R. Judah as Prototype of the Ancient Mariner

The Wisdom of Israel, by Edwin Collins, [1910], at sacred-texts.com

R. JUDAH AS PROTOTYPE OF THE ANCIENT MARINER.

Rabbi Judah the Prince was seated teaching the Torah amidst the great congregation of Babylon, in Zipori, when a calf that was being led to the slaughter escaped, came up to him and cried, as if to say: "Save me." He said to it: "What can I do for thee? For this thou wast formed."

And for thirteen years from that day our great Rabbi was punished by suffering agony with his teeth. . . . At the end of this period, a little reptile was, one day, passing in front of Rabbi Judah's daughter and she wished to kill it, but the Rabbi said to her: "My daughter, let it alone; for it is written (Ps. cxiv.), 'His mercies are over all His works. . . .'" Then Elijah the Prophet appeared in a vision unto Rabbi Judah, wearing the appearance

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of Rabbi Chyia (a rabbi with whom Rabbi Judah had not been on friendly terms), and laid his hand on the teeth, which were immediately healed.

Henceforth Rabbi Judah was exceedingly friendly with Rabbi Chyia, and showed him great honour.