Difference between revisions 170321361 and 189736812 on enwiki

'''Peter Schlemihl''' is a character in [[Chamisso]]'s tale who sold his [[shadow]] to the [[devil]]. Consequently, the name is also a [[synonym]] of one who makes a [[desperate]] or silly [[bargain]]. (The word ''Schlemiel'' in [[Yiddish]] -- and its [[Hebrew]] cognate ''Shlumi'el'' --- mean a hopelessly incompetent person, a bungler.)

A remarkably similarly-named character in the Giulietta act of the [[Jacques Offenbach]] [[opera]], [[Les contes d'Hoffmann]] is named Schlemil, and has also given up his shadow. Compare the character to that of the Empress in [[Die Frau ohne Schatten]].

A modern translation of Chamisso's "Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte" can be found at [http://www.michaelhaldane.com/Translations.htm].

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Peter Schlemihl wants to be rich like Mr Thomas John and
pays a price to the man in grey in order to fulfil his desires. 
Later, he redeems himself by throwing away the "lucky purse"
and is rewarded with seven league boots...a fairytale for all. 
Strongly recommended reading.

[[de:Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte]]
[[eo:La mirinda historio de Petro Schlemihl]]
[[fr:Peter Schlemilh]]⏎
[[he:סיפורו המופלא של פטר שלומיאל]]