A flat to rent

One of the most beautiful Hebrew stories for children in Israel is called a flat to rent (Hebrew: דירה להשכיר-dirah lehaskir). This book was written by the hands of Leah Goldberg, who was and still considered to be one of the best authors and poets in Israel’s History.

The book appeared for the first time in October 1948 in a newspaper for kids. In 1959 the story was published as a book and until today it is one of the most important books for the development of kids, because it deals with the relationship between animals in a building.

According to the story, one of the animals left the building(the mouse )and the tenants are trying to find another one to replace it. The first four animals like the building but not the tenants and only the first one wants to live with them. This story is without any doubt a metaphor to how people look at other people by the first glance and they are so judgmental.

The story starts like this:

“בעמק יפה בין כרמים ושדות.עומד מגדל בן חמש קומות.ומי גר במגדל?בקומה הראשונה תרנגולת שמנה. כל היום בביתה על משכבה מתהפכת, היא כל-כך שמנה שקשה לה ללכת. בקומה השניה גרה קוקיה, כל היום היא מהלכת, עושה ביקורים, כי בניה גרים בקינים אחרים. בקומה השלישית חתולה כושית נקייה, מגונדרת, על צוואר יש לה סרט. בקומה הרביעית גרה סנאית, בשמחה ונחת אגוזים מפצחת. ובקומה החמישית גר מר עכבר, אך לפני שבוע ארז חפציו ונסע….”

“In a beautiful valley, among vineyards and fields, there stood a tower with five floors. Who lived in the tower? On the first floor lived a fat hen. All day long she is at home, lolling in her bed. She is so fat, she can hardly walk.On the second floor lived a cuckoo bird. All day long running around, visiting; her children, you know, live in different homes.On the third floor lived a clean, coquettish black cat with ribbon on her neck.On the fourth floor there lived a squirrel, happily cracking an munching on nuts.And on the fifth floor, used to live Mr. Mouse, but a week ago he packed and left. No one knows why and to where…”

Credit: Rahel Halabe