Bovo-Bukh
Book by Elia Levita / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Bovo-Bukh ("Bovo book", Yiddish: בָּבָא-בּוּך, בּאָבאָ-בּוּך, German transliteration: Baba Buch), also known as Bovo of Antona (בָּבָא דְאַנְטוּנָא[spelling?], German transliteration: Baba de Antona), written in 1507–1508 by Elia Levita, was the most popular chivalric romance in Yiddish. It was first printed in 1541, being the first non-religious book to be printed in Yiddish. For five centuries, it endured at least 40 editions. It is written in ottava rima and, according to Sol Liptzin, is "generally regarded as the most outstanding poetic work in Old Yiddish". [Liptzin, 1972, 5, 7]
Author | Elia Levita |
---|---|
Original title | בָּבָא דְאַנְטוֹנָא |
Country | Papal States |
Language | Yiddish |
Genre | Chivalric romance |
Publication date | 1541 |
The theme derives from the Anglo-Norman romance of Bevis of Hampton, by way of an Italian poem that had modified the name Bevis of Hampton to Buovo d'Antona and had, itself, been through at least thirty editions at the time of translation and adaptation into Yiddish. The central theme is the love of Bovo and Druziane. [Liptzin, 1972, 6], [Gottheil] The story "had no basis in Jewish reality", but compared to other chivalric romances it "tone[s] down the Christian symbols of his original" and "substitute[s] Jewish customs, Jewish values and Jewish traits of character here and there..." [Liptzin, 1972, 8]
The character was also popular in Russian folk culture as "Prince Bova".
The Bovo-Bukh later became known in the late 18th century as Bove-mayse "Bove's tale". This name was corrupted into bube mayse "grandmother's tale", meaning "old wives' tale". [Liptzin, 1972, 7]