A short Story about Yosef - Another story from the Bible by Rachael Orbach

Part 1.

Once, my precious children, there was a boy with many many brothers and one sister. You probably know their names, Yosef, Binyamin, Reuven, Asher Levi, Shimon and the rest.  Yosef was one of their father's favority but as you kow you shouldn't play favorites with children, but you you know the story of the Sriped Coat?  Well, my preicous ones this is not that story, but a different one.

Yosef was very proud of his hair, mirrors were not invented in those days, so Yosef always wanted to look at his hair. expecialy the long and curly payot,  his side locks were his favorite part of his hair.  he would comb and braid them for hours, and he would never cut them. He would go down to the river and catch is reflection in the water when the wind was not blowing.

Learn from the deeds of others, but do not necessarily do the same, my precious children.  Yosef was vain. when he was five years old, and not at all agreeable to other people even his mother!  Can you believe it?  At breakfast, when all his siblings sat down to eat breakfast at the table, he was still getting dressed! And you know it, combing his hair, especially those long payot, he had to comb them for ten minutes each!  His step mother Zilpa would call, "Yosef,!"