for joining us on this journey! We hope you enjoy!