I’ve been looking into the story of the Wandering Jew. I have a character in my book that is based on this folklore. The story in essence is that a Jewish shoemaker speaks some ill will toward Jesus as he ascends Golgotha and instead of turning the other cheek, Jesus dooms that shoemaker to remain on the earth until he returns. The story starts with Jesus, being crushed by the burden of the crucifix, and his attempt to take a break by leaning into the doorway of the shoemaker. The exchange was something like this:
“Move on,” said the shoemaker.
Jesus looked at the man and replied, “I shall go, but you shall remain.”
And with that this man was forced to walk the earth, never resting, until the End Days.
Boggart and Banshee, A Supernatural Podcast covers the story on the episode titled “The Immortals Among Us: The Wandering Jew and Other Undying Ones.
Each host takes a turn at describing various version of an immortal shoemaker who walks the earth until the return of Christ. They talk about the first instance of this story being recorded in the 13th Century and they also discuss multiple version of various encounters throughout history of people who claimed to have met this Wandering Jew. This person cannot die. There are stories of encounters up through the 19th century both in Europe and the USA. Some versions he stays for a certain number of years in a particular place and then moves on. Other versions he seems to reset his age every so many decades. They even question the notion of whether immortality is a curse or a blessing. It’s a large topic and they do it justice.
A search of Spotify lead me to the above podcast, but I stayed for several other episodes. Chris Woodyard (an American folklorist) and Simon Young (A British folklorist) are the hosts. Their different backgrounds make for a truly entertaining product. Facts are facts, but quite often the same thing can appear as the opposite. Simon approaches everything as a skeptic. He specializes in Urban Legends. Chris is an accomplished writer and specialist in her own right, but probably has at least 10-15 years on Simon and approaches topics from a different historical perspective. Perceptions, realities and even truths seem to shift under the ever-changing landscape of our life. Myth. Religion. Entertainment. Our particular tribe. It all sort of mixes together. Just ask anyone who cheered on Agent Jack Bauer as he tortured a terrorist for info. If I’m ever drinking a beer with you remind me to give you my opinion on that particular matter.
But if you ever want to dip your toes into the wonder of British and American Folklore, give the Boggart and Banshee podcast a listen. You’ll come back for more.