ABSTRACT
A story which frequently appears, from the Middle Ages to modern times, concerns a Jew and his daughter. The Jew is old, ugly and mean; but his daughter is young, beautiful and good-hearted. The third character in the story is a young man, a Christian, who loves the daughter and is loved by her. With her active aid, he steals the Jew’s treasure, and runs off with it, together with the Delectable Daughter herself. These are the bare bones of the story; but there are many details which vary from century to century. To study how the story changes and develops is to follow the history of the changing attitudes of Christians towards the Jews – almost to follow the development of Western culture itself.
